THE SECRET GARDEN OF THE SOUL (H/B)- An introduction to the Kabbalah, by Allan Armstrong

Imagier Publishing, Bristol 2008, (Signed Ltd Edition of 220 copies)  Privately Printed
Hardback with D/J: bound in black book-cloth with gilt lettering to spine, pp. 238, with many b/w illustrations

An informative work that sheds light upon the perplexing world of the Kabbalah, its origins and history; throwing light on its obscure terms and mysterious language; its symbolism, doctrine and practices.

The Secret Garden of the Soul - an Introduction to the Kabbalah, is a lucid and informative introduction to the metaphysical system at the heart of Western Spirituality commonly known as Kabbalah. Written by an Allan Armstrong an experienced Christian Kabbalist, esoteric scholar, and spiritual director, entered the Order of the Dionysis and Paul in 1975, where he was introduced to the Kabbalah and its disciplines. 

He describes how that hidden within each one of us is a world of unfathomable beauty and peace - The Secret Garden of the Soul - and gaining access to that wondrous garden has been central to the Kabbalah and Kabbalists from the earliest times.

In the The Secret Garden of the Soul - an Introduction to the Kabbalah, you will find a comprehensive overview of the origins of kabbalah, the Tree of Life, the significance and use of letters and number, and different methods of meditation that are necessary for entering and exploring the Secret garden of your own Soul.

The author, an experienced Kabbalist, who has devoted more that 40 years to the study of Kabbalah, shows how through studying the symbolism and engaging in the disciplines of Kabbalah, it is  possible to enter the Secret Garden of the Soul and become aware of the Divine Presence that resides within it. He states that: "The ascent of the holy mountain is an ancient motif, arguably much older than the Tree of Life, which has been used by many cultures to describe the inner work of spiritual development. In ancient Egypt it was represented by the pyramid, a symbol of the sacred mound that emerged out of the primal waters of Nut at the beginning of creation, and upon the apex of which perched the phoenix, the symbol of life and regeneration." (p.133)

Allan Armstrong has spent much of his adult life exploring and developing an understanding of spiritual disciplines, including: prayer & meditation; symbolism; liturgical studies; mysticism, Kabbalah, and spiritual healing methods. In 1975 he joined a mystical order that consists of men and women committed to living the contemplative life whilst dwelling in the secular world.