January 6th has been a meaningful day for me for as long as I can remember, but it usually comes after a week or two of profound doldrums. This year is no different. As I sloshed like an over-full bucket from task to task, distracted by other people’s (good) writing and by my own telescopic to-do list, I was tacitly awaiting the real turn of the year, which for me is Epiphany (Twelfth Night / Theophany / Fête des Rois). I cannot tell you why, only that it is so.
In Taoism we speak of ‘the Living Midnight’, the profoundly dark, yin, moment, like the blackest night right before the first light of dawn. This metaphor commonly alludes to one’s own internal practice, or sometimes to the energy of the whole year, more than being about an actual time of day. When yang returns, there is an unmistakable movement. It cannot be forced, and will not come by wishing it so. But one can make it more likely by not forcing things and by resting the stirring mind, ie, not overthinking. Meditation and T’ai Chi have helped tremendously, as does the familiarity of this yearly ‘dark night’. 1
By the 6th January the days are noticeably getting longer. Six years ago, while in the middle of a funk which I wrote about a while back, I went on a one-day Wassail singing pilgrimage, which lifted my spirits, made me stride out with others, as well as open my eyes, lungs and voice. This year I am taking the opportunity in a less structured way to meet new folks, go for walks and get back in touch with people after a while of not being in contact. It is good.
Another desire of mine was to create a brief introduction to my writing here for those of you who have subscribed over the last year and who may have missed some of my earlier posts. It’s not quite the Gifts of the Kings, but with this week being one of the in-between fortnight posts, where I do not generally publish a long essay, it seemed an ideal moment. Next week there will be a long piece, probably either on faith and healing, or on a Taoist view of evil…
A rough guide
There’s an updated ‘About’ page, so if you want to know about my life in art, books, T’ai Chi or music, you’ll find it there and in the original Welcome post, which is also now updated and introduces the main themes of my writing here.
Here are ten posts specially selected for you for a panoply of different reasons. Click on the image or highlighted text link of each post below to read or listen to them.
1: The most popular post with my readers currently is, by far:
2: The post after which I received most emails from readers, (the background to which is given in this earlier post):
3: The post which was picked up by others most, quoted in a podcast and elsewhere online:
4: These three fragments and poems unexpectedly struck a chord with many folk:
5: The post I was most satisfied with so far, despite it being excoriating to write:
6: The first time I ever managed to write down how it felt - regarding transformation:
7: As a gift for readers, my methods for making remembering your dreams more likely:
8: St Wite of Dorset is an ongoing inspiration to me and has led me to Julian of Norwich, Hildegard von Bingen, Margery Kempe, Hilda of Whitby, Hilma af Klimt, Ithell Colquhoun and other great female mystics and eccentrics.
9: A video of Dr Iain McGilchrist and me in conversation about embodiment last February. And here’s a link to a great film from the same day of Iain and
in conversation - ‘The World is not a Problem’.
10: I just really enjoyed writing this one.
My whole archive is currently available for everyone to read, (apart from occasional paid subscriber only posts and Chi Kung videos). Posts that feature poetry are here. My series on Antidotes to the Hubriscene are here. I often recommend other writers and events both on and off Substack on my Notes, which are collated here.
I’ll be back next week with an essay including voiceover, a ‘this week’s good thing’ and more new art and photography. Have a great week ahead.
This feeling always reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Sound of Silence’, especially the line, ‘Hello darkness, my old friend’. There is a long ‘songs that are possibly about meditation’ playlist that I must gather together one day. Interestingly, it also includes James’ ‘Sit Down’. The singer of James was once in LifeWave with one of my exes, who said, ‘It’s wasn’t a cult, it was a meditation organisation with cult-like features…’. The lyrics are surprisingly moving, despite the cheesy swung 4:4 beat.
I thought I had been following you quite closely and felt I’d been understanding and appreciating your words. However since you have republished past posts I’ve listened again and it’s as though I’m hearing them afresh. I don’t mean this in a trite way, it is actually astounding me. What I’m noticing is that I am able to tune into something other. It’s a bit disconcerting but on balance it feels like a depth I haven’t swim too before. Thank you for your recap.
One cannot live by aromatics alone. Wonderful catalogue of treasure!
Loving your twiggy branches in place, too.
Kx