Bear Witness & Be of Use- November 2024
Upcoming Course, Book Recommendation, Writing Updates, & so much more!
“Words have more power than anyone can guess; it is by words that the world’s great fight, now in these civilized times, is carried on,” said Mary Shelley, author.
Writers, and readers, feel Shelley’s words deeply. We know what responsibilities we carry with our words. Our job is to help you laugh, to celebrate joy with you, to comfort you when you cry, to buoy you when you’re tired, to teach you and open doors to new thoughts, to support you when you need courage, and to offer clarity and hope when you feel uncertain and discouraged.
This past Sunday, November 10, I was invited to speak at a nearby church. I’ve spoken to this congregation several times in the past, and they are a lovely group. I’ve spoken about grief, connectedness, oneness, systems theory, quantum physics, and the five elements – air, fire, water, earth, and spirit. But this talk, I knew, would need to be different, not so esoteric. They needed clarity and comfort, an acknowledgement of the range of emotions they were feeling, and perhaps, a vision of a way forward.
It took me days to write what I needed to say, and to clarify what I hoped would be helpful. The title of the talk is “To Bear Witness and To Be of Use.” I discussed how sometimes words fail. Sometimes, we simply need to be vitally present in the moment of someone’s pain, or fear, or anger – to bear witness in silence to another person’s emotions. Sometimes words and actions are helpful, and we must ask to be given the right words to write or say and the right actions to take – to be of use in our words and deeds. In a talk with this group some time ago, I discussed the importance of deep connection among us, where we can envision each of us being a part of a larger whole. I stressed that connection among all of us without hierarchy is vital. Two-legged, four-legged, winged, swimming, crawling, standing (plant), and stone people – all of us together form the great gift-giving circle. Each one of us is needed, with our roots running deep, deep, into Mother Earth, supporting each other. May it be so.
Hurricane Recovery
And speaking of words, it drives me nuts when media report a catastrophic event for a few days, then reporting stops – crickets - and the aftermath of disaster continues. Such is much the case for the folks in the mountains and foothills of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. There was a tremendous outpouring of help in these early days after Hurricane Helene, with lots of media coverage. Now, media attention is focused elsewhere, but work continues, and will do so in some areas for years. As I write this, Asheville, the largest of the North Carolina mountain cities, continues under a boil water advisory, and other areas face even greater challenges. Please remember, and do whatever you are called to do to help.
I’m so happy to connect with you and I’m grateful that you have taken a course with me and subscribe to this newsletter! If you missed my last newsletter, you can read it here.
Samhain Thoughts and Updates- October 2024
A Special Note for Samhain 2024
Upcoming Course in the New Year
Unlocking the Mysteries of Tarot, my introductory Tarot course that teaches you how to begin reading Tarot, begins Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Registration deadline is Friday, January 3 at 6 pm Eastern time. Enrollment is limited, and both the afternoon and evening sections will fill, so register soon! Click here for details: https://debbowen.com/product-category/new-category/
Deep Gratitude
A huge thank you to the many of you enrolled in my The Fool’s Calling: Your Personal Myths and Archetypes in Arcane Symbols course! I am overwhelmed by the kind responses I have received about the material and I am so glad you are enjoying the course. Some of you who missed the enrollment deadline have asked when I will reopen enrollment. I’m not sure. The last registered cohort will complete the 38-week course in August, so I’ll make a decision as that time approaches.
Book Recommendation
If you thought Richard Powers’s The Overstory was insightful, buckle on your dive gear! In Playground, Powers writes absolutely mesmerizing, terrifying, and grippingly real words for today’s world. Swimming with manta rays left me hungry for more time in a playground we can never fully comprehend, and one that is being destroyed by a different kind of playground. If rapid technological changes frighten you, just wait. And Powers spells out for us his vision of how this new playground is evolving, how it works, and how it impacts us every day.
Click on the links below to read my most recent works in Salvation South:
“A Tale of Two Hauntings”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/a-tale-of-two-hauntings-essay-deb-bowen/
“Let No One Turn You Around”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/let-no-one-turn-you-around-joan-baez-essay-deb-bowen/
“Sunday Fatback”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/sunday-fatback-essay-deb-bowen/
“The Coyote’s Journey”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/the-coyotes-journey-nature-essay-deb-bowen/
“Takin’ Up a Poundin’”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/takin-up-a-poundin-christmas-story-deb-bowen/
“Tidal Wave Terror”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/ground-truth-from-the-climate-reckoning-janisse-ray/
“Where I’m From: Seven Decades in Seven Scenes”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/where-im-from-seven-decades-in-seven-scenes-deb-bowen-poem/
“Mending Nets”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/mending-nets-north-carolina-barrier-island/?mc_cid=c4bb217ffc&mc_eid=fae2a9a622
“A Talisman for Poseidon”
https://www.salvationsouth.com/a-talisman-from-poseidon-hurricane-donna-1960/
Podcast
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Deb Bowen, Author
PsychicTeachers
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Just One More Thing Before You Go
“A writer should concern himself with whatever absorbs his fancy, stirs his heart, and unlimbers his typewriter. I feel no obligation to deal with politics. I do feel a responsibility to society because of going into print: a writer has the duty to be good, not lousy; true, not false; lively, not dull; accurate, not full of error. He should tend to lift people up, not lower them down. Writers do not merely reflect and interpret life, they inform and shape life.” - E.B. White
Thank you!
Kind greetings.
Thank you for remembering us here in wnc. I live in Swannanoa and see daily the recovery that is left. Many areas resemble a war zone you would see on the news. But there is progress also and so many heroes. It's been a humbling experience.
I have listened to y'alls podcast since back in the call in days and have learned so much. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
May your day be whimsical,
Robin
Thank you for your words of wisdom and comfort.