Richard Jay Widry started writing poetry at age nine as a personal chronicle of his intellectual and spiritual evolution. In his teens he began his search for personal understanding. This quest continued through the Consciousness-minded 1960s and '70s and he expanded his writing into more metaphysical realms. As he grew he began to recognize the Spirituality within and around him. Through the study of formal Meditation he acquired a broader spiritual understanding. As he learned, his poetry became more profound.
With this new insight he dedicated more of himself to his spiritual search. In 1983 Richard devoted himself fully to meditation and writing. Through isolation he focused completely on the meanings and import of his work and spirituality. He emerged from this isolation with greater spiritual awareness and a drive to share what he had learned. The Elements of Heaven is a compilation of his writings from that time of solitary contemplation.