In Liminal Times
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Hello friends, In Ireland, many people honor Brigid and the holiday of Imbolc on February 1st and 2nd. Some others of us do the same, around the world. February is an in between, liminal space. Still winter, but with the promise of spring. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is strengthening, but the nights are still long and cold. Much of the world is in another transition right now. We all must find ways in which to be, to help, and to survive. Here is a poem I wrote for Brigid one decade ago. The prayer still applies now, though I changed one word to update it today. Brigid is both healer and inspirer, forger and comforter. In tumultuous times, we need all of these qualities, and can hopefully reflect them for each other. We need stories and art that inspire, we need moments of healing. We need actions that strengthen communities, and the comfort that comes from a helping hand or listening ear. I wish you the blessings of well and flame, of healing, inspiration, and strength. Let’s help each other through. Best wishes - Thorn My Kickstarter campaign for Resistance Matters: Essays on Love and Action ends on Thursday. It's the only way to preorder this revised, expanded book of essays on our times.
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T. Thorn Coyle
Hello friends, Well, it was another stressful week here in the US and some other parts of the globe. When things feel overwhelming, what is important to me is to connect with what is in my physical environment. I make my bed in the morning. I wipe the kitchen counters. I set things in order. What else do I do? I make sure I go for a walk, even when I have a pile of work to do that feels endless. It is on these walks that, not only do I notice my environment, but I also catch sight of how...
Hello friends, On an old garage somewhere in Southeast Portland, someone hand lettered a large message. The bulk of it reads “Matter would not have become us if it doubted our ability to change…” Now, on one hand it reads as the start of a philosophical discussion I would’ve engaged in during my teens or early twenties. On the other hand, though? Well, it made me pause and snap a photo, didn’t it? Photo: Garage wall message: “Matter would not have become us if it doubted our ability to...
Hello friends, While walking out of an ice cream shop yesterday, I saw a faded scrap of fabric stapled to a utility pole. People had stuck their old wood ice cream spoons into holes in the pole around the fabric, creating a mini art and sculpture installation. I recognized the fabric, of course, as being an old piece from local artist Shanalee Hampton. I have several of her embroidery pieces hanging in our home, having been introduced to her work by outdoor installations just like this one....