Receiving Life
Orientation
NOTEBOOK
I have always been moved by how we, as humans, seek to hold a mirror to the natural world. Throughout history, we have worked with the earth’s offerings to support our lives and express our presence – weaving fibres for clothing, distilling minerals for pigment, and gathering fragrances for ritual.
There is an enduring beauty in the way we "receive the life we are given." As I look out from my studio in New Zealand, I see this cycle in its simplest form: the rain nurturing the grass, the life sustained by the land, and the quiet patience of the seasons before any human hand begins its work. It is the act of taking what is nurtured in the soil – a seed, a fruit, a resin – and transforming it into a vessel for a shared moment of reflection.
As I settle into this new landscape, I find myself returning to this sense of gratitude. For me, the botanical materials I work with are not just ingredients; they are blessings of the earth. To work with scent is to enter into a quiet dialogue with nature, receiving what is offered and shaping it to honour the fleeting beauty of the present.
In this Journal, I hope to share the rhythm of this practice – an invitation to arrive, to breathe, and to listen to the stillness within.
