As I listened, I found myself asking the Robin to please not eat the bee too. I’m glad to witness these small communions between sacred beings through your writing, dear Chloe. They etch into my soul and draw me into communion and reverence with Life, Death, and Birds. I can only imagine what a powerful moment it must have been to witness ‘song cutting through concrete to bless the dead’ - thank you for sharing it, too, and for the Deep End, that I am slowly making way through the lessons and meditations. I just took the opportunity to rewatch Coco on our flight home from Florida - the breadth and richness of this journey you have created and shared, is a wonder. Much love x
Most grateful you, Emily. Communion and reverence. I feel as though if we, our species, could manage to turn the volume up on these we might manage to pull ourselves out of this nosedive...
I'm overjoyed that you're working your way through The Deep End, and that you managed to get Coco in on the plane! There's another documentary that belongs in The Deeper End of module 4 which we saw over the weekend. I'll message you about it. All love x
I’ve just stumbled upon this post and, honestly, your words - particularly describing Judy Collins’ story in the church - themselves seemed to lift up into a cathedral-type space.
I loved your encounter with the bee and the robin, too. I recently witnessed a magpie’s funeral in our back garden - it was extraordinary and I wrote about it in my last Substack post. I’d started to video it but then stopped - I wouldn’t video a human’s funeral. Instead, my husband and I stayed quietly until the gathering of magpies had all dispersed and the last bird (we presumed the mate) had finished its mournful song.
I agree - it was incredibly moving, and there was something about acknowledging our peripheral role at the occasion. Humans are so used to being centre stage; we forget we’re all just part of a network of life, connected to it all.
Most excellent post, Chloe. Thank you for that. And thanks for offering to the world The Deep End. The timing, of course, is as good as it gets. It’s interesting to think how many lives it will change. Your mission is the most selfless path I’ve ever witnessed someone take. I wish you good weather for clear sailing.
Brian, you're extremely generous. Thank you. Truth is I genuinely get a kick out of people diving into this work. That, and it's been so profound in my own life that not sharing it would seem a bit Scrooge-y! Wishing you equally good weather, my friend.
Oh, Chloe, you did it again. We were lucky enough to see Judy Collins here, at the Chautauqua Institution, and she was magnificent. In case you don't know the Joan Baez song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM1KQp2qnq4&list=RDvM1KQp2qnq4&start_radio=1. If that doesn't come through, YouTube search for Joan Baez' The President Sang Amazing Grace. Now stop making me cry in the morning!
Doesn't she have the most extraordinary presence? Thank you so much for the Joan Baez song, it's just gorgeous, as is the video accompanying it. You stop making me cry in the morning, first! ;)
Chloe... I am in the middle of your The Deep End course and came across a quotation that I just loved - and thought you might as well. It's from the 6th book of Ursula Le Guinn's Earthsea series The Other Wind) :
“I think,” Tehanu said in her soft, strange voice, “that when I die, I can breathe back the breath that made me live. I can give back to the world all that I didn’t do. All that I might have been and couldn’t be. All the choices I didn’t make. All the things I lost and spent and wasted. I can give them back to the world. To the lives that haven’t been lived yet. That will be my gift back to the world that gave me the life I did live, the love I loved, the breath I breathed.”
I love the idea of bequeathing my "roads not taken" to those that come after; completing the cycle.
We could set up a table like kids do with lemonade stands and have a sign that says 'interspecies communication - $0' and just wait and see what happens.
Thanks dearest Chloe, another magical piece. I enjoy these pieces three different ways, I listen to your voice, I read it and finally I listen to it while I reading it. ❤️🙏
Hi, Chloe -- thank you for your writing. Your description of Judy Collins' concert, story, and song in the Church was profoundly moving. I'm so glad I found you here!
I'm looking into your course, The Deep End, as a corollary to the course I am considering in End of Life Doula service where I live currently. Your careful description of each module is really well considered, and it's clear you've put a lot of work into it -- I'll be getting back to you as soon as I can on this.
Thank you again for offering us, out here, your writing and your thoughts. I believe it is of great importance.
Thank you so much for reading, L, I'm so glad you found Death & Birds, too. I think The Deep End could make a lovely add-on to your training. Feel free to contact me over on the site. Warmest wishes to you.
SO moving. May we all find similar ways to reduce our anger. May we all find Grace through music and community. May there once again be peace on earth. Sigh…. Hugs dear Chloe.
Chloe, your words are my church. Another Sunday where I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the space and rest you so softly deliver.
John, it's my greatest pleasure to have you here ❤️
So beautifully expressed! I can’t add anything better.
As I listened, I found myself asking the Robin to please not eat the bee too. I’m glad to witness these small communions between sacred beings through your writing, dear Chloe. They etch into my soul and draw me into communion and reverence with Life, Death, and Birds. I can only imagine what a powerful moment it must have been to witness ‘song cutting through concrete to bless the dead’ - thank you for sharing it, too, and for the Deep End, that I am slowly making way through the lessons and meditations. I just took the opportunity to rewatch Coco on our flight home from Florida - the breadth and richness of this journey you have created and shared, is a wonder. Much love x
Most grateful you, Emily. Communion and reverence. I feel as though if we, our species, could manage to turn the volume up on these we might manage to pull ourselves out of this nosedive...
I'm overjoyed that you're working your way through The Deep End, and that you managed to get Coco in on the plane! There's another documentary that belongs in The Deeper End of module 4 which we saw over the weekend. I'll message you about it. All love x
Ah brilliant, look forward to watching 🙏💛
I’ve just stumbled upon this post and, honestly, your words - particularly describing Judy Collins’ story in the church - themselves seemed to lift up into a cathedral-type space.
I loved your encounter with the bee and the robin, too. I recently witnessed a magpie’s funeral in our back garden - it was extraordinary and I wrote about it in my last Substack post. I’d started to video it but then stopped - I wouldn’t video a human’s funeral. Instead, my husband and I stayed quietly until the gathering of magpies had all dispersed and the last bird (we presumed the mate) had finished its mournful song.
Michelle, thank you. So happy to be stumbled upon! It's quite a thing, to witness a corvid funeral. I feel as though we've so much to learn from them.
I agree - it was incredibly moving, and there was something about acknowledging our peripheral role at the occasion. Humans are so used to being centre stage; we forget we’re all just part of a network of life, connected to it all.
Most excellent post, Chloe. Thank you for that. And thanks for offering to the world The Deep End. The timing, of course, is as good as it gets. It’s interesting to think how many lives it will change. Your mission is the most selfless path I’ve ever witnessed someone take. I wish you good weather for clear sailing.
Brian, you're extremely generous. Thank you. Truth is I genuinely get a kick out of people diving into this work. That, and it's been so profound in my own life that not sharing it would seem a bit Scrooge-y! Wishing you equally good weather, my friend.
Seeing a post from you lights up my day! Another wonderful, soulful offering. Thank you
Thank you, Caroline! How lovely.
Oh, Chloe, you did it again. We were lucky enough to see Judy Collins here, at the Chautauqua Institution, and she was magnificent. In case you don't know the Joan Baez song:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM1KQp2qnq4&list=RDvM1KQp2qnq4&start_radio=1. If that doesn't come through, YouTube search for Joan Baez' The President Sang Amazing Grace. Now stop making me cry in the morning!
Thank you so much for sharing that beautiful Joan Baez clip, Beth. I’d never heard it before and it touched my heart. 💔
Doesn't she have the most extraordinary presence? Thank you so much for the Joan Baez song, it's just gorgeous, as is the video accompanying it. You stop making me cry in the morning, first! ;)
As I listened and read along to this week’s sacred text, I found myself asking the Robin to please not eat the bee
Hope Springs Eternal,
The well of human renewal.
❤️
This post is worthy of a Sunday Sermon🪶 🤍 🙏
Veronika, thank you 🤍🕊️
Beautiful! Your writing and your voice take me to another state. Thank you.
Thank you 🤍
Chloe... I am in the middle of your The Deep End course and came across a quotation that I just loved - and thought you might as well. It's from the 6th book of Ursula Le Guinn's Earthsea series The Other Wind) :
“I think,” Tehanu said in her soft, strange voice, “that when I die, I can breathe back the breath that made me live. I can give back to the world all that I didn’t do. All that I might have been and couldn’t be. All the choices I didn’t make. All the things I lost and spent and wasted. I can give them back to the world. To the lives that haven’t been lived yet. That will be my gift back to the world that gave me the life I did live, the love I loved, the breath I breathed.”
I love the idea of bequeathing my "roads not taken" to those that come after; completing the cycle.
Dominique, this quote is wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing it. I wonder whether this is, essentially, exactly what we do...
I would like to set up a table in the backyard, intended only for interspecies gatherings, with you at the head.
Incidentally, I just found a dead bumble on the ground this morning and buried him under the Helleborous. So much gratitude or his fuzzy life.
We could set up a table like kids do with lemonade stands and have a sign that says 'interspecies communication - $0' and just wait and see what happens.
Just breathtaking, thank you so much. And thank you for the link to the video of Molly. Truly amazing.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for watching the clip!
Thanks dearest Chloe, another magical piece. I enjoy these pieces three different ways, I listen to your voice, I read it and finally I listen to it while I reading it. ❤️🙏
Kabir, thank you, my dear and thank you sharing how you take the posts in. That's lovely to know. You've been much on my mind. Sending love ❤️
Hi, Chloe -- thank you for your writing. Your description of Judy Collins' concert, story, and song in the Church was profoundly moving. I'm so glad I found you here!
I'm looking into your course, The Deep End, as a corollary to the course I am considering in End of Life Doula service where I live currently. Your careful description of each module is really well considered, and it's clear you've put a lot of work into it -- I'll be getting back to you as soon as I can on this.
Thank you again for offering us, out here, your writing and your thoughts. I believe it is of great importance.
Thank you so much for reading, L, I'm so glad you found Death & Birds, too. I think The Deep End could make a lovely add-on to your training. Feel free to contact me over on the site. Warmest wishes to you.
Thanks, Chloe — my introduction is this coming weekend so I’ll see how I go after that :).
Good luck for this weekend! I hope you have a wonderful time :)
SO moving. May we all find similar ways to reduce our anger. May we all find Grace through music and community. May there once again be peace on earth. Sigh…. Hugs dear Chloe.
Amen, dear Beth. Amen. Biggest hugs.