D.E. Percy Poet . Writer

Writing as question and revelation

Many famous authors have memorable lines on the nature of writing. Buried in most is the notion of a compelling force; the sense that writing, most often daily, is an irresistible imperative. Pulitzer Prize prize winner, Mary Oliver, put it this way, “I read the way a person might swim, to save his or her life. I wrote that way too.”

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Writing for me has always been my form of contemplation, in the original Latin sense of templum as the place of the temple, in this case, the temple within each of us. My writing takes many forms: books (one recently published and two others in process), poetry, essays, experiences, papers, spoken word pieces, and blogs. Early on in the 1980s to 2000s, they inclined to the practical or theoretical, but my style of authorship has shifted. As I enter further into elderhood myself, my writing leans progressively towards the numinous and the mythical. It also caters increasingly to Australia’s burgeoning age demographic: people in transition into a new, active elderhood before the much later onset of old age. Readers say they appreciate the way I use story and allegory, shedding new or unexpected light on universal themes and life mysteries. I examine subjects such as relationships, trust, betrayal, failing, and loss for what they can teach us, through characters drawn sympathetically from life and a long career in counselling. Others say my research and reporting on the five great fears of ageing Australians has brought them surprising new levels of insight and consolation.

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Hope gives direction and takes us beyond both fears and borders. Where do you chose to live life? In the fear cave, the border ground, or the hope land?

I am a Fiesta. I just love those words. If you say them out loud enough times–with feeling–the magical is summoned and marvellous things happen.

How does the myth of Percival’s quest for the Grail inform us about the value and purpose of midlife and beyond?

The impact of moving from mid-life to Elderhood tends to surface fears that are remarkably similar for everyone but often experienced alone. Not everyone discovers the antidote . . .

Do you find things aren’t right in your life? Somewhere in the back of your mind there are rumblings getting louder? It may be the Underground River of Life pulling you into its undertow.

The point of life isn’t to perfect yourself. It’s to perfect your love.

Archetypal stories about ageing are found in cultures across the world. One story is destructive and wounding; the other constructive and kind. There’s choice about which story we enact.

In our society ageing is still seen as synonymous with the onset of old age. It has associations with decline, frailty, and dependency, which completely ignores both growth and a rich elderhood of 30 years.

The Mature Hero’s Journey differs in intent and outcome to more youthful hero’s journeys—quieter, more reflective, and often seeks meaning, deeper self-knowledge and a desire to contribute.

There are times when what really matters is crystal clear—other times it’s elusive, partly because what matters can change over time. This seems especially so as we enter our third life stage.

Giving time to yourself is like giving water to plants. Without water, the plant will die. Without time, inspiration dies. Giving water or time to sustain life and growth needs repetition for growth.

The Model can be applied to spot: 1) The extent to which you’re in charge of your time; 2) Whether you’re caught in an unacknowledged pattern; 3) To emphasise resolve around your authentic Purpose;

To paraphrase Richard Bach, if you think your work in this life is finished and you’re still alive –- it isn’t.

It can be a long hard road, sometimes like you’re facing the impossible. It only becomes an adventure later in retelling the story. So how do you meet the rigors of life?

Are you spending your life well? Once spent, time can never be replaced and as we age, time becomes more significant. What are you doing with your prescious time?

Consciously or unconsciously, we actively create our future, which is not the same as controlling what happens. Neither is it the same as great project design or management . . .

It’s time burn off the fallacies about being in elderhood in exchange for a fresh, relevant reality of what it means today.

Contemplate: to consider deeply on sacred ground in the temple of your body-mind and seek what is hidden or obscure.