Sally, this is exquisite. You name something I feel so often but rarely see articulated with such clarity—that our creative “fallow” periods are not failures but compost, quietly transforming what will come next.
And the way you braid this with cultural maturation is powerful. Your framing of Western culture as a restless toddler feels painfully accurate… and deeply compassionate. It invites responsibility without shame, and imagination without denial.
I was especially moved by your reflections on death. The way you write about Indigenous teachings—death as teacher, not enemy—opens a doorway our culture is starved for. You point us back toward the elder wisdom we’ve exiled, both in our traditions and in ourselves.
This piece feels like a lantern held at the threshold of what comes after our collective rushing. Thank you for tending these roots, and for reminding us that the past is not something to escape, but something that seeds the future. 🌿
Thank you so much Camilla, I love how you extend my writing here with your reflections and experiences. We do have to find ways of reflecting on modernity which is neither shaming nor denying, I notice how skilfully you are doing this in your writing and emerging book. A light holder at the gateway , such a good description of the work you too are doing. Thank you for your precious support
I love how you name the need to reflect on modernity without either shaming or denying, and I’m grateful you feel that thread in my book-in-progress. Yes, “light holder at the gateway” is threshold work—quiet, steady, and deeply needed. Thank you for your precious support too 🌿
Learning to see, listen and feel beyond the blaring noise and our fizzing brains in our modern world is a huge project, Sally. But it’s so important - even if we can only take toddler steps.
we must indeed travel more slowly, the world demands a ridiculous amount of us. so important to think about death and dying, as we age especially. thank you for another very good piece! x b
You’ve left me with a wonderful image of lettuces and how you wait for the flowers to seed “when they start to bolt” - beautiful wisdom. Best wishes on your birthday. 🍀
Yes, your words really landed with me. Life and death are sisters, or parents--two sides of the same coin which cannot be separated. And yet our human culture continues to deny this, and in the process set so much death into motion. Thank you for speaking such a holy beautiful healing truth. The truth we need. <3
Odd as I always thought of you as a patient woman. Maybe it's the degree that we think about being patient like a 0-10 scale.. Patience and time are really connected and that equation informs how we think, feel and move towards our own death. Just try to make the most of what we have.
Hi Leonie love this patience and time, as we know it, as an equation, I think we both have patience and impatience in our souls just in different ways! x
Thank you Sally . Beautiful writings . I’m thinking about death much of the time now. Losing friends and family and feeling my body age is confronting. Reading your words is very supportive.
i wrote the following recently on a vipassana retreat. as you mentioned, now is the right time to really look at life and death, the great matter xx
this aging body
the inconvenient truth
of my temporary home
Oh Brigid, this rings all the bells, so simple and so to the heart of the matter , thank you 💞
Sally, this is exquisite. You name something I feel so often but rarely see articulated with such clarity—that our creative “fallow” periods are not failures but compost, quietly transforming what will come next.
And the way you braid this with cultural maturation is powerful. Your framing of Western culture as a restless toddler feels painfully accurate… and deeply compassionate. It invites responsibility without shame, and imagination without denial.
I was especially moved by your reflections on death. The way you write about Indigenous teachings—death as teacher, not enemy—opens a doorway our culture is starved for. You point us back toward the elder wisdom we’ve exiled, both in our traditions and in ourselves.
This piece feels like a lantern held at the threshold of what comes after our collective rushing. Thank you for tending these roots, and for reminding us that the past is not something to escape, but something that seeds the future. 🌿
Thank you so much Camilla, I love how you extend my writing here with your reflections and experiences. We do have to find ways of reflecting on modernity which is neither shaming nor denying, I notice how skilfully you are doing this in your writing and emerging book. A light holder at the gateway , such a good description of the work you too are doing. Thank you for your precious support
Sally, thank you—I'm receiving this in my heart.
I love how you name the need to reflect on modernity without either shaming or denying, and I’m grateful you feel that thread in my book-in-progress. Yes, “light holder at the gateway” is threshold work—quiet, steady, and deeply needed. Thank you for your precious support too 🌿
Learning to see, listen and feel beyond the blaring noise and our fizzing brains in our modern world is a huge project, Sally. But it’s so important - even if we can only take toddler steps.
so agree Terri, how else to learn to walk lightly and with delight on Mother Earth?
Moved to tears..to sobs. My favourite piece of writing you’ve done and you hadn’t even planned it - how funny is that.
Thank you, so moving to hear this Alicia. Learning to follow the flow when I write here is something I am loving
It’s such a reminder that sometimes when we surrender and don’t plan, that’s where the magic is!
Happy birthday, my friend!
we must indeed travel more slowly, the world demands a ridiculous amount of us. so important to think about death and dying, as we age especially. thank you for another very good piece! x b
Thank you Brigid, you have helped me very often in this thinking and feeling about what challenges and bamboozles Sx
Yes indeed why the rush.
You’ve left me with a wonderful image of lettuces and how you wait for the flowers to seed “when they start to bolt” - beautiful wisdom. Best wishes on your birthday. 🍀
Thank you Diane! really nature's ways teaches all the wisdom we need for life. Yet still I have so many books! :)
Agh yes ! But then again we’re human.
Yes, your words really landed with me. Life and death are sisters, or parents--two sides of the same coin which cannot be separated. And yet our human culture continues to deny this, and in the process set so much death into motion. Thank you for speaking such a holy beautiful healing truth. The truth we need. <3
Thank you Stephanie, this truth of life and death intertwined, honoring one another so essential
Odd as I always thought of you as a patient woman. Maybe it's the degree that we think about being patient like a 0-10 scale.. Patience and time are really connected and that equation informs how we think, feel and move towards our own death. Just try to make the most of what we have.
Hi Leonie love this patience and time, as we know it, as an equation, I think we both have patience and impatience in our souls just in different ways! x
Thank you Sally . Beautiful writings . I’m thinking about death much of the time now. Losing friends and family and feeling my body age is confronting. Reading your words is very supportive.
Love Libby
Thank you Libby, heartening to hear how we are travelling in this together, I cherish your comments here Sx