Several people have shared their appreciation for the cover of my new book, GAPS Guide: Simple Steps to Heal Bowels, Body and Brain. I am deeply glad the selected image is proving as powerful as I’d hoped. I’d like to share with you its background.
Beautiful images are extraordinarily important to me, but I cannot make them. Hence, I contracted to a wonderful artist to do so. I presented her with the gist of what I was trying to get across. I also showed her some very crudely drawn (because that’s the best I can do) concepts.
My original idea was to have a person in the background: sickly and sad-faced with dull, limp hair, eczema and black ‘gunk’swirling around in the belly, throat and brain. At her feet would be the first of several stepping stones, the last bringing us to the front of the page, where that same person would be standing: hair full and bright, a broad smile, sparkling eyes, clear skin.
A good concept, sure, but very cluttered and difficult.
Having fully grasped what I was trying to get across, the designer came up with the idea of the lotus. The water lily is a beautiful flower that arises from murky depths. I thought that on so many levels this was absolutely perfect for the cover of GAPS Guide.
To me, the water lily was a radiant being arising from a muddy beginning. It also represented the brilliance that develops from a well-functioning eco-system, however dark its center is. The living and wild plant in unadulterated water reflected for me our focus on alive and clean sources for nourishment. The green pads in the background were reflective of our reliance on vegetables and greens. Finally, the folded position of the lotus’leaves are reminiscent for me of the prayer, a sharing of hope, that many of us bring to our personal programs.
This particular image, my designer had presented to me merely as a sample. I fell madly in love with it, though, and resisted having it replaced with any other. This meant I had to somehow, magically, find the source of the photo…Well, much sleuthing and many international emails, phone calls and desperate messages later, I did indeed locate the photographer. Interestingly, he is the editor of a work revolving around organic ecology. I explained to him what the image would be used for, sharing the commonalities between his work and the program. Allan came forward with full support.
The cover delights me. I love the meaning behind it, and also just the sense of lightness and hope I think it exudes. I’m glad to hear that this is precisely what people feel when they see it, for hope is what every person coming to GAPS deserves and needs. I believe it will be fulfilled.
