I’m reading the most beautiful book right now called Brida, by Paulo Coelho.
“Before our first lesson, I want to remind you of one thing,” he said. “When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.”
“Strange tools,” said Brida. “They often dissuade people from carrying on.”
The Magus knew the reason for these tools, he had already experienced both in body and soul.
“Teach me the Tradition of the Sun,” she insisted.
The Magus asked Brida to lean back against the rock and relax.
“There’s no need to close your eyes. Look at the world around you and try to see and understand as much as you can. The Tradition of the Sun is constantly revealing eternal knowledge to each individual.”
Brida is about Soul mates, magic, the bridge between the visible and the invisible, the journey to know yourself, and God.
“I learned about the Dark Night,” she said to the now silent forest. “I learned that the search for God is a Dark Night, that Faith is a Dark Night. And that’s hardly a surprise really, because for us each day is a dark night. None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, and yet we still go forward. Because we trust. Because we have faith.
“Or who knows, perhaps because we just don’t see the mystery contained in the next second. Not that it mattered. What mattered was knowing that she had understood.
That every moment in life is an act of faith.
That you could choose to fill it with snakes and scorpions or with a strong protecting force.
That Faith cannot be explained. It was simply a Dark Night. And all she had to do was accept it or not.
It’s a beautiful book.
Since reading The Alchemist many years, I’ve read every book Paulo Coelho has ever written. The man is brilliant, remarkable, humble, insightful and a master at storytelling.
If you’ve never read his work, I highly recommend him. Pick a time when you are not going to be interrupted for hours (like taking a flight to Europe) because once you get started on one of his books, you will not want to put it down. Plus time flies and you will disappear into his stories, which is a great way to go if you’ve traveling on a crowded flight.
Here is a letter from Paulo Coelho about Brida:
Dear Reader,
In Brida, my third novel which I wrote just after The Alchemist, I tell the story of a young woman that dives into sorcery and experiences with different magical traditions. I explore many themes that are dear to me, such as The Great Mother, pagan religions and the perceptions of love.
When I wrote this book and published it in Brazil more than 18 years ago, themes such as the feminine face of God were still very foreign to most people. Nevertheless, I noticed, with the passing of time, a shift in perception – people being more open to the intuitive perception of the world and being less seduced by the fixed rules of society. As written on the book, “the noblest thing a human being can experience is acceptance of the mystery.”
I have the feeling that the world is accepting more and more the mystery and so, dear readers, I present you the story of this young woman today.
Paulo Coelho
Click the cover to Search Inside the book, read an excerpt, and buy a copy from Amazon:
Facebook comments:
Dear Lisa,
Thank you so much for sharing this book on your blog. I have read The Alchemist (and LOVED it), and have been wanting to read a second book from Coelho. Your description of Brida resonated with me, as my spiritual journey began with Wicca and earth-based spirituality. I’ve gradually moved away from identifying with any one single path (after studying many, from Pagan to Christianity, over the years). I am now an ACIM student/teacher, and enjoy your blog and podcasts very much! Have a Blessed week, and thanks again for your inspiration.
Danny
St. Pete, FL
Hello!
I’m a big fan of Paulo Coelho! You will love this! He’s the first best-selling
author to be distributing for free his works on his blog:
http://www.paulocoelhoblog.com
Have a nice day!
Aart