Thank you, Shani. I feel seen, heard, and understood through your writings. Watching the world through your eyes and perspective, we are left better for it. Can’t wait to read more.
I found you via an email from the free press oddly enough. The post that you mentioned blew up - about people watching at weddings. Your art and your writing are both breathtaking. Thank you for this.
I'm going to be sitting with this one for a while.
Years ago, I had my therapist cracking up with my description of myself as a stone castle at the center of a fortified city - complete with a moat, archers, and soldiers at the ready with tar. But that's just the address I give out. I have a secret second home on the other side of the forbidden forest with a wraparound porch, a solarium, and lush gardens.
I went through a demolition several years ago. I think I'll spend the day contemplating how my rebuilding and decorating is progressing. Thank you for this thought-provoking piece.
Shani, again brilliant and not only in the lighting sense.
I'm living in a ruin with crumbling earth walls, only two habitable rooms and no bathroom. This is all I could afford after a divorce. I'm rebuilding without money using what I have, aiming to live off grid. For instance, composting toilet, 12volt lighting, repurposing a non structural earth wall to repair the exterior fissures and lay an earth floor covering cheap heating pipes run from a copper coil on the wood burner stove pipe. Traditionally, in Northern France where I live, after they had laid the earth floor they would inaugurate a clog dance to compact the floor! I'm videoing the progress to post on Substack to encourage others to see what is possible on a limited or no income. The Idea is to offer rooms to writers and artists to stay for free to focus on their work which is what I also want for myself. Writing that is.
Your posts are helping me rebuild my house (Myself). Thank you.😊
NB. I'm illiterate when it comes to technology and don't know if my first response got posted or disappeared into the internet of things. The screen went blank so I rewrote it. So if my former post didn't appear then you have this one...posts are structural right? They support what is to come. What is coming is beautiful. If you have the first post don't bother reading this. Although it's probably too late now.
I love these comments, and will follow you to see the progress on your house (and self :) It doesn't sound like you need to totally rebuild (your self); there's a lot there already. PS, I am also trying to figure out the techy part of Substack. I'm not sure why some things appear in some places versus others. Thanks for helping me feel less clueless; it's not an intuitively-built platform, but it sure does contain a lot of beautiful people
An unexpected result of posting about my house is that I don't feel so alone rebuilding it. Yours and Shanis houses are beautiful and strong. You believing that mine can be the same gives me confidence that my house really is worth rebuilding. Thanks for sharing as 'house rebuilders anonymous ' are encouraged to say.
You write so beautifully. I call what you’ve written of the subtle awareness ‘environmentally sensitive’ which is a term I coined as I feel into things, people, places noticing the nuances that aren’t always visible. I love the building aspect, such a great way to notice energies within and around.
Shani, you are brilliant. Your sense of observation and introspection are incredibly inspiring. I appreciate how deeply you analyze people’s characters and your own and how you seem to evaluate your relationships so intentionally. You seem to have the kind of mind I like to learn from.
I particularly enjoyed this quote:
“When I draw something, the primary goal is not to create something beautiful — it is to inhabit my favorite kind of attention.”
I have done a few sketches on and off over time and I enjoyed it, but I never was satisfied enough to keep going, but maybe this is how I need to take it.
This is beautiful; it's clear that you put time and patience into building the analogy ;) , just as you do with your art work. I love how you think about the richness of life and relationships; it aligns with what I say to my clients as well as how I try to live my own life. The quote about mastery is also very very good.
This made me realize that I give much more importance to energy over all these other important elements of a person. I guess I have a lot to think about. Beautifully put, shani.
So nice to know there are thoughtful sensitive people like you out there, watching, sensing, noticing, processing and reflecting - perhaps the ingredients of wisdom?
This is so good,,,, especially for considering your own “house”
Thank you for reading 🙏❤️
Thank you, Shani. I feel seen, heard, and understood through your writings. Watching the world through your eyes and perspective, we are left better for it. Can’t wait to read more.
this means a lot to me. thank you taylor
I found you via an email from the free press oddly enough. The post that you mentioned blew up - about people watching at weddings. Your art and your writing are both breathtaking. Thank you for this.
Thank you Dylan ❤️
I'm going to be sitting with this one for a while.
Years ago, I had my therapist cracking up with my description of myself as a stone castle at the center of a fortified city - complete with a moat, archers, and soldiers at the ready with tar. But that's just the address I give out. I have a secret second home on the other side of the forbidden forest with a wraparound porch, a solarium, and lush gardens.
I went through a demolition several years ago. I think I'll spend the day contemplating how my rebuilding and decorating is progressing. Thank you for this thought-provoking piece.
inviting people in the secret second home is our life's work. thank you for sharing.
Shani, again brilliant and not only in the lighting sense.
I'm living in a ruin with crumbling earth walls, only two habitable rooms and no bathroom. This is all I could afford after a divorce. I'm rebuilding without money using what I have, aiming to live off grid. For instance, composting toilet, 12volt lighting, repurposing a non structural earth wall to repair the exterior fissures and lay an earth floor covering cheap heating pipes run from a copper coil on the wood burner stove pipe. Traditionally, in Northern France where I live, after they had laid the earth floor they would inaugurate a clog dance to compact the floor! I'm videoing the progress to post on Substack to encourage others to see what is possible on a limited or no income. The Idea is to offer rooms to writers and artists to stay for free to focus on their work which is what I also want for myself. Writing that is.
Your posts are helping me rebuild my house (Myself). Thank you.😊
NB. I'm illiterate when it comes to technology and don't know if my first response got posted or disappeared into the internet of things. The screen went blank so I rewrote it. So if my former post didn't appear then you have this one...posts are structural right? They support what is to come. What is coming is beautiful. If you have the first post don't bother reading this. Although it's probably too late now.
I believe in what you’re building. Thank you for sharing your story.
I love these comments, and will follow you to see the progress on your house (and self :) It doesn't sound like you need to totally rebuild (your self); there's a lot there already. PS, I am also trying to figure out the techy part of Substack. I'm not sure why some things appear in some places versus others. Thanks for helping me feel less clueless; it's not an intuitively-built platform, but it sure does contain a lot of beautiful people
An unexpected result of posting about my house is that I don't feel so alone rebuilding it. Yours and Shanis houses are beautiful and strong. You believing that mine can be the same gives me confidence that my house really is worth rebuilding. Thanks for sharing as 'house rebuilders anonymous ' are encouraged to say.
Before I close the app I need to figure out how to go back to stacks ...does liking them save them? I would love to check back and reread this one♡
OOOOH THERES A SAVE ON THE THREE DOTS
You write so beautifully. I call what you’ve written of the subtle awareness ‘environmentally sensitive’ which is a term I coined as I feel into things, people, places noticing the nuances that aren’t always visible. I love the building aspect, such a great way to notice energies within and around.
Shani, you are brilliant. Your sense of observation and introspection are incredibly inspiring. I appreciate how deeply you analyze people’s characters and your own and how you seem to evaluate your relationships so intentionally. You seem to have the kind of mind I like to learn from.
I particularly enjoyed this quote:
“When I draw something, the primary goal is not to create something beautiful — it is to inhabit my favorite kind of attention.”
I have done a few sketches on and off over time and I enjoyed it, but I never was satisfied enough to keep going, but maybe this is how I need to take it.
Thank you Bita. I hope you keep going with the drawings :)
Really gorgeous. Loving your work and your thoughtfulness
thank you Anastacia ❤️
This is beautiful; it's clear that you put time and patience into building the analogy ;) , just as you do with your art work. I love how you think about the richness of life and relationships; it aligns with what I say to my clients as well as how I try to live my own life. The quote about mastery is also very very good.
thank you so much for reading!
This made me realize that I give much more importance to energy over all these other important elements of a person. I guess I have a lot to think about. Beautifully put, shani.
I also see myself as a house. My corridors run deep. But I’d like to offer this quote by Plato:
The first and best victory is to conquer self.
To be conquered by self is, of all things, the most shameful and vile.
So nice to know there are thoughtful sensitive people like you out there, watching, sensing, noticing, processing and reflecting - perhaps the ingredients of wisdom?