Drawing on her first-hand experience of working with clay, Bankson takes readers through the seven-step process of making clay into a pot, drawing parallels at each stage to the process of spiritual growth: . Grounding: Connecting with our core elements . Kneading: Awakening to the inner realm . Centering: Focusing on creative possibility . Shaping: Balancing inner and outer tension . Finishing: Trimming away the excess . Decorating: Adding a playful touch . Firing: Committing to transformation Because clay is such an elemental substance, Bankson proposes that it calls us to let go of our pretensions - "it's just mud!" - and play as a little child. This simple connection with the earth, however, has the potential to put us "in touch with the whole of creation and, at the same time, our soul's longing to participate as an artist, creating something new and unique." Through reflective questions in each chapter - along with a wealth of unique clay projects that even beginners can do! - Bankson invites us on a journey of spiritual discovery, a path of reconnecting with our body and spirit and with the earth itself.