How do we find and maintain a sense of wonder in a world that's become so unpredictable? Katherine May (author of Wintering and The Electricity of Every Living Thing) tackles this pressing question in her latest book, Enchantment, which is “an invitation to each of us to experience life in all its sensual complexity and to find the beauty waiting for us there.”
Calling upon the natural elements—earth, water, fire, and air—Katherine launches a personal and collective investigation into how we can restore ourselves and restoke imagination. Far from prescriptive, Katherine's work always invites readers to follow their curiosities. To slow down and open themselves up to a process of reflection. As she writes in Enchantment: “When we look for enchantment to give us direct, concrete revelations, we miss the point. It is too big for us to swallow all at once. It teaches us in constellations, and invites us to undertake the slow, lifelong work of assimilating a moment.”
In this interview, Katherine shared more about the process of finding Enchantment, musings on motherhood, and what she's learned about living, working, and creating—both online and off. This episode also opens with a story from Jess Dekker.
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Episode Transcript: https://slowstoriespodcast.com/katherine-may/
Learn more about Katherine's work: https://katherine-may.co.uk/
Follow Katherine: https://www.instagram.com/katherinemay_/
Purchase Katherine's books: https://bookshop.org/contributors/katherine-may
Follow Jess: https://www.instagram.com/jessdekkerreads/
Jordan Taylor — ”The most meaningful learning comes from deeper experiences.”
Jenn Tardif — ”You get to define what success looks like and how it feels.”
Sophia Amoruso — ”The only way to know is to see the results that come of people’s lives.”
Sanaë Lemoine — ”There’s something that’s almost unlocked when I begin writing on paper.”
Suleika Jaouad — ”Focus on cultivating a practice.”
Ali Kriegsman — ”It’s on us to take that pause.”
Dianna Cohen — ”Everything is so much better when it’s low and slow.”
Vanessa Barboni Hallik — ”We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Julia Hunter — ”If we could be more honest about what’s hard, there would be more vulnerability.”
Eryn Danielle — ”Whose voices are going to be highlighted and amplified?”
Emily Schildt — ”I am looking for trusted perspectives.”
Stephanie Danler — ”Compassion depends on being able to pay attention and feel.”
Nichole Powell — ”There is tremendous power in the pause.”
Brandy Pham — ”We don’t need more of more.”
Fran Hauser — ”When we slow down, we can be kinder to ourselves.”
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