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The Garden

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A Love Story for the Soul

This is not a conventional book, nor story for that matter. It is more a suggestion of something, a whimsical glimpse inside the world of soul. It is a tale of a soul’s journey into life. Colourful landscapes, evocative passages and poetic rests makes each page a pleasure to read and reflect. Its mystery is part of the appeal.

The Garden is an elegant spiritual classic that represents wholeness and reminds us of the cosmic model of our relationship to the infinite. Taking up this book is like entering a gateway into a safe refuge of inner reflection. But The Garden is more than a book...it is an invitation to ‘a place where we all may feed and drink; a feast in which everyone rejoices’.

Through meditation and spiritual alchemy, a Dreamer awakens his soul and befriends a beautiful lotus flower and together they travel through a magical landscape to recapture the wonderment of being young and the transcendent beauty of childhood dreams. The Dreamer learns to follow his heart and discovers it takes greater courage to let go of life than to hold on to it.

The Garden is a timeless fable about growing up, getting lost, and finding your way home again. This unique book is open for interpretation, allowing the reader to bring their own understanding and meaning to the story. Between the words and images lay a hidden place of magical meaning— ‘The innermost and most secret numinosum of the human soul.’

Colour illustrations are best enjoyed by reading the paperback version or viewing on a colour-screen device.

134 pages, Paperback

First published March 22, 2007

About the author

Robin Craig Clark

5 books146 followers


I have wandered many ancient paths across England, Wales, and the Outer Hebrides. Walking in nature and studying Celtic mythology has become my lifelong inspiration.

I believe everything connects in magic and mystery. That beneath our everyday existence, mystery breathes behind all things. Our natural world is filled with otherworldly, marvellous, and supernatural elements.

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5 stars
46 (32%)
4 stars
43 (30%)
3 stars
32 (22%)
2 stars
10 (7%)
1 star
10 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Jülie ☼♄ .
518 reviews22 followers
August 10, 2016
Read from 4-5th July 2014.

Words do not make a man understand,
It takes the man to understand the words.

—Alan Watts


This beautiful fable is told in four parts: The First Awakening, The Sleeping, The Dreaming and The Reawakening, and follows a soul's journey through the Garden of four seasons, telling a tale that might speak of loss, searching, discovery and awakening.
It is a meditation on a soul's journey.

This is a beautifully presented and illustrated book that would grace any collection and whose artwork is just a gorgeous visual aid on this meditative journey.

A very inspired work which pleases all the senses.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book to anyone as it is something to be enjoyed by all and visited often.

*I would further suggest obtaining the hardcover copy if possible..as opposed to, or indeed as well as, the digital version...as I believe it would make for a far better experience to view the pages in this way and contemplate the artwork again and again.
However this is just my personal preference as it occurs to me now that it would also be lovely to view the digital version through a medium which projects it through the tv. (And now I plan to try doing just that!)

4★s
Profile Image for Maria Carmo.
1,948 reviews50 followers
July 9, 2013
This book is another gem from Robin and Amanda. Larger than life in its deep beauty, it should be MEDITATED rather than read.

It is a poetic tale of Soul, through the Path of the Cycle of Life. From laughing innocence to forgetfulness, as the Soul crosses the Bridge into the Valley of Shadows... From forgetfulness to remembrance and hope, as Dreamer and Flower meet and entwine their light energy... From Pilgrimage among the Old and Dead, "pushing through the night of unknowing", to full REAWAKENING!

The marvelous voyage of Soul back to its blissful Origin.
Definitely a GOOD READ!

Maria Carmo,

Lisbon 9th. July 2013.
Profile Image for Dr. Jasmine.
Author 1 book23 followers
September 24, 2024
I did love this book but if you'd ask me what was is about, I'd hesitate.. Its all so vague..
I felt the message was between the lines, all the way, so the actual words of writing were just a "push in the right direction" so to speak.

A most unusual book, and illustrations are just as important as the text. They are ethereal and elegant and must be full of Fibonacci numbers, no doubt. They felt like the artist spied on nature and has shown us its glimpses rather than created something out of her own head (I do mean this is as a compliment, just to be clear). :o)

The journey of the soul? the life and death? the essence of spirituality? the garden as a metaphor for life cycles? One might choose to see all of the above within the book, and may be more.

The bottom-line- its beautiful to look at, relaxing to read, and leaves you with a light and happy feeling- WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT ? :o)))
Profile Image for Naveen Kumar.
8 reviews1 follower
January 22, 2022
An unusual, unconventional book, a half remembered dream. A poetic prose about a dreamy journey to retrieve our soul, lost to the complex adulthood, back into our innocent childhood self. Of course, the book and the themes are open to interpretation. Mine is that it's about loss of innocence and those unadulterated feelings and thoughts that we once had and finding it again. Loved those beautiful illustrations more than the writing.
Profile Image for Giuliana.
5 reviews
June 25, 2014
There's no story behind... nothing is explained well. there are some really nice quotes and the pictures are gorgeous. But that's as far as it goes
Profile Image for Danada.
161 reviews2 followers
January 5, 2019
Just beautiful.
I will come back to this one many times.
Profile Image for Andrea.
Author 9 books93 followers
August 11, 2014
Absolutely gorgeous illustrations adorn this interesting and colorful book, which reads almost like a poem. Intriguing images evoke a myriad of enchanting visualizations, where one can only dream. I was immersed in this almost fairy tale of sorts, a fable of beauty and reawakening. Beautiful book! The hard cover will certainly be a decorative addition to any coffee table!
152 reviews
October 12, 2013
i love such books... it would be a pleasure to read this book.. especially as it is a robin craig clark's book i realllly wanna read it..
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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