Author Katherine May joins Kate Bowler to discuss moving from languishing to enchantment, the importance of community, and their shared dislike for gratitude journals.
Rituals and community are crucial in finding meaning and belonging amidst uncertainty.
Embracing the concept of play can help rediscover joy, wonder, and cultivate a sense of enchantment in everyday life.
Engaging with nature can foster a profound sense of connection, belonging, and tap into a spiritual relationship with the world.
Deep dives
The Power of Rituals and Community
Katherine May discusses the importance of rituals and community in finding meaning and belonging. She emphasizes the need to engage with nature, seasons, and the cycles of life to reawaken wonder and enchantment. May suggests that rituals can help us connect with something larger than ourselves and bring depth and intention to our daily lives. She encourages embracing the dark and uncertain times, relearning to be present, and finding beauty in the ordinary. May advocates for building inclusive and diverse communities that welcome different perspectives, allowing us to grow and learn from one another.
Rediscovering Play and Childlike Wonder
May explores the concept of play and its importance for both children and adults. She emphasizes that play is not limited to childhood and can take many different forms, including art, reading, walking, and thinking. May suggests that true play involves deep attention and can be found in nature, cities, and interactions with others. She encourages rediscovering the joy and wonder of play, embracing the chaos and quiet moments, and letting go of societal expectations and judgments. May believes that play can help us reconnect with our authentic selves and cultivate a sense of enchantment in everyday life.
Finding Enchantment in Nature
May reflects on her journey of developing a deeper connection with the natural world. She acknowledges her initial lack of knowledge about nature and feeling like an outsider in that realm. Through experiences like taking long walks, May discovered the magic and wonder of nature, which inspired her to learn more about trees, birdsong, and the changing seasons. She encourages others to engage with nature and find enchantment in its beauty, complexity, and cycles. May believes that by embracing nature, we can tap into a spiritual relationship with the world and experience a profound sense of connection and belonging.
Embracing the Darkness and Uncertainty
May explores the challenges of living in a world filled with fear, uncertainty, and constant change. She discusses the impact of the pandemic and how it has intensified these feelings. May shares her personal experience of feeling worn down and losing a sense of time and self during lockdown. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and embracing the darkness, grief, and fear that arise, rather than avoiding or suppressing them. May believes that by engaging with our discomfort and honoring our emotions, we can find new depths of resilience and awaken ourselves to the beauty and possibilities that exist even amidst uncertainty.
The Power of Ritual in Rediscovering Meaning
May delves into the significance of rituals as a way to reconnect with ourselves, others, and the world around us. She explains that rituals provide a space for presence and intention, allowing us to tune into our emotions, thoughts, and experiences. May emphasizes that rituals are not prescriptive or solely focused on positive emotions like gratitude, but rather a way to explore complex feelings and engage authentically with the present moment. She encourages embracing rituals as a means of self-expression and connecting with something greater than ourselves, even in the midst of uncertainty and challenges.
Living in uncertainty can lead to a sense of languishing. How do we wake up from this feeling?
Katherine May has written gorgeous books like Wintering and Enchantment that help us better understand how to live wide-awake to the world around us.
In this conversation, Kate and Katherine discuss:
How we move from languishing to enchantment
Why we need community more now than maybe ever
Why we both hate gratitude journals
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