Returning to Eden: A Field Guide for the Spiritual Journey

"Wherever I open Returning to Eden, I find wisdom, insight, and love! It is indeed a good 'Field Guide'! May this book do much good in the world."
-Fr. Richard Rohr

"Powerful and perfectly timed for the turbulent moment in which we all find ourselves."
-The Joseph Campbell Foundation

"Two out of three Harts agree...Heather Hamilton's book is worth reading."
-David Bentley Hart and Addison Hodges Hart

Do you resonate with aspects of Christianity, but struggle with the coherence of its claims? After having a mystical experience that upended her traditional evangelical beliefs, Heather Hamilton reluctantly found herself in this place. Her seeking led to the most unexpected insights. Returning to Eden  is a field guide for the journey that every true spiritual seeker ultimately takes. The highest truths that set us free are hidden in places that most people are not looking.

Returning to Eden reexamines the Bible stories of childhood and opens them up as symbolic maps into the inner world. Stories like Jonah and the Whale, the Parting of the Red Sea, Noah's Ark, and the Virgin Birth are illuminated with penetrating depth and intellectual integrity. Faith is no longer a white-knuckled grip on implausible beliefs, but a relaxation into a deep inner knowing.

You may be surprised to find yourself reinvigorated and enlightened by stories you thought you knew inside and out. Returning to Eden  has the potential to cultivate a renaissance of wonder and curiosity for anyone from the most seasoned Christians to the most committed atheists, and everyone in between.

Heather Hamilton received her B.A. in Journalism from Georgia State University and spent many years doing video production before discovering her love of writing. After filming and editing stories with people from all over the world—celebrities, orphans, religious leaders, royal family members, political figures, and everyday people—Heather recognized the common threads and themes intertwining all humans across religions, cultures, classes, and demographics. She is passionate about fostering human connection through storytelling, writing, art, and exchanging ideas. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and three children.