Today's subject matter is so slippery and mysterious that even my guest, Dr Maya Ward [https://www.mayaward.com.au/], finds it hard to describe, though she's swimming in it. It concerns the aliveness of rivers and the rivers inside us; the nature of reality and realms invisible yet objectively real. It's about catching the whispers and shouts of the world with pen and paper. It's shamanic, ecstatic and emphatically esoteric. It's bloody wild – and I suggest bringing your passport because the places this convo will take you are far out. But also, deep within. If you love all things complex, paradoxical and perspective-shifting, I dedicate this episode to you 🙌 After we recorded, Maya sent this thoughtful epilogue: We are innately of the world, yet we are also this witness consciousness, experiencing separation. Forgetting, then remembering. "Inside human beings is where God learns", said Rilke. Does separation itself create the possibility of learning? In my exhibition, on the wall, I have a quote from Robert Bringhurst: "Language is not for talking about the world – that's for dilettantes. Language is for talking with the world." I wish I'd said that. ***Support Reskillience on Patreon! [https://www.patreon.com/c/Reskillience]*** 🧵Threads A new old way to introduce ourselves Original meanings of yin and yang The right ratio between humans and more-than-human The role of the artist and poet Ecstatic and mystical experiences in nature Building beauty and vernacular architecture Where a lack of trust in the system takes you Initiated vs. uninitiated ways of being Small, potent work Third wheeling the love affair between sun and earth Altered state work The imaginal realm Sufi mysticism The danger of unwitnessed initiation Automatic/shamanic writing Reclaiming 'esoteric' Acknowledgement of Country spellcasting 🧙‍♀️LINKY POOS Maya Ward's home on the web [https://www.mayaward.com.au/] Maya's events, workshops & exhibitions [https://www.mayaward.com.au/events/] Maya's book: The Comfort of Water [https://www.mayaward.com.au/the-comfort-of-water/] Nature Based Leadership Training [https://school.ceres.org.au/adult-learning/nature-based-leadership-training/] CERES [https://ceres.org.au/] William Wordsworth [https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/william-wordsworth] Tyson Yunkaporta [https://emergencemagazine.org/conversation/deep-time-diligence/] Henri Corbin Carl Jung Rudolf Steiner Plato Wouter Jacobus Hanegraaff Gregory Bateson Book: Songspirals ~ Gay'wu Group of Women [https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Gay%27wu-Group-of-Women-Songspirals-9781760633219] Alfred North Whitehead