Book Review: To Kiss What Cannot Be Kissed

Book Review:  To Kiss What Cannot Be Kissed… –  Love songs from the Canyon by Nancy Neithercut

Shaktipat Love Songs !

I met Nancy a few years ago in Facebook and have been reading her posts since then. As soon as I heard Nancy wrote a book, I ordered it and started reading. I read the introduction, which appealed to my left-brain and then I read:

“And can you read all these words without trying to find their meaning?”  – p. 2

And that was the first shaktipat of many I received from this book, where for me shaktipat means: the words made me pause, like feeling a deep stillness inside and my mind came to a halt. From then on, I read the book in a relaxed way not trying to find the meaning of the words, just letting them flow through me.

“Yet some are the songsters … their steps are light …they leave rainbows painted with emptiness hanging in the air.” – p. 8

I read before starting each day. Reading this book was as if a view of the world opened up to me that I sensed deep down was everywhere but it was one I barely noticed. It was like the words were somehow being absorbed and while going about my day subtle insights would come regarding myself or the world. Every day the comprehension of the words went deeper, like they opened up and more layers were revealed. When I got to the end of the book, I actually read it again from start to finish. And the second time through, gradually page by page, my heart felt like it was bursting with love.

Reading this book gives one the rare opportunity to have an experience of the world through the lens of a rare human being that has her eyes wide open. I feel Nancy is like a modern-day Rumi, and she poured her love into every sentence of this book. This book is an amazing collection of visual impressions and love songs. What I understand is that after one is liberated then it would be natural one would want to share that state with others. But there is no way that it can be shared except through shared learned words, and as soon as it is described it is now separate. I understand the title of this book: “To Kiss What Cannot Be Kissed”, to be this desire to share and touch each other.

“And she searched for words that would twist the handholds of hearts and minds into weeping shadows… for words that would blow your mind more than a hurricane, and heat your desire more than fire, and soak the edges of your smile more than tears.” – p. 97

I feel she did a very good job of finding those words! Every word, every sentence, is streaming unfiltered light reflected through the unique lens of Nancy. I have no doubt that this book will provoke strong reactions in the reader, which I feel is the most creative aspect as reactions help us to see ourselves.

“Spring reeds sway in the canyon winds and sing as they dry, sunrise is wrapped in moon’s embrace, death unshrouds the kiss of day… and when the poet is gone everything is a poem, and when tears spill out you can say it’s the sunset… “ – p. 105

Probably my favorite part of the book was when I was near to the end of the second time reading it. There was a notion that came up several times in the book that I could not understand: “We need each other to see ourselves.” … and at this point being in a state of falling in love with every word in the book, being awe-struck with Nancy’s songs … then I read this:

“I see your immeasurable beauty beyond what you think you are and just as you think you are, your emptiness and your fullness, and am astounded. You cannot see your delicate tender eyes, but I can. You can never see your own magnificence, but I can. Only through each other can we catch a glimpse of our overwhelmingly unutterable beauty. Only through imaginary separation is there love. The precious jewel you’ve been looking for is you.” – p. 129

And then it occurred to me that If I could see and feel her magnificence, her beauty and her love, then it could only mean that I was seeing myself through her. Really, never in my life have I considered myself to be beautiful. So thank you Nancy for helping me to see that…. Mega-hearts & Mega-tears…  Nancy sings so beautifully…

“When kisses lose their lips yet sing of loves ravishing beauty, words seem to capture a taste of what has no essence or source and the sun weeps at your immeasurable beauty.” – p. 97.