Thank you, Susan (and Renée) for having all the Candlelight Chats, especially the “just us” chats. They are especially inspiring and the energy of the attendees is incredible. I only wish they would last longer, though I truly support and embrace the current format.
Hi, Joanne. You can view all the Candlelight Chats in the Candlelight Chat tab on Substack on the desktop version. On the Substack app on your phone it’s easiest to search for “Candlelight Chat”. I hope this helps!
I don’t think this poem is telling us that life is easy or that our pain doesn’t matter. I think it’s saying that when our minds become full of fear, we don’t always need more answers. Sometimes we just need somewhere peaceful to rest.
When Wendell Berry says he goes where the wood drake rests and the heron feeds, I don’t think he’s running away from life. I think he’s reminding himself that the world is still turning, even when his own mind feels overwhelmed.
The line that speaks to me most is, “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.” How much of our suffering comes from living tomorrow’s pain today? We imagine conversations that haven’t happened, losses that haven’t come, and problems we can’t solve yet. We carry burdens that don’t belong to today.
The birds don’t spend their day worrying about next week. The stars don’t rush. The water doesn’t fight to be still. There is something deeply comforting in that.
Maybe the lesson isn’t to ignore our problems. Maybe it’s to stop letting fear become louder than hope.
If you’re struggling today, don’t try to carry your whole life at once. Go outside. Sit somewhere quiet. Watch the trees move in the wind. Listen to the birds. Let yourself remember that there is still beauty in the world, even if your mind is finding it hard to see.
Your circumstances may not change overnight, but your heart can find a little rest. Sometimes that’s enough to keep going until tomorrow.
For a time, rest in the grace of the world… and be free.
I've just subscribed today and so this will be a first Candlelight Chat for me. I've been reading some of the Kindred Letters and really enjoying them. I'm thinking I need to take the advice from a docent at our National Art Gallery who suggested going to view no more than 1 or 2 paintings or works of art when entering a gallery. She advised really taking in the piece and reflecting on it, giving it time to speak to you. It's easy to read your posts, Susan, and keep reading like I'm eating popcorn but I think I need to give them the time to really sink in and let myself reflect on them before reading too many in one sitting. I enjoy the provocative questions that follow them which can prime the pump for self-reflecting. As a newbie, I don't know the difference between a "Just Us" Candlelight Chat or one with a guest. I will merely join and experience it. If I feel I have something to contribute, I will.
Hi there, Christine. Usually Susan invites a guest to the Candlelight Chat and she spends 30 minutes interviewing them. Then the audience may ask questions of the guest.
A “Just Us” Chat means there won’t be a guest and you may ask questions of Susan (either in writing or live on video). I hope this helps!
I thought Annaka Harris on Conscious plus Carl Jung one and there was one about love, like them all but reading Kindred letters is very special to , I wonder if someone that a expert on the unconscious and how can we tap in the invisible psychie we can't see, feel you have explore some of these depths but what do current philosophers ,researcher,etc have to say about it compare the past anticent wisdom, there's visceral languages, realms all around us, in us but I feel we have only touch the surface of it all...
I haven't been able to join a chat yet because it's 1:00 p.m. here in Alaska, and we usually go hiking around then. Now that my husband has recently retired, we're trying to do more of those plans on weekdays instead of weekends, so I'm really looking forward to attending my first in-person chat. I'm not sure I'll have much to say right away, but I truly enjoy reading your posts, Susan, and then the comment section -it feels like I finally found a group of people I really resonate with.
Bob is right! The chats are at 1pm Eastern/9am Alaska time. I hope that makes a difference and you can attend live. If not, the replays are always available the following week.
If you live in Alaska, the Candlelight chats start at 9:00am your time. Wasn’t sure from your comment that you were aware of that. Certainly understand the draw of hiking in Alaska, and really enjoying retirement in the out of doors, even at 9:00am. No offence intended, if I came across that way. Hope you are able to join the call. 💛
The poem really connects with me. I’m am a nature lover. Always have been. It’s my religion in a sense. I obtain peace and solace when I am with her. ☺️
Although I haven't been able to tune in to too many Candlelight Chats live this year so far due to crazy life events, I've always enjoyed the insights I gain from each of them - be they with or without guests. It's been insightful and enjoyable to connect with more depth-focused and "heart-centered" individuals, as Shawna mentioned.
Some of my favorite topics would be "How to find grace in a broken world" and "Can beauty save the world?" I hope to join the upcoming Candlelight Chat on the 26th.
I'm so looking forward to this- it will be my first one, as a new subscriber to TQL <3 Susan, have you explained somewhere why you call them "candlelight chats"? Do you actually light candles? Do we? (Other members of the community, feel free to chime in to explain to me :)
One question I'd love for us to discuss during the chat is: What is intuition? How do we tap into it? My circles of people tend to be very heady (I'm a professor) and I'm finding myself drawn to people who are more heart-centered. I wonder if intuition is the intersection of head and heart (and body), all working together?
(And Susan may well have written about this already- I'm still getting to know her work, so feel free to point me toward that as well)
Hello, Shawna! Yes, we will light our candles altogether if you have one. Susan does this to set the mood. She got the idea because she always lights a candle to set the mood when she works. It is really nice to do together.
I love this poem and relate to it and live by it. Now retired, I volunteer at both our local zoo (that does a lot of rescue and conservation work) as well as a wildlife hospital. They bring me peace in a way that nothing else can. To gaze into the eyes of a fellow being on this earth where words do not get in the way.... To breathe in sync and feel the connection... To remember our animal bodies.... To remember to stop and simply be in the moment.... Especially in these challenging times with so much chaos and negativity... The gift of connection that goes deeper than we can name... Such a gift.
And with your wonderful candlelight sessions, Susan.... To be in the presence of others of our tribe.... And feel the permission to quietly be... Also such a gift. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I’d love to benefit from the experience of other quiet folks about gaining respect from extroverts and just how compatible we can really expect to be. I find that I can accept extroverts for being different from me but too often it doesn’t go both ways in that being quiet is seen as a shortcoming by them. How can we all just get along with mutual respect?
Such a good question, Jan, with no easy answers, I think. Partly I've learned to manage my expectations of others, realize that I have different levels of friendships, and begin to understand that for me, I can learn to discern how deeply to share with each level... That sometimes I need to let go of wishing someone could understand or accept me more.... And go find my tribe for the deeper questions and conversations. No judgement, just letting go sooner..... To find my own peace.
McGilcrist that included his comment on confidence and “the imposter syndrome”. Got to it too late to comment. Not sure if that’s come up in the chats before but I find it to be an very interesting topic
I love the Candlelight Chats and have only missed two of them since the first one. I have participated through the chat and usually only shown my bot on screen, as I do not like to have footage of me online.
I am sure you, Susan, can guess the guest I would like to join us. You started to get involved with his work recently. It is fellow introvert Iain McGilchrist.
I don't like the "Just Us" chats. There are too many participants and too many topics being discussed. I love the interviews, but I am usually overwhelmed by the discussion, or better, the Q&A afterward.
I would prefer a single topic, and yes, it might well be the poem you posted. We all now have two weeks to prepare and should be able to speak to the poem, its application in our lives, or some deep thought it sparked.
I would also love to have an interactive exchange in the chat or comments after the fact. The good start we made usually fades into the night (in my part of the world) and leaves me alone with a ton of thoughts. But the comment function here is suboptimal for discussions.
So, in short, these Candlelight Chats are beautiful, uplifting moments that pass too quickly and leave no trace of true community. But they are beautiful.
Is it possible you watch this on replay - I’m gutted a missed it xxx
Dear Emma — yes, the replay will be sent out sometime next week. All the replays are available on the site. Enjoy! I heard it was a really good one.
Thank you, Susan (and Renée) for having all the Candlelight Chats, especially the “just us” chats. They are especially inspiring and the energy of the attendees is incredible. I only wish they would last longer, though I truly support and embrace the current format.
I have been subscribed but have never been to a chat. How do I access them?
Hi, Joanne. You can view all the Candlelight Chats in the Candlelight Chat tab on Substack on the desktop version. On the Substack app on your phone it’s easiest to search for “Candlelight Chat”. I hope this helps!
To my fellows
I don’t think this poem is telling us that life is easy or that our pain doesn’t matter. I think it’s saying that when our minds become full of fear, we don’t always need more answers. Sometimes we just need somewhere peaceful to rest.
When Wendell Berry says he goes where the wood drake rests and the heron feeds, I don’t think he’s running away from life. I think he’s reminding himself that the world is still turning, even when his own mind feels overwhelmed.
The line that speaks to me most is, “I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.” How much of our suffering comes from living tomorrow’s pain today? We imagine conversations that haven’t happened, losses that haven’t come, and problems we can’t solve yet. We carry burdens that don’t belong to today.
The birds don’t spend their day worrying about next week. The stars don’t rush. The water doesn’t fight to be still. There is something deeply comforting in that.
Maybe the lesson isn’t to ignore our problems. Maybe it’s to stop letting fear become louder than hope.
If you’re struggling today, don’t try to carry your whole life at once. Go outside. Sit somewhere quiet. Watch the trees move in the wind. Listen to the birds. Let yourself remember that there is still beauty in the world, even if your mind is finding it hard to see.
Your circumstances may not change overnight, but your heart can find a little rest. Sometimes that’s enough to keep going until tomorrow.
For a time, rest in the grace of the world… and be free.
I’m just looking forward to this event although I am nervous
I love nature and got a lot out of this poem
I've just subscribed today and so this will be a first Candlelight Chat for me. I've been reading some of the Kindred Letters and really enjoying them. I'm thinking I need to take the advice from a docent at our National Art Gallery who suggested going to view no more than 1 or 2 paintings or works of art when entering a gallery. She advised really taking in the piece and reflecting on it, giving it time to speak to you. It's easy to read your posts, Susan, and keep reading like I'm eating popcorn but I think I need to give them the time to really sink in and let myself reflect on them before reading too many in one sitting. I enjoy the provocative questions that follow them which can prime the pump for self-reflecting. As a newbie, I don't know the difference between a "Just Us" Candlelight Chat or one with a guest. I will merely join and experience it. If I feel I have something to contribute, I will.
Hi there, Christine. Usually Susan invites a guest to the Candlelight Chat and she spends 30 minutes interviewing them. Then the audience may ask questions of the guest.
A “Just Us” Chat means there won’t be a guest and you may ask questions of Susan (either in writing or live on video). I hope this helps!
Hi Renee, Thank you for clarifying. Yes, that helps! I look forward to it. I will endeavour to go listen to a past recorded one before Sunday.
I thought Annaka Harris on Conscious plus Carl Jung one and there was one about love, like them all but reading Kindred letters is very special to , I wonder if someone that a expert on the unconscious and how can we tap in the invisible psychie we can't see, feel you have explore some of these depths but what do current philosophers ,researcher,etc have to say about it compare the past anticent wisdom, there's visceral languages, realms all around us, in us but I feel we have only touch the surface of it all...
I haven't been able to join a chat yet because it's 1:00 p.m. here in Alaska, and we usually go hiking around then. Now that my husband has recently retired, we're trying to do more of those plans on weekdays instead of weekends, so I'm really looking forward to attending my first in-person chat. I'm not sure I'll have much to say right away, but I truly enjoy reading your posts, Susan, and then the comment section -it feels like I finally found a group of people I really resonate with.
Bob is right! The chats are at 1pm Eastern/9am Alaska time. I hope that makes a difference and you can attend live. If not, the replays are always available the following week.
Thank you! I don’t why I was thinking they were at 5 pm EST?
If you live in Alaska, the Candlelight chats start at 9:00am your time. Wasn’t sure from your comment that you were aware of that. Certainly understand the draw of hiking in Alaska, and really enjoying retirement in the out of doors, even at 9:00am. No offence intended, if I came across that way. Hope you are able to join the call. 💛
Thank you! I don’t why I was thinking they were at 5 pm EST?
Look forward to joing a chat.
Your post inspire.
Thank you 🙏
The poem really connects with me. I’m am a nature lover. Always have been. It’s my religion in a sense. I obtain peace and solace when I am with her. ☺️
Although I haven't been able to tune in to too many Candlelight Chats live this year so far due to crazy life events, I've always enjoyed the insights I gain from each of them - be they with or without guests. It's been insightful and enjoyable to connect with more depth-focused and "heart-centered" individuals, as Shawna mentioned.
Some of my favorite topics would be "How to find grace in a broken world" and "Can beauty save the world?" I hope to join the upcoming Candlelight Chat on the 26th.
I'm so looking forward to this- it will be my first one, as a new subscriber to TQL <3 Susan, have you explained somewhere why you call them "candlelight chats"? Do you actually light candles? Do we? (Other members of the community, feel free to chime in to explain to me :)
One question I'd love for us to discuss during the chat is: What is intuition? How do we tap into it? My circles of people tend to be very heady (I'm a professor) and I'm finding myself drawn to people who are more heart-centered. I wonder if intuition is the intersection of head and heart (and body), all working together?
(And Susan may well have written about this already- I'm still getting to know her work, so feel free to point me toward that as well)
Hello, Shawna! Yes, we will light our candles altogether if you have one. Susan does this to set the mood. She got the idea because she always lights a candle to set the mood when she works. It is really nice to do together.
I love this activity. It feels like spreading life and joy.
Beautiful- thank you, Renee!
I love this poem and relate to it and live by it. Now retired, I volunteer at both our local zoo (that does a lot of rescue and conservation work) as well as a wildlife hospital. They bring me peace in a way that nothing else can. To gaze into the eyes of a fellow being on this earth where words do not get in the way.... To breathe in sync and feel the connection... To remember our animal bodies.... To remember to stop and simply be in the moment.... Especially in these challenging times with so much chaos and negativity... The gift of connection that goes deeper than we can name... Such a gift.
And with your wonderful candlelight sessions, Susan.... To be in the presence of others of our tribe.... And feel the permission to quietly be... Also such a gift. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I’d love to benefit from the experience of other quiet folks about gaining respect from extroverts and just how compatible we can really expect to be. I find that I can accept extroverts for being different from me but too often it doesn’t go both ways in that being quiet is seen as a shortcoming by them. How can we all just get along with mutual respect?
Such a good question, Jan, with no easy answers, I think. Partly I've learned to manage my expectations of others, realize that I have different levels of friendships, and begin to understand that for me, I can learn to discern how deeply to share with each level... That sometimes I need to let go of wishing someone could understand or accept me more.... And go find my tribe for the deeper questions and conversations. No judgement, just letting go sooner..... To find my own peace.
Hi Susan, I loved the last post with Ian
McGilcrist that included his comment on confidence and “the imposter syndrome”. Got to it too late to comment. Not sure if that’s come up in the chats before but I find it to be an very interesting topic
I love the Candlelight Chats and have only missed two of them since the first one. I have participated through the chat and usually only shown my bot on screen, as I do not like to have footage of me online.
I am sure you, Susan, can guess the guest I would like to join us. You started to get involved with his work recently. It is fellow introvert Iain McGilchrist.
I don't like the "Just Us" chats. There are too many participants and too many topics being discussed. I love the interviews, but I am usually overwhelmed by the discussion, or better, the Q&A afterward.
I would prefer a single topic, and yes, it might well be the poem you posted. We all now have two weeks to prepare and should be able to speak to the poem, its application in our lives, or some deep thought it sparked.
I would also love to have an interactive exchange in the chat or comments after the fact. The good start we made usually fades into the night (in my part of the world) and leaves me alone with a ton of thoughts. But the comment function here is suboptimal for discussions.
So, in short, these Candlelight Chats are beautiful, uplifting moments that pass too quickly and leave no trace of true community. But they are beautiful.
Thanks Susan! I have not yet joined a chat. I will try to make the next one.
I love to be outside. I try to get outside everyday.