We Within

There is so much happening in the world right now that many of us are having difficulties dealing with life. For those of us who are more sensitive, this is even more challenging. We feel the weight of personal and collective grief, the rage of injustice, the fear of a growing uncertainty that involves all aspects of life. If I’m completely honest, some days I can barely cope. Some days all I manage to do is breathe and hope the next day will be better. And yet at times I can hear a still voice within me that reminds me I’ve defeated bigger monsters than this. That still voice is the one writing these words. I have known grief and trauma. I have known fear and hopelessness. But as I reflect on dark past times I realise I naturally gravitated towards things that helped me cope. I believe as children we often instinctively look for what we need, and the tools I found for myself have proved useful to many, many others, especially sensitive people. Now it’s more necessary than ever to turn

I like to imagine if I had been born at a different time I would have been devoted to a quiet life of artistic creation with a patron who would come knocking on my door to collect my art and sell it. And in between projects I would learn about herbalism and heal the villagers’ ailments, at least until I was condemned for being a witch. I am immensely happy that witch hunts are over (the “burning at the stake” version, anyway) but growing up I had the impression that being an artist was no easy feat. This didn’t stop me from composing poems, writing stories, singing and playing music or taking pictures of shadows. It didn’t stop me from studying Photography and an English degree either. I had many interests but ultimately I wanted to be a writer. And yet by the time I finished my studies I had already given up on my dream.  Earlier this year I came across Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way . It was a magical moment, one of those that whisper fate in your ear, like Arthur pulling out