Maybe it's the Spring weather here on the Desert or maybe it's because my natal chart shows so many planets in Cancer, but I've been in a nesting sort of mood lately and my reading choices reflect that.  One of the books I've enjoyed lately is  A Home for the Soul: A Guide for Dwelling with Spirit and Imagination, by Anthony Lawlor (Random House, 1997).

Lawlor is an architect who views homes symbolically rather than merely a succession of inhabited rooms.  He makes it clear that his book "is not another self-improvement program to add to your already busy schedule.  It is, instead, about shifting attention from the outer surfaces of walls and furniture to their inner depth . . . Remodeling our consciousness, we can see the deeper workings of the spirit and rearrange our furnishings . . . to support the vitality of the soul."

In various chapters, the author touches briefly on the symbolism of woods commonly used for furniture, of common garden plants, and gems and metals.  Room by room (each has its own chapter), he points out the symbols in our everyday lives, has the reader visualize what kinds of activities occur in each room and how best to accomodate those activites in a way that feels soulful.  He gives very little out-and-out advice.  The book seems more like an exhange between writer and reader.

Not only is the book well and thoughtfully written, but the photography is  meditative and beautiful.  Photographer Rick Donhauser captures in images that quality of soulfulness that so easily eludes words.

Review by Persephone
Writer, contributer to Moonsites Monitor News
(We love Sephy's writing here at Moonsites! Although she leads a very busy life, we hope she will contribute more articles soon!).

Visit: PERSEPHONE'S PLACE

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