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I Don't Believe in Being Lost

Broadcaster Anita Rani explores the significance of being lost, both physically and spiritually. She talks to Reverend Peter Owen-Jones about his experiences in the wilderness.

Broadcaster Anita Rani explores the significance of being lost, both physically and spiritually. Drawing on a broad range of music and texts, from the Qawwali of Sufi Islam to the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, Anita illustrates the importance of losing oneself in culture and spirituality.

In some ways, Anita doesn't believe in being lost if there's a map, a signpost or even a person to ask, it's possible to get where you need to be. On another level we are all incredibly lost throughout our lives. From birth until death there's no plan and no map, just meanderings and different destinations. How does this feeling of being lost manifest itself in our existence, physically, mentally and spiritually?

Anita reflects on the nature of being lost with Reverend Peter Owen Jones, priest, award-winning television presenter and author, described by the Times as "the bravest vicar in Britain". Peter has journeyed deep into the wilderness in the footsteps of St Anthony. In a hermit's cell in the heart of the Egyptian Sinai Desert, he lived alone. The experience, he says, withered his illusions and allowed him to see things as they really are.

Producer: Jo Coombs
A Loftus production for ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 4 Oct 2020 23:30
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

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Living in the Mind

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The Poetry of Healing

See all episodes from Something Understood

Music Played

  • Burl Ives

    Wayfaring Stranger

  • AR Rahman

    Bombay Theme

    • Bombay.
    • Decca.

  • Bach

    Prelude 2 Well Tempered Clavier

    Performer: Dick Hyman.
    • Melinda et Melinda.

  • Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

    Shahbaaz Qalander

    Performer: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Qawwal and Party.

  • JephtΓ© Guillaume

    The Prayer Acoustic Mix

    Composer: Daniel Beaubrun.

Poetry/Prose Included in the programme

Extract from β€œThe Life of Pi” by Yann Martel. Published by Canongate Books, 2003.

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β€œGoing to Spend a Night Alone at the Hsien-Yu Temple” by anonymous. A 9th Century Chinese Poem.

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β€œThe Little Boy Lost” and β€œThe Little Boy Found” by William Blake, from β€œSongs of Innocence and of Experience”. Published by Oxford University Press, 1977.

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β€œLost and Found” by David Hollies. Unpublished poem, used with permission of his widow, Gail Hollies.

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Extract from the Ramayana, abridged and translated by Arshia Sattar. Published by Penguin Global, 2000.

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Broadcasts

  • Sun 28 Nov 2010 06:05
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
  • Sun 28 Nov 2010 23:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
  • Sun 4 Oct 2020 06:05
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
  • Sun 4 Oct 2020 23:30
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4