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Listening to Spotify whilst reading this article the song 'Christine' by Siouxsie and the Banshee comes on, with the lyrics 'Singing sweet savages lost in our world, this big-eyed girl sees her faces unfurl, Now she's in purple, now she's a turtle...' and I can't believe the synchronicity. I have to pay attention. Thank you so much for this article. It really does ring true for me. Hermit. Yes. I've been doing a lot of inner work since a recent holiday to my ancestral hometown threw up some dark lessons for me about who I want to be and who I am, and how I'm seen differently by different people, and to some, will always be so. Faces. I shall look more into this! Thank you.

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Oh my that is quite synchronous. It seems Turtle has a lot to say right now! Banshee-purple-turtle plenty of potent imagery to work with there.

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Thank you for this timely reminder. One of my Pandemic Lessons was learning that I don't need "career ambition" - that what I want out of my job is to (a) fund the important parts of my life while (b) not seeming like a waste of time. What do I need "advancement" for?

In some ways, making that admission felt defeatist, especially when I turned that idea of not "needing ambition" to my creative life. This post is such a comfort that I can do the work to set that sense of defeat down and honor both my work and my Work as enough in and of themselves.

I'll be filling up some notebook pages about this, I can tell! <3

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The Hermit has been a safe space for this introvert for a very long time! And turtles - well, it’s hard for me not to think about turtles within also thinking of Terry Pratchett :-)

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The Hermit, Turtles and Terry Pratchett approve this comment 😂

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I appreciate the clarity of your self-awareness, Jan, and of what you know to be true for you at this stage of your journey. Though not at the same level, I too am seeking ease. "There is less I want to do, but I am now doing those things with more conviction, purpose, and pleasure." Thank you, also, for your contributions to Ann Bromley's event last week. It was a meaningful experience for me all the way around.

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Oct 11Liked by Jan Blencowe

When you mentioned the turtle, it brought to mind the Anishinabe legend of Turtle Island, our earth. Gitche-Manitou sent a great flood to stop the fighting and arguing over hunting grounds and to purify the earth. Turtle was instrumental in the creation of the new earth. To me, it signifies on a grand scale the need to retreat to our place of rest and peace in order to prepare for the renewal. The hermits will be a great source of strength in times like these.

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Oct 10Liked by Jan Blencowe

good things come in small packages.

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Brilliant! The turtle has been speaking to me lately as well. He is wise :) And, Turtle Hermit is absolutely adorable!

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Oct 10Liked by Jan Blencowe

Lovely, thank you 🙏🏼

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Hello Lisa, Delighted you enjoyed this. Thank you for leaving a comment.

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Turtle spirits are so powerful! My parents lived on Kauai for 40 years. They have since passed, but I visited them many times over that time period. The albatross, dolphins and the turtles are the animals that stood out for me and visited me often. The "honu" is a gorgeous creature! When I spread their ashes there a few years back, the Honus came to acknowledge it.

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Accompanied by the spirit of “honu” your parents most certainly had a good guide into the summer lands. What a beautiful connection for them and you.

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