Fading Toward Enlightenment
Wayne Wirs
(Reviewer - Rev. Marie D. Jones)
2005 Missing Man Press
ISBN: 0976358107

Life Between the Ego and the Ethereal.

Associate Reviewer Rev. Marie Jones writes:

Somewhere between the realm of the ego & the realm of the ethereal is a point where boundaries suddenly cease to exist & all that the mind holds as true & real becomes utterly suspect. Author & photographer Wayne Wirs has spent time in that place between worlds, & his beautiful & visually stunning book, Fading Toward Enlightenment offers readers the opportunity to travel along with him as he heads closer towards the light of truth.

Using black & white photography to add impact & illumination to his insights, Wirs draws us in to an initiation of sorts; a commitment to begin this journey into the depths of our being, no matter what we might encounter along the way. The aching for soul-life & the yearning for a spiritual way of being in a material world provide the impetus for the journey, & Wirs offers moving & inspiring food for thought with his own personal dialog, as well as the wise words of great minds from the past & present. Combined with striking imagery, the feel of this book is one of being lifted above the mundane, to where a grander perspective is not only possible, but highly probable.

Wirs' quest for inner truth, soulful-ness & a spiritual connection with the physical world is not new, but his approach is fresh & certainly eye-catching. Some of the photographs he includes, like an image of a leaf caught in a fence, or the powerful photo of a staircase leading up to an illumined light bulb, are so simple they borderline on the utterly profound.

Fading Toward Enlightenment may be a little too ethereal for realists caught up in the trappings of ego, & a bit too arty for those who demand their spirituality come packaged in math & mechanics. But for those truly seeking to find the courage to begin their own quest, this book is a deeply moving guide courtesy of someone who has just found his courage, & stepped out on the path. & the fact that Wirs is giving a portion of his royalties to charity (see his website, www.FadingTowardEnlightenment.com for details) proves that the closer we get towards the light of truth, the more compassionate our motives, & our lives, become.

But, for me, having reviewed over 300 books in the past year alone (yes, I read a lot!), the true test of an empowering book comes long after I stop reading it, when I go about my day realizing that something I read or saw within its pages has totally changed the way I see things. Thanks to Wirs, the vista of my life has expanded, & a real sense of Fading Toward Enlightenment has left me feeling lighter still.

A wonderful book, very moving.
(08/28/05)

Rev. Marie D. Jones
2005©Marie D. Jones
A RebeccasReads.Com Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
Marie Jones is a New Thought minister, author of Looking For God In All The Wrong Places & a widely published writer of inspirational essays, gift books, short stories & magazine articles. She is also a screenwriter, & has produced a children's storybook video series for Gigglebug Farms Productions. she holds a Masters Degree in Metaphysical Studies & is a licensed pastoral counsellor.