This book is by David Fontana, who teaches psychology at the University of Wales and has studied Eastern and Western religions for 25 years. In this fascinating work, he uses the lotus as a symbol for the inner life and the city as a metaphor for our busy, distracted outer lives. Fontana explores the roadblocks to spiritual growth set up by religion, science, and education. He then looks at ways to polish spirit through meditation, de-conditioning of the mind, and the development of mindfulness. Pilgrimages, retreats, dreams, taking care of the body, and developing an ethical perspective are vehicles which can help us see how all aspects of everyday life are abuzz with spiritual meaning.