#adventapertures2025: day 7

“Advent is a story of Old Testament prophecies. It is a story of cosmic fulfillment. The dream of a world repaired in the holy darkness of Advent. A whisper is heard, words are formed.” Rev Lisha Epperson Packing to go on holiday always induces fear in me as well as excitement.  It is the fearContinue reading “#adventapertures2025: day 7”

old wounds

I have now begun my artist residency at the New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham, in earnest.  This week was moving-in week, a big enough challenge in itself.  It also coincided with me having the honour of staging a ‘take over’ of the Gallery’s Instagram feed while the director, Outi Remes, was on holiday.  Outi wanted meContinue reading “old wounds”

Blue Christmas 2: light is in the horizon yet

This piece was originally written for the Godspace blog to be a part of their Advent theme Proclaiming Justice, Seeking Peace Through Advent. It was published on 21 December 2022 here. All images by Kate Kennington Steer. … And if, as autumn deepens and darkens  I feel the pain of falling leaves, and stems thatContinue reading “Blue Christmas 2: light is in the horizon yet”

whole: day 4

We are afraid of emptiness.  Spinoza speaks about our “horror vacui”, our horrendous fear of vacancy … It is very hard to allow emptiness to exist in our lives.  Emptiness requires a willingness not to be in control, a willingness to let something new and unexpected happen.  It requires trust, surrender, and openness to guidance. Continue reading “whole: day 4”

whole: Sunday 1

I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight  I got from looking through a pane of glass  I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough  And held against the world of hoary grass.  (from ‘After Apple-picking’, Robert Frost) For the last few years I have been trying to change the way I think and talkContinue reading “whole: Sunday 1”

wisdom of the gut: (Imbolc 2021)

If Candlemas Day be fair and brightWinter will have another fight.If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,Winter won’t come again. (Traditional) It has been a very grey January outside my window, and I although I resist turning on a light as soon as I wake up in the morning then leaving it on all dayContinue reading “wisdom of the gut: (Imbolc 2021)”

feeling blue

(all images by Kate Kennington Steer) I put on some music, trying to catch a mood, but the invented rhythms do nothing. So I listen instead to the cackle and spit of the fire, the roar and hiss of the rain, the howl and whip of the wind and ah, yes, there it is. ‘MoodContinue reading “feeling blue”

day 11

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being. Carl Jung Yesterday I wondered how the dark matter of my life might be a source of joy.  Today I find myself wondering about ‘dark light’, which Wikipedia defines as:Continue reading “day 11”

day 4

… judging from the scripture of the season, Christmas is surely meant to be an attitude toward life, not a carnival. It is meant to be arrived at slowly and lived succulently. Christmas is not meant to be simply a day of celebration; it is meant to be a month of contemplation…. Advent is anContinue reading “day 4”

learning to lean

As I was journalling this morning about a blog post I recently finished writing and what more planning I needed to do for my own Advent series on imageintoikon, I found myself reflecting on the exact words Christine chose for the Godspace Advent theme this year.  The verb ‘to lean’ caught at my attention.  AsContinue reading “learning to lean”