It's been a while since we caught up. If you have a moment, grab a cup of tea, pull up a chair, and I'll share a little about what’s been happening this year.
As we enter the second half of this year, I find myself reflecting on the quiet power of thresholds. The butterfly has become my guide—a symbol of hope, resilience, and the courage it takes to move from what was to what is possible. These liminal spaces, often overlooked, represent crucial moments where transformation truly begins.
It is within these moments, poised between the known and the emerging, that we discover the courage to move forward. Courage is something I have needed to actively nurture during what has been a tumultuous time.
This year has been so, so crazy. The current political climate, the far-reaching impact of the conflict in the Middle East, and the ongoing war in Ukraine all contribute to unsettling and uncertain times. Since the pandemic, we have all been navigating seasons of uncertainty, upheaval, and profound change.
Speaking of unsettling times, my blog posts have been a little sparse of late. Life has been challenging, with some unexpected storms that I have been trying to navigate—often feeling like I'm doing so in the dark.
Navigating the Storms
Navigating these storms has been one of the most extraordinary and challenging experiences–way more so than I could have anticipated! If you've been following me on Instagram or even X, you may have heard something about the nature of the book and what happened. The book is an exploration of the intersection of AI and humanity. Our lives are increasingly intertwined with technology, yet the human need for connection and a sense of meaning remains constant. My Threads of Connection Project: AI, Humanity, and the Search for Meaning examines this intersection, exploring how we can thrive in a world transformed by AI. Society is undergoing unprecedented shifts as a direct consequence of the ever-increasing influence of artificial intelligence. We are already seeing some of these shifts: job losses, changes to the way we work, and the infiltration of technology into many aspects of our lives. For many of us, this is a daunting prospect. For others, it is exciting. For some of us, it's a blend of exciting and daunting. The emergence of AI in our lives reminds me a lot of the impact of the internet in its early days.
AI, Humanity & Threads of Connection
The arrival of the internet fundamentally reshaped nearly every aspect of our lives, much like AI is poised to do. Initially a niche tool for academics and researchers, it rapidly evolved into a pervasive global network, transforming communication, commerce, education, and entertainment. From email replacing traditional mail to the rise of e-commerce and instant access to information, the internet broke down geographical barriers and created an interconnected world, permanently altering how we interact, work, and learn. This impact on society is much like what the impact of AI will be. Only, in many respects, it may prove more far-reaching. These are some of the discussions that my Threads of Connection project canvasses.
And yet.....
In doing so, I inadvertently stumbled upon a darker side of technology and the emergence of machine intelligence- the very topic of my project and what writing this book has uncovered.
Technology can be amazing! Where would we be without GPS to help us find our way, and without our smartphones to link us not just to friends and family but to the world through the powerful computer that is both big enough to process data and small enough to fit in our hands? Smartphones. Smart houses. Smartwatches. TV's. Health devices. You name it. If you can think of it? There's most likely an app for that.
The Dark Side of Tech & Unseen Courage
But there is a dark side to the wonder of innovative technology.
This year, I have experienced IP breach and data theft. It has been a devastating experience and one I did not think could happen in this way. My experience has brought home how vulnerable we can be in the midst of such rapid technological and societal change.
Ultimately, the "darker side" of technology isn't just about hackers and breaches. It's also about the fundamental integrity of our data and the ethical development of powerful AI systems, which are increasingly shaping our world. The increasing reliance on AI brings a subtle yet significant privacy risk: the very data used to train these intelligent systems. This danger stems from two main issues: unsecured training data, which, if not rigorously protected, leaves a trail of sensitive information vulnerable to exposure, and cunning "model inversion attacks," where attackers attempt to reverse-engineer AI models to reconstruct the original training data. The consequences of such breaches are severe, impacting personal privacy, exposing company secrets, eroding trust, and resulting in substantial legal penalties. To combat these threats, a proactive, multi-pronged approach is essential, emphasising fortress-level data security, anonymisation, "privacy by design" in AI development, decentralised training, smart model outputs, constant vigilance, and robust ethical guidelines. Ultimately, addressing the "darker side" of technology means safeguarding data integrity and ensuring the ethical evolution of AI.
Meanwhile, as the breach was happening and I discovered the extent of the violation, a family member became critically ill and then passed away after a short illness. It has been utterly devastating. And this story does not end here. Another breach happened again, more recently. It feels targeted. This time, the circumstances were different. But the emotional outcome has been similar.
Loss, Resilience & Hope
There are days when the devastation of the loss and of creative violation feels too heavy to bear—when I find myself asking, again and again, “How did this happen? Why me? Why this project? Why now?” I am small in the scheme of things, not a corporation or a public figure, just a human with a story, a vision, and a body of work that matters deeply to me. Maybe it was envy, maybe a grudge, maybe I stumbled onto something bigger than I'll ever know. The truth is, I may never find out. But what I do know is this: being seen without consent, having my boundaries breached, is a wound that aches long after the fact. And yet—here I am, still writing, still naming the heartbreak and the vigilance, still holding the thread. Because if I stop, the story stops. And I refuse to let the people or systems that profit from silence have the last word.
Whispers of Wisdom: What I've Learned
In fact, it is this unwavering belief in emergence—even after devastation—that has drawn me ever more deeply to the humble butterfly. Its journey of transformation from constraint to freedom has become my constant guide as I navigate these new thresholds. And did I mention butterflies figure prominently in my forthcoming book?
Dragonflies, Butterflies and Thresholds of Change
Interestingly, both butterflies and dragonflies have been quiet messengers of hope, courage and intuition for the longest time now.
For years, dragonflies have appeared in my life at moments of deep change—reminding me to seek clarity, embrace transformation, and trust the unseen. In “A Year of Medical Thinking,” they became symbols of resilience and new beginnings.
Across cultures, the dragonfly is a symbol of transformation, adaptability, and the courage to embrace change. Like the butterfly, the dragonfly's journey is one of metamorphosis: it spends most of its life below the surface, unseen, then emerges into the light, living fully in each fleeting moment.
Dragonflies remind us to look beneath the surface of things, to seek clarity and self-realisation, and to move through life with poise and resilience.
Their iridescent wings symbolise the end of self-created illusions and the discovery of our true selves. In Japan, dragonflies are emblems of joy, rebirth, and even protection. At the same time, in other traditions, they are seen as messengers of hope, well-being, and creative power.
For me, the dragonfly is a gentle teacher: it invites me to welcome change, to live in the present, and to trust that, even after long periods of waiting or uncertainty, it's possible to rise, transform, and shine in the sunlight—one mindful wingbeat at a time.
The Butterfly Effect
Butterflies have also followed me, serving as both messengers and emissaries. In fact, they have been and continue to be a guiding light in my journey, helping me navigate difficult situations and circumstances with their whispers of wisdom.
They are symbols of transformation, resilience, and hope. Their journey—from cocoon to winged beauty—reminds us that growth often requires patience, surrender, and the courage to embrace change.
At the threshold between worlds, butterflies whisper of possibility, showing us that even after rupture or stillness, new beginnings can take flight.
They are emissaries of metamorphosis, bridging the fragile and the resilient, the old and the new, with grace and quiet strength. Together, butterflies and dragonflies can be powerful allies in our journey.
Each carries its own wisdom: dragonflies for clarity, adaptability, and seeing through illusion; butterflies for hope, transformation, and the courage to emerge.
Together, they remind me (and maybe you, too) that transformation is rarely a straight line, and that every winged messenger has something to teach us about hope, courage, and becoming.
From Chrysalis to Emergence: The Language of Soul
Sometimes, the most important thing we can do is simply acknowledge where we are—cocooned, waiting, hopeful. Throughout this challenging year – one that started with such hope and joy but which has also thrown me into the depths of despair – I am reminded that it is okay to cocoon, that taking time for ourselves is not just sensible self-care, but also sometimes necessary for our survival.
Grief, trauma, and the cumulative effect of allostatic overload are detrimental not just to our health and well-being, but to our souls. Cocooning is Sacred Soul Work: it is taking time for ourselves, gathering strength, and dissolving to the ways that no longer serve us, creating the possibility of emergence. The butterfly of your soul emerges from the cocoon, shimmering and ready to greet the day with iridescent butterfly wings of hope and promise.
This year has been the Butterfly Effect in motion: one small thing leads to another and another. As this year's story unfolds, I find myself no longer writing the book I once imagined, but instead living and telling the story that demanded to be born. From the fire of creative reckoning, new horizons have opened—each one a threshold, each one an invitation.
Threads of Connection continues as the philosophical heart of this journey, asking the deep questions and holding space for meaning and belonging. Blue Butterfly Whispers and the accompanying Butterfly Metamorphosis Guide have emerged as its companion: gentle, practical guide for navigating change, offering support and hope as we cross into what's next.
If you feel called to explore these worlds, you’ll find both the Threads Of Connection project, Blue Butterfly Whispers and the Butterfly Metamorphosis Guide waiting for you—each a companion for your own journey, one gentle wingbeat at a time. If you're looking for a quick overview of both projects, you can visit Threads and Wings: A Journey of Connection and Transformation here.
Wherever in your journey you find yourself- cocooning, healing, or preparing to fly, know that you are not alone at this threshold.
Learn More Find out more about my forthcoming book and Threads of Connection Project here. Click here for to get updates on Threads of Connection. Here is where you can find out about my Butterflies Project- or here, for a quick overview. Back to top |
