It arrived by post early one morning soon after Christmas, I opened the package and was immediately in awe at the object, wrapped in a deep, glowing red cover, illuminated in gold and weighing at least ten pounds. In the hush of the post celebration morning, candles aiding the winter gloom, I slowly drew open the mighty tome. Like some wizard's recipe book, it was alive with colour and mysterious design. The smell of burning assailed my nostrils and for a moment I thought I had disturbed hell itself. The glorious front cover was being roasted by a candle! Of course I wrenched the book to one side but the damage was done. After a short period of mourning for the exquisite and pristine newness that had gone and never called me mother, I wrote to the publisher, Norton, and told them my sorry tale. Within a few days an envelope was delivered containing another dust cover at no expense to me. This was generous of the company but they had not provided the item with any protection and it had been crushed in the rough and tumble of the mail. After more grieving, I wrote to Norton again. 'Please, most wonderful and generous of people, will you send me again a dust cover for this seriously beautiful product that you have wisely and cleverly made. I am your most grovelling  and unworthy person but please pack it in not less than a flight case this time.'
They most excellently did send me another jacket, splendidly protected and received gratefully. A suitably craven message was sent in thanks. I wonder what C.G., who used to talk to his kitchen implements and furniture, would make of all this?
 
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111125386. html
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/books/review/Harrison-t.html
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/12/arts/design/12jung.html

Rather than read about someone else's spiritual life, why don't you create your own?  It too can be epic and important.

Further to The Red Book;
 
http://www.digitalfusion.net/blog/2009/09/19/digitalfusion-captures-history-for- carl-jungs-red-book/

Hey Zu!
A central idea, those caught up in Jung's perceptions.
I favour Hegel's proposition that we can't know the thing in itself .
 My inestimable mate and I are planning an invasion of the North American colony territories for October. We pore over the map and at almost every American town or state we find ourselves singing the associated songs - 24 Hours to Tulsa, Walking to New Orleans - you know the score. No English town or county has this marvelous resonance. We get more excited by saying New York twice than by saying Basingstoke over and over!
We are clearly under a spell woven by the unabashed American self-promotion of the rivers and mountains, the cars and the Blues Suede Shoes in songs, films and books. You, America, have sold America and the American way of life brilliantly. An aura has enveloped the world and we have innocently bought into your sales pitch. Innocently may be the wrong word - we all unconsciously know that the world cannot be had first-hand so we opt for the reality of choice.
               
 

I don't know anything about Tulsa either. It just sounds better than Grimsby or Bognor.
Zu - did you mean Ferry Across the Mersey or was Mercy asking for clemancy?
Away for a week now - looking after chickens!

Were you wanting a conversion experience, Ian?  It's been known to happen in these corners...And I hear tell there are good people there - excellently wonderful people, plants and critters....  
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWU8XWksg_0
 
(resisting posting more links to JD's music...)
 
 
 

Chickens masterfully cared for. There is nothing as pleasurable as an egg, two minutes from being layed, lightly poached and served on homemade bread in the company of the object of one's love.
 
Trip to The New World in Oct. being planned as we speak. A visit to Carol in Missouri on the way to New Orleans is arranged.
 
The Red Book and it's three covers (see earlier!)waits for respectful attentions to be directed without the distractions that are part of our daily lives at the moment.  
 
 

Love the Rockin' Bodhisattva, Buddha, whatever divinity!