I have long ago subscribed to the idea that God manifested himself to different races in different places in many different ways. The interchangeabilty of the world's religions is very obvious to anyone who bothers to take even a smattering interest in other religions besides one's own. The deeper one delves the more one will find common ground as religions have one fundamental belief that is common to all; namely the primeval wish to find life after death.

Non Omnis Moriar, I will not altogether die, is something which fuels our Faith and which we Hope to achieve through Charity. Therefore whether one believes in Valhalla, Nirvana or Heaven, this state of being is to us still trapped in our earthy form is but an abstraction. It remains an elusive and perplexing goal which we sometimes wonder why we are bothering so much about.

I will not venture to state that the answers to these deep matters of faith are in this extraordinary book by Myriam England and Peter Serracino Inglott however observing the beautifully photographed ikebana creations by Myriam England and the very original liturgical and philosophical texts by Peter Serracino Inglott, will, I am convinced, open up a new spiritual dimension.

The book's square format and the Daniel Cilia design lends itself to the visual feast that seduces us on every page as Miriam England's deftly ingenious arrangements, wherein the hallmark remains ‘less is more', are complemented by Peter Serracino Inglott's commentaries. The photography is by Peter Bartolo Parnis and other top photographers. Every tint and shadow of these stark oriental formations are beautifully enhanced; truly the next best thing to seeing them in real life.

For those unused to the purity of line in Japanese Art the arrangements may seem strange at first however the more one looks and studies them the more meaning they take on. I especially love the ones that flow in what Hogarth called ‘the line of beauty' the S curve in whatever shape or form.

I was also intrigued by the simpler ones notably the creation illustrating the Beatitudes in which ‘a bleached twig spirals gently upwards ‘like a lightning bolt to Heavens' and the text where Serracino Inglott makes reference to Mozart's Magic Flute further enhances the universality of the Christian message in the context of Dante's declaration ‘L 'Arte al Iddio nipote', Art is God's grandchild. For if we are God's children, is not Art, which is our own creation, not God's grandchild? Good Friday with the long necked black gourd vase with the solitary upside down arum lily was in my opinion the most poignant of arrangements soon to be dispelled by the exuberant Easter Sunday in which Serracino Inglott explains the lyricism of the lily and the mysticism of the Resurrection.

There are seven liturgical sections to this book; The Christmas, Lenten and Holy Week, the Ordinary Sundays of the Year, two sets of the Cycle of Saints and Liturgical Spaces; all of which have their special beauty which Peter Serracino Inglott explains in such a rivetingly original way. The Liturgical Spaces remain my favourites as they are enhances by their surroundings; inimitable Richard England architecture. Such is the harmonious fusion between the clean lines of both that it is in this section that one can really appreciate how complimentary both husband and wife are in creating this visually intellectual feast.

This is a great book to dip into. After poring over the pictures and appreciating the purely aesthetic aspect of Myriam's Ikebana, one can keep it handy to read a couple of Peter Serracino Inglott's commentaries now and then; commentaries that are more like contemplative meditations to be savoured and assimilated; short philosophical essays that need time and lots of thinking to sink in.

I have always admired and appreciated Peter Serracino Inglott's more intellectual approach to Christianity; such a refreshing change from our usual rather too baroque, too counter-reformation view of it which most times is dictated by our surroundings. I also love the way that the gospels and all that go with it are interpreted as a continual manifestation of the Divine; something that has been in a state of bountiful flux for the last two thousand years.