Blessings on your journey, Kate. Finding wonder in creation has often pointed me where I need to go, and may it do so for you as well. A Celtic Christian mystic once said, "God has two books, the little book of the Bible, and the big book of nature."
I love this, Kate! I especially love you asking that profound question that I doubt many ask: why is walking in the woods, gathering leaves, contemplating life and death, less "real" or important that going to work and checking off our to-do list? Keep asking, over and over again! And I'm glad for the reminder myself, because that idea of "important" is one I always shuffle around in my head. The definition we've bee conditioned to believe isn't accurate!
Thank you for consistently showing up with your beautiful contemplations, Kate!
Thank you, Don! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It is so hard to unlearn this conditioning - that these things are the stuff of life, not a nice extra. I think we have to keep on working at it as it's not something we can just achieve once and for all. So I will do my best to keep on asking.
I am looking forward to reading your latest too, will be a little treat with a cup of tea later!
Thank you, Kate. 🙏 My essay ran a bit long this week so I’m not expecting as much engagement, and I really appreciate your plan to sit down with it!
I very much agree with you that spending time in nature or in doing very little being a “guilty pleasure“ is the kind of conditioning that is not easy to unlearn. I figure I will probably feel guilty for doing nothing for the rest of my life, and yes, it takes energy and effort to counteract that. I am willing lol!
By the way, I also agree with you completely about your opinion on the US election. I don’t even know where to begin. It’s scary.
Guilty pleasures and what is important. Lovely discussion 🧡. I’m currently sitting in a hotel room in London decide if whether to do some work before I go out later or go to an art gallery.
Thank you so much Abi! To be honest the thought just popped into my head when I got to the end of the essay so I have more pondering to do on it myself!
A really pertinent and well written piece Kate, and an important point about magic. We can look for magic, but I think we must make space mentally and spiritually for magic to find us.
“It’s never truly absent, it just can’t always be found. At such times, it’s our job to keep looking.” Wonderful article. Thank you for the reminder to keep looking. The days I spend in nature are my happiest. Of late, this has been on the coast and enjoying brisk sea swims. Nature brings us beautifully into the present moment. She helps us to open our senses. The present moment is where the magic is.
Agreed! I am very impressed by the sea swims. I have done some tentative cold water swimming this year but only in a lido - still, the thrill is magical in itself and I imagine it's so heightened when you're in an impressive natural environment. Thank you for reading, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
So, so, so beautiful, Kate. Your words speak from my own heart, and mirror my own feelings. Your writing touches my soul, opens me to what is truly "real," authentic, and honest.
Thank you so much Amba! What more could I hope for than a comment like this, honestly 🙏 And thank you so much for your pledge! I was thinking it was about time I turned on paid subscriptions so this feels like a little nudge to do so!
I regularly use the words ‘magic’ and ‘magical’ to describe my experiences in nature. For over 24 years my personal email and main website domain has been “Walking In Magic.” Kate, you describe the experience perfectly: “By magic I mean awe, wonder, enchantment, the numinous: a state of feeling in connection with and humbled by something larger than yourself.” - Thank you!
The first post of yours that I read, about morning walks has gotten me into an almost daily habit of just that. I've been taking photos of the changing landscape, never the same. This simple 'just for me' practice helps me to get to know my self, to become a new friend, my wise and loving self 🙏
I am so happy about the walks! And really enjoying the photos. It's such a simple practice but I am really surprised by how transformative it has been for me too.
I am so delighted to read that first paragraph and sorry to read the second! I'm so glad you found it valuable to read. Sympathies over the norovirus - it's just so grim!! It seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. I've become quite the germaphobe since having it.
Kate, I really liked this post. I wholeheartedly agree that the things that aren’t magic (“prosaic”, maybe?) are no more real than those that are. But as with the news, we are strongly conditioned to focus on the negative—on problems that need to be solved, rather than on the beauty of the world that needs to be celebrated. Like you, I spend what others would see as an inordinate amount of time soaking up the beauty of the things around me and turning it into a sense of meaning that powers me.
Yes, perfectly put - problems to be solved rather than beauty to be celebrated. I wonder how it came to be this way. So often now when beauty is celebrated in a mainstream way, it's to try and get you to buy something 😑
Prosaic is a great word! I didn't think of that one. Although perhaps a little unfair on prose which can be very magical sometimes too?
Kate! Since I returned from the Highlands, I found myself in a bad mood, struggling to shake this negative state of mind off - which I have learned to quickly identify and act upon the first sign of negative emotion, but this time is lingering longer than usual. Now, reading your beautiful text, I just realised what is that is missing - this something you call magic; to (re)embrace those things that add a special (I will use thise word 'special' for lack of a better one, although I should just use 'magic') flavour to life. Keep writting and bringing some magic to us x
Interesting. Earlier I was trying to think of the opposite of disaster. Maybe magic is the answer. Or maybe death is the opposite of magic. Nothingness.
Blessings on your journey, Kate. Finding wonder in creation has often pointed me where I need to go, and may it do so for you as well. A Celtic Christian mystic once said, "God has two books, the little book of the Bible, and the big book of nature."
That is so beautiful! I am going to remember that. Thank you, Todd. I feel increasingly that nature is where I need to look for direction and solace.
I love this, Kate! I especially love you asking that profound question that I doubt many ask: why is walking in the woods, gathering leaves, contemplating life and death, less "real" or important that going to work and checking off our to-do list? Keep asking, over and over again! And I'm glad for the reminder myself, because that idea of "important" is one I always shuffle around in my head. The definition we've bee conditioned to believe isn't accurate!
Thank you for consistently showing up with your beautiful contemplations, Kate!
Thank you, Don! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. It is so hard to unlearn this conditioning - that these things are the stuff of life, not a nice extra. I think we have to keep on working at it as it's not something we can just achieve once and for all. So I will do my best to keep on asking.
I am looking forward to reading your latest too, will be a little treat with a cup of tea later!
Thank you, Kate. 🙏 My essay ran a bit long this week so I’m not expecting as much engagement, and I really appreciate your plan to sit down with it!
I very much agree with you that spending time in nature or in doing very little being a “guilty pleasure“ is the kind of conditioning that is not easy to unlearn. I figure I will probably feel guilty for doing nothing for the rest of my life, and yes, it takes energy and effort to counteract that. I am willing lol!
By the way, I also agree with you completely about your opinion on the US election. I don’t even know where to begin. It’s scary.
Guilty pleasures and what is important. Lovely discussion 🧡. I’m currently sitting in a hotel room in London decide if whether to do some work before I go out later or go to an art gallery.
You’ve just helped me decide which 🙏🏻
I’m guessing the art gallery ha ha. Yay! 😁
Yep - with a notebook for the coffee shop later 😊
Good for you!
So beautifully written, I’ve never thought about there being no opposite to magic, going to have to ponder that one!
Thank you so much Abi! To be honest the thought just popped into my head when I got to the end of the essay so I have more pondering to do on it myself!
A really pertinent and well written piece Kate, and an important point about magic. We can look for magic, but I think we must make space mentally and spiritually for magic to find us.
Yes, you're so right. It doesn't work so well if we just add it to our to do list! Thank you so much for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed it 🥰
“It’s never truly absent, it just can’t always be found. At such times, it’s our job to keep looking.” Wonderful article. Thank you for the reminder to keep looking. The days I spend in nature are my happiest. Of late, this has been on the coast and enjoying brisk sea swims. Nature brings us beautifully into the present moment. She helps us to open our senses. The present moment is where the magic is.
Agreed! I am very impressed by the sea swims. I have done some tentative cold water swimming this year but only in a lido - still, the thrill is magical in itself and I imagine it's so heightened when you're in an impressive natural environment. Thank you for reading, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
So, so, so beautiful, Kate. Your words speak from my own heart, and mirror my own feelings. Your writing touches my soul, opens me to what is truly "real," authentic, and honest.
Thank you so much Amba! What more could I hope for than a comment like this, honestly 🙏 And thank you so much for your pledge! I was thinking it was about time I turned on paid subscriptions so this feels like a little nudge to do so!
I regularly use the words ‘magic’ and ‘magical’ to describe my experiences in nature. For over 24 years my personal email and main website domain has been “Walking In Magic.” Kate, you describe the experience perfectly: “By magic I mean awe, wonder, enchantment, the numinous: a state of feeling in connection with and humbled by something larger than yourself.” - Thank you!
It's a small word that can encompass so many big things! Thank you so much for reading and commenting, I'm so glad you enjoyed it 😊
The first post of yours that I read, about morning walks has gotten me into an almost daily habit of just that. I've been taking photos of the changing landscape, never the same. This simple 'just for me' practice helps me to get to know my self, to become a new friend, my wise and loving self 🙏
I am so happy about the walks! And really enjoying the photos. It's such a simple practice but I am really surprised by how transformative it has been for me too.
Beautiful writing! Thank you for a great read 😊
Thank you for reading and commenting! I'm so glad you enjoyed it ❤️
Kate, this was so heart filling and expressed something I couldn’t find the words for. Thank you for sharing this with us.
(Also, I too had norovirus last week and it felt just too synergistic to the moment)
I am so delighted to read that first paragraph and sorry to read the second! I'm so glad you found it valuable to read. Sympathies over the norovirus - it's just so grim!! It seems to be doing the rounds at the moment. I've become quite the germaphobe since having it.
I think this is such a wonderful post. I'm sorry you've been poorly.
Thank you! I was probably incubating it on Tuesday so very glad I didn't give it to you!
Thank you for the reminder to remember that magic is still here! (Especially after this rough week in the U.S.) 💖
You are so welcome! I'm glad it resonated. Keep the faith ❤️
Kate, I really liked this post. I wholeheartedly agree that the things that aren’t magic (“prosaic”, maybe?) are no more real than those that are. But as with the news, we are strongly conditioned to focus on the negative—on problems that need to be solved, rather than on the beauty of the world that needs to be celebrated. Like you, I spend what others would see as an inordinate amount of time soaking up the beauty of the things around me and turning it into a sense of meaning that powers me.
Yes, perfectly put - problems to be solved rather than beauty to be celebrated. I wonder how it came to be this way. So often now when beauty is celebrated in a mainstream way, it's to try and get you to buy something 😑
Prosaic is a great word! I didn't think of that one. Although perhaps a little unfair on prose which can be very magical sometimes too?
Indeed! In defense of prose! ⚔️
Kate! Since I returned from the Highlands, I found myself in a bad mood, struggling to shake this negative state of mind off - which I have learned to quickly identify and act upon the first sign of negative emotion, but this time is lingering longer than usual. Now, reading your beautiful text, I just realised what is that is missing - this something you call magic; to (re)embrace those things that add a special (I will use thise word 'special' for lack of a better one, although I should just use 'magic') flavour to life. Keep writting and bringing some magic to us x
❤️❤️❤️
Interesting. Earlier I was trying to think of the opposite of disaster. Maybe magic is the answer. Or maybe death is the opposite of magic. Nothingness.
Beautiful 💕