Creativity as a Practice and a Refuge

Hello beloved reader,

Our neighbors and friends, the Buddhist monks across the road,¹ often speak of “taking refuge” in the dhamma.² Many of the world’s religions talk about taking refuge in spiritual practice³ —which may include meditation, Centering Prayer, deep contemplation. However, it was only recently that I came across a phrase on

Samantha Clark

’s Substack, The Life Boat, that illuminates another form of refuge. She writes, “subscribers receive: posts on creativity as a practice and a refuge.”

✨Creativity as a practice and a refuge✨🧚‍♀️🤸‍♀️🌼🌷🌈🌺🪷💕

I feel like I want to shout this from the rooftops.

I’ve never heard it put like this and it points directly towards how spirituality and creativity are inextricably interconnected.

And during times like these, when the world feels increasingly uncertain, we all need a refuge.

I recently read

Sally Gillespie

’s beautiful book, CLIMATE CRISIS AND CONSCIOUSNESS Re-imagining Our World and Ourselves, which explores the psychological, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the climate crisis. Sally and I are 100% aligned in seeing the urgent need for a deep transformation in human consciousness.

Perhaps one of the things I appreciate most about Sally’s work is how she does not shy away from the painful aspects of confronting our ecological crisis. Drawing on eco-psychology, Jungian depth psychology, and her personal experiences, Sally argues that addressing climate change requires more than technical solutions—it demands a shift in our collective worldview. She examines how grief, anxiety, and denial shape our responses to ecological destruction and she offers practices to cultivate resilience, active hope, and creative engagement.

Through storytelling, reflective exercises, and discussions of activism, she encourages readers to embrace a relational, interconnected perspective with the Earth. Her book envisions a future where humanity moves beyond exploitative paradigms and embraces a new consciousness rooted in care, reciprocity, and ecological wisdom. Sally’s work serves as both a call to action and a guide for navigating the emotional and spiritual challenges of the climate emergency.

I’m thrilled that Sally has agreed to participate in Alchemical Conversations, the series of interviews I’m curating that is archived on this Substack. I will be sharing her responses in a few weeks.

In the meantime, Sally is generously offering a free PDF of her book to those who subscribe to her Substack and request a copy⁴. I encourage you to take her up on this offer—it’s a book that truly speaks to the heart of our times.

1. PART THREE: LOTUS FRIENDSHIPS

2. Dhamma is a Buddhist term that refers to the Buddha's teachings, the nature of existence, and the natural order of the universe.

3. Chapter 7. Sadhana, New Hampshire, October 2012

4.