Calendar 2008

Photography by Allan Mandell
Text by Maggie Oster

Strongly influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, the Japanese style of landscaping is particularly conducive to restoring an inner calm. Requiring an artful blend of imagination, skill and patience, the Japanese garden is an extension of the self. By adapting the harmonies of natural design to our own landscape, we heighten our understanding of the world around us and within us.

The Gardens of the Spirit 2008 wall calendar features the exquisite images of professional garden photographer Allan Mandell. Paired with Maggie Oster's contemplative text, this collection of images brings the experience of Japanese gardening to all who long to create a peaceful oasis in the midst of a challenging world.

Sample Caption: Life's journey beckons us into the unknown. We cannot see the end, only the fewest steps before us. Even when we think we know what those steps will be, large or small, smooth or rough, we cannot fully know what each one will be like until we are there, only then if we allow ourselves to be totally in the moment, open to all the senses, completely aware. If we are distracted by what may be up ahead, where we've been before, by side paths, or fixed plans or concepts, then we become out of balance.