THE MUSEUM OF LOST WONDER
By Jeff Hoke
Reviewed by Angela Hutchinson
Spirit-works.net
If ever there was a book to seal in a time capsule so that future generations could grasp today and yesterday’s humanity, this is it. A beautiful, durable, fascinating book that is perfect for all occasions. Jeff Hoke has written and collected information on man’s search for truth and the circuitous journey that has led us here to this moment. The Museum of Lost Wonder is a book of alchemical philosophy and history, organized into a halls and exhibits for the reader to move through. As man has slowly lost his ability to wonder, giving complete attention and trust to the scientific field, he loses the meaning of living. “…science soon became a belief system unto itself, one that never bothered to wonder about what might be missing in this new, purely rational worldview.” We lose what is so special in being alive…to marvel and to open ourselves to that which we cannot measure.
From the 1600’s “curiosity cabinets”, to modern day museums, people have shown great interest and pride in collecting meaningful artifacts to display for others to admire. Hoke brings the reader through 7 Halls and numerous exhibits, offering definitions, brilliant quotes, a “muse in the museum” for each hall, experiments, myths and alternative theories. Also with special recognition, the do it yourself and 3-D Models are fun and incredibly beautiful. From cover to cover, The Museum of Lost Wonder is striking and incredibly exquisite. It is a call to celebrate freedom and life.
The first four halls are represented by fire (creation), water (Who are you?), earth (Introspection), and air (Imagination). The 5th is a mausoleum of history; the 6th, an understanding of science and faith (conscious and unconscious); the final hall represents the arts and illumination of the meaning of life. There is also a circulation desk to gather after the journey and makes sense of all we’ve seen. “We hope they (exhibits) will encourage each visitor to make unique connections, myths, and meanings to create their own way of seeing the world.” This reviewer cannot begin to cover the much detailed information this book contains. It is a journey that each reader must agree to by immersing themselves in the pages and halls of this special museum.
Hoke presents many perspectives, and offers alternative ways to view aspects of life. He encourages the reader to open his sense of wonder and to create his own way of seeing the world that is wonderfully unique and therefore, powerful. This is a work, unlike anything I have seen. It is a resource of creation. Creating your world, your view is personal and passionate and very empowering. Hoke hands you the key and welcomes you to your own vision. Step inside and find an exceptional and unmatched world of your own. The Museum of Lost Wonder is psychological, spiritual, magical, and most importantly, full of Wonder.
“No one really lives by facts and figures-instead we’re inspired and motivated by our feelings, fancies, hopes and dreams. For this reason, the Museum of Lost Wonder isn’t as much an idealized ordering of the world as it is a model of our minds-the way we think and feel in day to day life. We believe that these feelings do more than alter our way of seeing the world. We believe that they actually create the world we see.”- The Museum of Lost Wonder (John Hoke)