Pauline Hansen’s divisive words about monoculturalism have certainly stirred things up. I didn’t agree with her perspective, but it did prompt me to reflect on my own stance on multiculturalism and Australian values. I realised I wasn’t well-versed in either, even though I was born and raised in Australia.

The first nine Snapshots in this series capture the ebbs and flows of cancer treatment, while the final Snapshot shares my experience post cancer treatment— of being caught off guard by an unexpected setback.

The second last Snapshot

What was my doorway for living my values? 

A shift in my understanding of resolve

A meaningful why is a powerful force.

The labyrinth metaphor became a container for each round of chemotherapy. 

Round 2 of chemotherapy challenged my resolve.

I decided to take a practical approach to surgery and chemotherapy . . . Ha!!

At first, I felt alone. Then I realised my experience of cancer was interwoven with the love and respect of family and friends.

I chose to view the experience of cancer as part of my next season of life, rather than something to endure before I got on with living again.

Last year I wrote a number of snapshots that could reframe my challenging experience with bowl cancer, into one of meaning. I now share these snapshots with a wider audience.

I was once in a conversation where the terms faith and non-faith were used. Faith was ascribed to individuals with a religious worldview, while non-faith to individuals with a secular worldview. I found myself reacting strongly to this distinction. As a result, the question of faith or non-faith became personal for me.

Across the global community, there appears to be a resurgence of far-right political movements. It is challenging to comprehend, yet it might be understandable considering the current local and global conditions. Perhaps, during periods of uncertainty, the desire to return to the past tends to raise its head.

Collective spirituality involves the shared venture of cultural change from the INSIDEout.

What is spiritual activism? In short, spiritual activism seeks outer change through inner transformation. This is a new collective spiritual arc for Western societies.

In contemporary Western culture, the sciences and spirituality often appear to be in opposition. However, is that truly the case?

As I reflect on First Nations displacement from Country by colonisation, I cannot help but wonder what a Western Story of Life that is planted in land might look like?

Our Western cultural identity fosters a competitive divisiveness in the way we relate to each other. Is this the legacy we want to pass down to future generations?

How can we regain our equilibrium when it has become overwhelmed or hypervigiliant in response to our disruptive and uncertain times?