Open Spaces Sacred Places is a book that dramatically demonstrates how nature has the power to heal and unify in our increasingly frenetic 21st-century world. It is a series of inspirational stories told through the voices of "firesouls," those passionate and persistent people who have brought communities together to create public areas of respite.The book depicts a wide variety of sacred places, including a meditation garden inside the walls of a prison, a sculpture garden built by at-risk youth in the inner city, and a therapeutic healing garden at a rehabilitation hospital. These public green spaces are places of peace and refreshment, where people can tap into their own deep wisdom and find an antidote for the stressful, divisive, and isolating effects of life in today's complex world.While each of the profiled spaces has its own unique focus and character, they all have one common element--a bench with a journal attached where each visitor has the opportunity to anonymously reveal private thoughts and feelings. The journal entries, collected over 12 years, reinforce the essential human need to take time out in nature. Open Spaces Sacred Places also contains more than 200 beautifully photographed images that bring these spaces to life.With a foreword by G. Martin Moeller, Jr., Open Spaces Sacred Places provides helpful information for those who have the desire to become active firesouls by spearheading community efforts to create public green spaces.
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Mother Nature Network-"…these stories and pictures inspire. They show what's possible with creativity, vision and a loving community. Particularly moving are the quotes adorning the book's margins from visitors to these gardens (a waterproof journal is located at each). They offer proof that these places are indeed sacred, that nature -- even small slices -- has the power to change lives and nourish souls. Warning: a walk through these pages may awaken your inner firesoul and have you breaking ground for a sacred space of your own."
New York Times Sunday Book Review-On the question of what it means to be in a garden, two books take opposite tacks, but end up in the same place. OPEN SPACES SACRED PLACES: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies, by Tom Stoner and Carolyn Rapp, describes the efforts of a group called the TKF Foundation to create gardens around the Chesapeake Bay. Those "sacred spaces" were so successful that the foundation expanded its mission into other areas in the mid-Atlantic region. Over a hundred spaces have been created in the last dozen years. The gardens are designed and built locally; in fact, their success as healing places is partly due to the sense of ownership the community has in the garden.One project in East Baltimore, the Amazing Port Street Sacred Commons, was in a rough, drug-ridden neighborhood. "One day this summer, about 15 members of a local gang came to the labyrinth we built," Pastor Karen Brau recalls. "One of the members of their gang had been shot. . . . These kids knew -- they felt on some level -- that the labyrinth was sacred space, and in their suffering they came to it." Thanks to the garden and the efforts of the surrounding community, Brau adds, "We are transforming this neighborhood in the face of what seems impossible. And we're not giving up."This book is a testament to the power that can be generated when generous hearts and wise minds are brought to the garden. "I often felt like a human doing," writes the project's founder Tom Stoner. "I often yearned for that special place in nature where I could be a human being again."
"The healing power of nature--so important to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and so undervalued in contemporary medicine--is the central theme of this wonderful book. The authors show us how people everywhere can work to create public green spaces that soothe and refresh and help heal communities and the world. Open Spaces Sacred Places is an inspired call to action." --Dr. Andrew Weil, best-selling author
New York Times Sunday Book Review-On the question of what it means to be in a garden, two books take opposite tacks, but end up in the same place. OPEN SPACES SACRED PLACES: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies, by Tom Stoner and Carolyn Rapp, describes the efforts of a group called the TKF Foundation to create gardens around the Chesapeake Bay. Those "sacred spaces" were so successful that the foundation expanded its mission into other areas in the mid-Atlantic region. Over a hundred spaces have been created in the last dozen years. The gardens are designed and built locally; in fact, their success as healing places is partly due to the sense of ownership the community has in the garden.One project in East Baltimore, the Amazing Port Street Sacred Commons, was in a rough, drug-ridden neighborhood. "One day this summer, about 15 members of a local gang came to the labyrinth we built," Pastor Karen Brau recalls. "One of the members of their gang had been shot. . . . These kids knew -- they felt on some level -- that the labyrinth was sacred space, and in their suffering they came to it." Thanks to the garden and the efforts of the surrounding community, Brau adds, "We are transforming this neighborhood in the face of what seems impossible. And we're not giving up."This book is a testament to the power that can be generated when generous hearts and wise minds are brought to the garden. "I often felt like a human doing," writes the project's founder Tom Stoner. "I often yearned for that special place in nature where I could be a human being again."
"The healing power of nature--so important to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and so undervalued in contemporary medicine--is the central theme of this wonderful book. The authors show us how people everywhere can work to create public green spaces that soothe and refresh and help heal communities and the world. Open Spaces Sacred Places is an inspired call to action." --Dr. Andrew Weil, best-selling author
About the Author
Tom Stoner is a cofounder of the TKF Foundation. He has served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and as cofounder of the Conflict Resolution Clinic associated with George Mason University. He also cofounded American Radio Systems. Tom lives in Annapolis, Maryland and Stowe, Vermont.
Carolyn Rapp is a writer, storyteller, and avid gardener. She is author of Garden Voices: Stories of Women and Their Gardens (2005). Carolyn lives in McLean, Virginia and Frisco, Colorado.
Carolyn Rapp is a writer, storyteller, and avid gardener. She is author of Garden Voices: Stories of Women and Their Gardens (2005). Carolyn lives in McLean, Virginia and Frisco, Colorado.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bringing peace to those who seek it,
By C. Walsh (York, PA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Open Spaces Sacred Places: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies (Paperback)
Open Spaces Sacred Places is an inspiring collection of first-person accounts of individuals and organizations coming together to create sanctuaries that are open to everyone. These thoughtfully designed sanctuaries--which include elements such as natural gardens, labyrinths, and artwork--emerge in a wide range of environments: from an AIDS clinic to a correctional facility to a drug-ridden city neighborhood. Excerpts from journals placed in each site reveal what the spaces do for visitors and for the communities they inhabit. Truly a heartwarming and inspiring read for those who believe--and perhaps even those who don't--in the healing power of nature's beauty and the truest sense of community.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fabulous, inspiring book,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Open Spaces Sacred Places: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies (Paperback)
Open Spaces Sacred Places: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies is a very uplifting book. It shows how just 1 person can make a difference, getting others involved and committed to help others. I bought copies of this book for several dear friends.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Just a picture book of public places.,
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This review is from: Open Spaces Sacred Places: Stories of How Nature Heals and Unifies (Paperback)
A very nice book, but directed towards communities, not individuals.
I was actually hoping for more personalized spaces - perhaps my expectations were askew. I am giving the book to our Community Development Director as soon as possible. I wonder if it will then be tax deductible?
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