The Clearing with Katherine May

Author Marjolijn van Heemstra discusses the 'overview effect' experienced by astronauts, leading to an ethical shift and a new sense of mission. She advocates for drawing on this effect to become better stewards of our environment. The conversation explores the impact of light pollution on our connection with the stars and the beauty of embracing darkness to connect with nature.

Amy Jeffs discusses the allure of folklore and retelling ancient stories. They explore the haunting landscapes of Medieval Britain and its impact on national identity. Delve into the rich world of British folklore, blending reality with fiction. Explore the challenges of writing and illustrating ancient tales. Understand the interplay of text and image in ancient manuscripts, reflecting on the significance of visual storytelling in the Middle Ages.

Author and public intellectual Báyò Akómoláfé discusses stepping out of human-centric views, creating a new language for neurodiversity, and exploring 'hushes' that disrupt narratives. They reflect on diverse cultural backgrounds, interdisciplinary studies, and the beauty of elusive ideas. Embracing opacity in narratives and challenging completion in storytelling are key themes, along with the concept of 'Hushism' and the liberating experience of swimming in the sea.

Kerri ní Dochartaigh discusses the practice of everyday mysticism and its connection to her Irish heritage. They explore the hidden political dimension of her work and how it shows a way of life that has been lost. The podcast also touches on the role of reading in contemporary life and the trend of focusing on quotes in book discussions.

Morgan Harper Nichols, a visual artist, writer, musician, speaker, and podcaster, discusses art, perception, and creativity. They explore how their work ushers a reenchantment with life, the unique connection autistic individuals have with their voice, and the influence of being autistic on their art. They also touch upon children's play shaping perception, language's impact on family history, and the interconnectedness of life and purpose.

Pico Iyer’s latest book, The Half Known Life, looks at the ways in which we seek paradise on earth, sometimes in places that are fraught with risk. In this episode, he and Katherine talk about the similarities in their work, particularly the ways in which they explore secular understandings of big spiritual questions, and they touch on the differences, too. Where Katherine is drawn to the local and the known, Pico quests after the insights that come to travellers and strangers. They are two different ways of looking at the same question: that of how to live a good and peaceful life, via the practice of enchantment.Pico can truly be called a veteran travel writer, having published his first book in 1984, and gone on to publish fourteen more, on subjects ranging from the Dalai Lama to globalism, from the Cuban Revolution to Islamic mysticism. They include such long-running sellers as Video Night in Kathmandu, The Lady and the Monk, The Global Soul, The Open Road and The Art of Stillness. His writing regularly features in Time, The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, and the Financial Times among many others, and his four talks for TED have received more than 10 million views so far.Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is available now: US/CAN and UKLinks from the episode:Pico and Katherine in conversation about The Half Known LifeKatherine and Pico in conversation about EnchantmentPico's book, The Half Known LifePico's websiteJoin Katherine's Substack to receive episodes ad-free and immersive, bonus mini-episdesFind show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website.Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're in between seasons of How We Live Now and Katherine is in the midst of talking about her new book Enchantment in radio and podcast interviews. We wanted to share one of these conversations with you in the How We Live Now podcast feed.In this episode of The Shift with Sam Baker, Sam and Katherine talk about Katherine’s midlife autism diagnosis, why she believes we’re living through the burnout decade and how to wrest back control of our lives from our work. Buy Katherine's new book Enchantment: US & Canada, UKSign up to receive Katherine's newsletterFollow Katherine on InstagramFind all the episodes of the The Shift with Sam Baker here: https://podfollow.com/the-shift-on-life-after-40-with-sam-baker Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkish journalist Ece Temelkuran understands the problems of rightwing populism better than most: she lives as an exile, after her criticism of the Erdogan regime threatened her liberty. But despite the very personal toll that our current politics has taken, Ece remains optimistic. The seeds of a new society, she says, lie in communities, and the ways they find to come together.In this episode, Katherine and Ece discuss courage, truth and learning to befriend our fear. We also touch on the power of Twitter in the days before Elon Musk took over - so maybe a little of our optimism was misplaced! But Ece has a unique ability to put our current political conflicts into a global context, and her faith in grassroots action is redemptive. Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices.Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UKLinks from the episode:Ece's websiteEce's booksFollow Ece on Instagram and TwitterJoin Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-freeSign up to receive Katherine's newsletterFind show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website.Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Gannon is a true digital native, a storyteller who finds creative inspiration in online communities, and who has sought a more thoughtful way to be in the digital spaces that so dominate our lives. In this episode, Katherine and Emma discuss what it means to be a digital citizen - the pleasures and the agonies of coming together in the ether, and the ways it can both warp and welcome connection. Emma’s is a nuanced take, emphasising our own agency within social media spaces, and inviting us to be thoughtful and disciplined, rather than reactive and addicted.Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices.Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UKLinks from the episode:Emma's websiteEmma's booksFollow Emma on Instagram and TwitterJoin Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-freeSign up to receive Katherine's newsletterFind show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website.Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Griffiths’ writing has long explored the link between land, culture and our potential for connection, but her father’s death during lockdown made this more vital than ever. Denied the comfort or closure of a funeral, Jay had to find other ways to connect, mourn and memorialise, and in this gentle, wide-ranging conversation she and Katherine talk about imaginary journeys, ritual and delving into a sense of place. Behind all of Jay’s work is an ecological urgency, and a sense of grief for the life that we seem to be losing. Here, it’s expressed through the idea of homelessness, both literal and metaphorical. But she also introduces us to the character of Nemesis, offering us a model for justice that might just see us through the next decades. Join the conversation! We’re also inviting your thoughts on each episode from now on - follow this link to join the conversation. Answers, challenges, ideas and further questions are all welcome - there will be a further episode in a couple of months focusing on your voices.Katherine's new book, Enchantment, is released in March 2023. Pre-order now: US/CAN and UKLinks from the episode:Jay's websiteJay's booksJoin Katherine's Patreon to receive episodes early and ad-freeSign up to receive Katherine's newsletterFind show notes and transcripts for every episode by visiting Katherine's website.Follow Katherine on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.