Gardens can be so much more than merely pleasing to the eye; they can also evoke a contemplative state of mind, connecting us more fully to ourselves and to the world around us. In Landscape as Spirit, Martin Mosko explains his meditative approach to garden and landscape design and then walks us through five of his gardens. Along the way is the constant reminder that these outer environments are actually reflections of the natural balance and harmony that lie within us.

Landscape as Spirit is now available in paperback!

"Water is a unique element of the garden in that it has no fixed form itself. It is the only "contained " element, like the mind in the body. The qualities of water are much like the qualities of mind: still or dancing, silent or singing. And like the mind, water related with materials around it for its definition and shape.

Water has the qualities of clarity, purity, freshness and power, and using it in the garden evokes those aspects. Not all of them are present at all times in all gardens, but by looking at each quality we can understand how the energy of water is expressed. Each inherent quality of water evokes an emotional response, which in turn informs the overall feel of the garden.

Water's clarity is expressed both through its depth and its power to reflect. Looking down through clear water is one way to understand the very idea of clarity. To look through the surface of water to the layers below is to approximate the experience of looking deeply into the mind, past the surface chatter of ordinary consciousness. In both cases we can see how the ripples of daily activity do not change the qualities that lie under the surface. "

From Landscape as Spirit by Martin Hakubai Mosko and Alxe Noden, pages 39-41