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Chaya M. Appel's avatar

This was an intriguing piece. There's something in me that resists a part of this and I need to sit with that and see what comes up.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

I would love to hear more about what it brought up for you. I can see how it could seem a bit doomer-y though that wasn't my intention.

I also love that you are taking time to sit with the discomfort instead of volleying a comment off immediately — the internet would be a better place if more people were like that!!

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Sarah Kokernot's avatar

Beautiful work. Have you read Martin Shaw’s writing on climate change and myth? He has a great piece in Emergence magazine, “Navigating The Mysteries.” https://emergencemagazine.org/essay/navigating-the-mysteries/

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Ok I just read this and love this piece so much, especially because I’m navigating a lot of uncertainty right now! But this is so brilliant and deep — making king with uncertainty is so vital particularly for this moment, which asks us to move far beyond the known in order to enter more sustainable systems. Thanks for the recommendation 🧡

I especially love this quote: “The Underworld is the place where you broke bread with Baba Yaga, made peace with limit, were fed small scraps of meat by crows when you needed it the most. It’s the deep dip in a myth, the katabasis, the descent, the mischievous, startling bewilderment of irrational energies. Logic has little traction at such a moment. Successful returnees of the Underworld are Blake, Anna Swir, Patti Smith, Elie Wiesel. Sometimes we make these journeys alone, sometimes as a culture.

My petition is that we accept the challenge of uncertainty. As a matter of personal style. It’s the right thing to do. It’s what the Anglo-Saxons called “living in the bone-house.” We get older, we find life is riven with weirdness. We should be weird too. To know, tell, and create stories is a wonderous skill that keeps faith with the traditional and beauteous techniques our ancestors used when faced with the sudden mists and tripwires of living.”

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Sarah Kokernot's avatar

Oh yay! I’m happy it resonated. It’s one of those essays I return to over and over again, the same way I would return to a poem. His other work is also brilliant.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Ooh, I've come across his work and have been meaning to dive into it forever. Looking forward to checking this out! Myth is definitely an important piece in all this, as a guide to our constant cycles of death-and-rebirth and as an indication of how we've always been connected to the cycles of the land (and so much more)

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Sarah Kokernot's avatar

Yes and that article in particular is a great mythic-led guide in dealing with all the unknowns we’re facing with the climate crisis. If you get to it lmk what you think!

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Beckett Johnson's avatar

I am forever fascinated with abandoned towns, properties and such. I guess it’s that cycle of death and rebirth that draws me in. Wonderful article and I also love the images.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Me too, there’s so much bittersweet poetry there... Thanks so much for reading 💚

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xena upside's avatar

Absolutely beautiful, wordsmithery at it's best, sublime.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

thank you so much, this means the world!

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xena upside's avatar

I can't describe your accuracy, it's just stunning, bless that heart of yours, amazing, kind regards and much respect

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xena upside's avatar

You are the universe and may it guide you without harm, no more, beautiful word's and totally from your soul, love yourself please, imagery and teeth of brass, standing tall in the dark, in the mind warped pavilion, you've flayed your mark ❤️

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Don Boivin's avatar

Amazingly well written, and resounding with truth.

Kate Brook sent me here and I’m so glad she did. You’re a great writer and thinker!

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Thank you, this means so much! I’m a big fan of your substack so great to see you here!

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Kate Brook's avatar

So much food for thought here. Thank you!

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Thank you for the read and for the kind share!!

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Nature 🌲's avatar

All things in nature are together in one place.

Each thing is moved by nature’s pattern.

SIGNALs give direction. 🔁

The whole divides in to parts. 🧬

The parts move around and in and out of each other.

.

Like water flowing in rivers 💦 and oceans 🌊 and changing into vapor 💨 and snow ⛄️❄️and ice 🧊.

The water flows in and out of creatures 🐿️ and plants 🌱.

.

Every part is FLOWING, 🔄 and spiraling 🌀 round and round. 💫☄️🪐⛈️🦠🧬

Things unFold 🌱 then enFold 🍂 .

Everything in the UNIverse fits 🧩 because

each part belongs to the ONE whole cosmic song 🎻 and dance 💃🏻 🕺🏻

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Such a pleasure to see you here, Nature, and thanks for this glorious, magnificent comment. Thank you for spreading so much wisdom. I always look forward to seeing your beautiful work on here (and of course, all around and within)! 🌱🌱🌱

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Nature 🌲's avatar

Thank you for this wonderful post!!

Eden, You are the first person who has addressed EATing 🍽️.

Nature does swallow every thing and TURN it into something else.

Appreciating the entire process of circulation is key 🔑. 😉

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Alea Quiles's avatar

I agreed with a lot of what you wrote, the ideas, especially the part where you said this is as holy as a green mountain pass. But I would like to point out, before colonialism, indigenous cultures thrived. Food forests, rich culture, deep spirituality, stewardship of the earth. They always have and always will be the keepers of nature and the balance therein. I believe it comes down to an understanding and responsibility to ourselves through the treatment of our planet - otherwise it’s just self deprecation. I believe our modern world has made it so. And although you almost lost me at leftists ideas and policing language lol, I think overall it’s a great piece worth reflecting on. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻 I always look forward to your work.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

This is a great point Alea, and thank you so much for noting this! I absolutely agree with what you're saying - and my heart constantly breaks for the way we've destroyed the earth + each other. I'm definitely not arguing that we shouldn't fight for nature/against the destruction of ecological systems - I suppose I'm curious about how Indigenous ideas of stewarship/kinship with the natural world could fuse and weave with the damages and realities of modern life and climate change, as there's no going back to a pristine, all-natural world and many people would not want to or be able to in our current paradigm. Yet there's obviously so many layers to this too and I'd never want to imply that the destruction of the earth is something to worship; but I think there's something to the idea of embracing/accepting and learning to co-create within the destruction that I was trying to get at here. I'm going to have to think about it a bit more and get back to you on this tbh!

(Also I'm a leftist and I believe in policing language sometimes lol, I just think it's hurt the movement a lot and so tried to note that here)!

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Alea Quiles's avatar

I can feel your heart in your writing and definitely see where you’re coming from. There is no way back, but our future, what if we co-created with our best achievements and the rhythms of nature? As you said, many would not choose a life living off the land, a lot of people cannot due to illness and disability, and modern advancements help them live their best lives. We must seek balance within our own nature for creation and destruction and how that plays out in the bigger picture. I am uncertain, but I know one thing - humans are survivalists as well as innovators. We will figure it out, one way or another. Thank you for responding and open to dialogue!

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Emergentcy With Musclemonk's avatar

Beautiful. Thank you! In just the same way as the part of us which lives in the industrial world with all of its transcendent power, we are arrived at a breakthrough in the inner world with all of its transcendent power that is fundamentally homeostatic and regenerative. This is my research and encompasses fascia and neurology and embodiment but it is very real, as real as the Cartesian revolution that got where we are today. It is the one thing that gives me hope and I need to say it out loud: there is an answer and there is a path and it doesn’t burn any bridges but build the new bridges that will restore the profound connections that are calling to us from within.

https://substack.com/@musclemonk/note/c-102090643?r=2cl819&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Thank you for sharing this. Certainly our inner/outer worlds are not separate too, and our bodies themselves are ecological systems! Such a fascinating place to explore and thank you for sharing your insights!

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Simple Abundance for all's avatar

The agony and the ecstacy.....🌏🙏🌻

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Inés Hemmings's avatar

So agree. What a powerful reminder, and so wonderfully written. Thank you 💜

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Thank you so much for reading — so glad you appreciated it!

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Ellen Wong's avatar

As a deathworker, this essay landed in places within me that are still reverberating. Thank you for this. I have never restacked so many excerpts off one piece before.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Oh wow that means so much — both that you're coming from that powerful perspective, and all the restacks :') thank you so much for reading and for all the important work you do. I'm sure there's a lot of space for deathwork in relation with climate change and that space was definitely the mentality behind this piece as well!

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Ave's avatar

My forearms are all weird and splotchy, and I have no idea why. After I get a little sun, they look like they were splashed in invisible ink. This essay, perfectly positioned, is their message made explicit. You have made legible something I’ve been feeling as a human animal consciously experiencing a body in conditions with variables too unprecedented to be perceived, much less controlled for. I am deeply appreciative to have encountered this now.

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Wow, thank you for this. I think we all experience weird and bizarre-looking things with our bodies — I certainly do — and yet we spend so much time trying to hide them and feeling ashamed... glad this piece could spark a bit of connection and kinship with some of those very natural messengers that really signify our aliveness. Thanks for reading :)

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Grace's avatar

This gave me a sense of hope and ease that I desperately need. As ecological destruction consumes a lot of my mental space every day. I really appreciate this reframe

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Eden Ariel's avatar

That's all I hope to do with my writing. So very glad it resonated in that way. Thank you for reading and lots of love to you <3

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xena upside's avatar

Hi, I do kind of apologise but the words you wrote from that boiling pot, volcanic fume and polished off with substance and measure, is a fuckin beautiful statement of fact, I can see every nerve twitching, like butterfly 🦋 flexions on the face muscle, a delicate kiss and connection ,then away, believe what you say, kind regards Mr STAGGERLEE

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Papadas's avatar

superb !

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Eden Ariel's avatar

Thank you!💜

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