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Matthew Long's avatar

James - truly enjoy reading your work. You have a real gift at the craft, an ability to create imagery and transport the reader to the place. I appreciate the vulnerability in your writing as well. Enjoy the season of stillness and look forward to more of your writing in the new year.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Matthew. Much appreciated. Have a wonderful year end.

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Emily Kaminsky's avatar

I appreciate the reminder to find stillness in the madness that has become holiday season in this modern post-myth world. I lit a candle for the new moon the other day... Something I always want to do but forget. I too am planning to not miss the Solstice. Easy to miss it when everything is commercial christmas everywhere. One thing I enjoy about your writing is the juxtaposition of the micro and the macro... In your book and in your posts. It works just like defamiliarization. Stretching my brain so far that I experience the world more deeply. Looking forward to more of your writing in the New Year! Enjoy the silence!

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Emily! I saw that new moon (on a very rare clear night here). I've not heard of defamiliarization - I will look it up. Hope you also enjoy the stillness. J

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Michela Griffith's avatar

So many thoughts after a first read. I know there will be another, slower, one. I’m so grateful to have stumbled upon your writing here. Two days, two joyful reads. You’ve brought luminosity to the dark days. I wish you peace and stillness, and look forward to you returning refreshed.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you Michela - very much appreciated.

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Mark's avatar

I love your psychedelic drawing! It makes me want to start singing “I Just Dropped In.”

“Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare

Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

I said I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in”

Keep up the great work!

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James Roberts's avatar

Oh yes - I'm a big fan of that song! Now I'm going to have to watch The Big Lebowski again! Subtle influences . . .

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Dr Sharon Blackie's avatar

Thank you for all the beauty you've brought to our inboxes over the past months. Yours is always read first. Wishing you all the stillness you need in the season of the long dark. I'm hurtling full-tilt into mine and expect to crash-land on Thursday :-)

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Sharon! Hope you both have a wonderful year end.

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Susie Betley's avatar

Thank you for the reminder to pause and "step off the machine".

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Susie

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Ed Brydon's avatar

James. It’s not often I read a man article or post and then make it unread to read it again at a later date but I find myself doing that often with yours. This one included. Thank you for your gifted words. It’s always wonderful to hear the your reflections and refractions, particularly when you talk about the Marches as I once lived in Hereford for three quarters of a year at a time for 6 years.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you Ed, much appreciated. Lots more coming about the Marches.

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Just occasionally something I read causes a halt in the day... a pause of reflection - this was one of them. Thank you for advocating stillness, albeit, sadly, momentarily.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you Susie!

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weaver's avatar

i love the journeys you take, thank you x (((💜))) 🌀

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you!

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Carmine Hazelwood's avatar

How much depth and meaning it adds to our lives when we can be present, our own still point in the constant transformations of seasons and experiences. Your exploration of that juxtaposition, of feeling grounded in the great movements of the earth and sky, even while in continual flux, is beautiful. My father recently died, but dying too is a long process of being unmade, and your words about your mother are particularly poignant. Blessings of the dark time to you and thank you for writing.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you Carmine.

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Mark's avatar

Did you know that Bernie Gassman and Jeff Bridges wrote a book on zen and the dude?

https://www.amazon.com/Dude-Zen-Master-Jeff-Bridges/dp/0142180521

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James Roberts's avatar

I didn’t! And I’ve ordered it. Thanks Mark

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Mark's avatar

One of my favorite movies- the dude abides!

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Sue  Routner-Wardley's avatar

Thank you for another deeply moving post and the beautiful poem. We all need to embrace the calm and rest of this time of year and count our blessings. Enjoy your time off and I look forward to your writing and art in the new year.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Sue. Hope you have a wonderful year end.

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Kat Brimacombe's avatar

I am so grateful for your posts, which bring me a few minutes of stillness and calm each week. Enjoy the Solstice and the stillness. I look forward to your words in the new year.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Kat. You too.

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Lisa's avatar

Stillness. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to breathe in and just be.

I’m delighted to have found your Substack and looking forward to your thoughts in the new year.

Wishing you stillness in your downtime to breathe and be.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thank you Lisa. Much appreciated.

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Susie Osler's avatar

There truly is nothing perhaps better than a lit beeswax candle and darkness to sink into a truly felt sense of stillness.

Love how the words and cosmic distances expand and expand and expand, until you gather us back to the 'still' point of a candle flame. Thanks James. Hope you have a beautiful, reverent Solstice week.

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James Roberts's avatar

Thanks Susie - I'm off to buy a beeswax candle!

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