Chapter 8
Today’s reading takes us to yoga with Amira and to Matthew’s house at the Old Lodge. In the All Souls Real-Time Reading Companion, Deb states that the inspiration for the Old Lodge is Speke Hall, a National Trust property outside of Liverpool. You can watch video tours here, here, and here. I can absolutely see Matthew and Diana in the house as I watch the video, and I am sure you can, too.
Clairmont grinned and steered me through a big wooden door propped open with an iron doorstop. I gasped. The outside was remarkable, but the inside was stunning. Miles of linenfold paneling extended in every direction, all burnished and glowing.
Diana describes “linenfold paneling,” a style of wood carving representing vertically folded linen. The style of carving became popular in Northern Europe in the 14th century. The “Tudor” style is the final stage of medieval architecture in England (1485-1603) and often refers to “prestige buildings.” The style is notable in part because it represents a departure from the fortified houses and castles of the previous era; the invention of gunpowder made such defenses obsolete, and the nobility wanted to have family homes designed around comfort and aesthetics as opposed to military defense. The Wikipedia article on Tudor architecture is actually quite good.
By the time we took to the floor for back bends and inversions, everyone in the room was dripping wet — except for the vampires, who didn’t even look dewy. Some performed death-defying arm balances and handstands, but I wasn’t among them. Clairmont was, however. At one point he looked to be attached to the ground by nothing more than his ear, his entire body in perfect alignment above him.
There is simply no topping the excellent article posted by Daemon’s Domain about Yoga in the All Souls Trilogy, so I won’t try. You can find that article here. Even Deb linked to it!
You can (theoretically) learn to perform Fallen Angel pose with this video. This article also offers several helpful tips for how to achieve the Fallen Angel. If any of you succeed, I would like to see photographic proof.
The All Souls Podcast covers Chapter 8 in Episode 9: Dipole moment. Daemons Discuss talks about yoga and the Old Lodge in Take 15! We talked about Chapter 8 in our third episode, Lipstick on a Bat.
You can chat with us about Chapter 8 by tweeting using the hashtag #ccalchemy or by tagging us (@chamomilenclove). We’d also love to hear from you at chamomileandclovecast@gmail.com.
We’ll talk more tomorrow as we travel to Scotland to meet Hamish.
XOXO,
Cait
Chamomile & Clove 