Examined 15 descriptions of ecstatic memories of childhood places from 20th century autobiographies. The following questions were addressed: Were there any characteristics distinguishing people who recorded such memories? What types of places inspired them? What were the conditions under which authors encountered these places as children? What effect did these memories have on the writers? The experience was reported only by authors who were artists by vocation or avocation, under conditions of freedom in expansive natural or urban settings. Benefits of these memories included meaningful images, an internalized core of calm, and a sense of integration with nature. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
