Guest Author - Susan Kramer

Editor Phil Cousineau and photographer Eric Lawton have teamed up in a flaming duo that does justice to their book The Soul Aflame.

Inspired by the cover photograph of firelight reflected upon a meditative countenance, I was compelled to explore the book. There followed many uplifting minutes.

The body of the book is formulated in days of the week and further defined by eight moods in the natural daily cycle - matins; lauds; prime; terce; sext; none; vespers and compline.

The left-hand pages have a thought-provoking offering by creative individuals and opposite each is a gorgeous photograph of people or uplifting scenes in nature.

Opening the selections for Tuesday the quote from Boris Pasternak resonates true for me:

"It's not the earthquake
That controls the advent of a different life
But storms of generosity
And visions of incandescent souls."

And in Saturday Vespers by the American Benjamin Franklin:

"When I see nothing annihilated (in the works of God) and not a drop of water wasted, I cannot suspect the annihilation of souls, or believe that He will suffer the daily waster of millions of minds ready made that now exist, and put Himself to the continual trouble of making new ones. Thus, finding myself to exist in the world, I believe I shall, in some shape or other, always exist; and, with all the inconveniences human life is liable to, I shall not object to a new edition of mine, hoping, however, that the errata of the last may be corrected.

Now, are not those verses inspiring!

The Soul Aflame lays on my coffee table and does not fail to greet me with its warm invitation to open its covers and once again pull up my delightful energy in that quick moment - energizing me creatively.

Don't we all find that nuggets of creative splendor arise from our body, mind and soul aflame with inspired energy!

Highly recommended!

Details - 160 page paperback by Conari Press; 7 by 7.2 inches; ISBN: 1573241865

Available from Amazon.com
The Soul Aflame - A Modern Book of Hours