Liminal Writing with Ces and Lee

In this episode, Lee and Ces finds inspiration from one of the lines from Marcus Aurelius' 'Meditations.' It's the line about not needing to be ashamed about asking for help from a comrade. They talk about the help we need from others, especially in turbulent times marked by political upheaval and social challenges. The conversation touches on the impacts of the new American administration, their...

Episode 4: Liminal Writing - Exploring the Impact of Pain on Expression In this episode of Liminal Writing, the hosts Ces Millado and Lee Moran delve into the emotional depths inspired by a line from an article written by Parul Sehgal in the Sept 2024 edition of The New Yorker: 'Pain, it has been said, is the great censor, the eater of words.' This is Parul's opening line in her review of Garth Gr...

Today’s episode is a layered conversation that starts with a story about discovering faith, finding purpose and inclusive communities, and ends with rediscovering a relationship with God by finding one's truth. Ces recalls her childhood connection with faith and its transformation, while Lee talks about losing his sense of faith from the Catholic Church, and finding it with an inclusive, welcoming...

Episode 2: In this episode of Liminal Writing, hosts Ces and Lee explore the experience of how stress can at times sharpen the attention better than good times. They picked a trigger line - 'Stress focuses your attention in ways that good times can't” - from the book “Same as Ever” by Morgan Housel, They discuss personal experiences with stress, its impact on productivity, and the challenge of mai...

Episode 1: Self-Care as a Political Act: Conversations on Resilience and Activism Liminal Writing Season 4 begins with a session inspired by a quote from American activist and poet, Audre Lorde: 'Caring for myself is not self indulgence. It is self preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.' This prompt leads to a discussion on the challenges of self-care, the impact of recent politica...

Episode 13: Inspired by a line from “Pocha: Simple Korean Food from the Streets of Seoul" In this episode, Ces and Lee explore the deep connections and vivid memories sparked by a line from "Pocha", a cookbook by Su Scott. They reflect on the poignant line, 'People's stories are layered thickly on the sticky tabletops,' sharing personal stories of beloved restaurants in London and in Manila during...

Episode 12: Inspired by a line from Daphne du Maurier’s “Castle Dor”. In this episode of Liminal Writing, Ces and Lee get their creative spark from a line from Daphne Du Maurier's historical novel, 'Castle Dor'. Ces shares a deeply personal story from her childhood, reflecting on her past trauma and the healing process, while Lee offers a poetic meditation on the calming presence of the sea. After...

This episode’s inspiration comes from a line from an article in the National Geographic Sept 2024 issue. It describes a lace capped caterpillar. Ces and Lee explore the dissimilitude of seeing caterpillars initially as a nuisance and the pleasure of witnessing their transformation into beautiful creatures of flight. The episode touches on themes of play, camouflage, garden adventures, and the joys...

Episode 10: Inspired by a quote from Carl Jung , "The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you really are.” The Privilege of Becoming: Exploring Authenticity through Liminal Writing In this episode of Liminal Writing, Ces and Lee find inspiration from a line by Carl Jung, 'The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you really are.' They explore themes of self-discovery, authenticity, and per...

In this 9th episode of Liminal Writing, Ces and Lee revisit a piece written in 2021 when all the world was rife with uncertainty and unanswered questions. Both their reflections land on drawing peace and finding safety in nature during the COVID19 pandemic. Their conversation underscores the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature and the sanctuary of writing practices that began i...

In this episode, Ces and Lee return after a brief hiatus to explore profound ideas inspired by a quote from Huainanzi, picked up from Robert Greene's 'The 33 Strategies of War”. They discuss the significance of remaining formless and flexible in the face of opposition, likening this strategy to the benefits of fluidity and adaptability in both personal and collective efforts. The conversation delv...

In this episode, Ces and Lee are inspired by this quote 'Your daily life is your temple and your religion…' by Lebanese-American, poet, writer and visual artist, Khalil Gibran. They explore the challenges of meeting self-imposed expectations and the importance of recognizing and celebrating the blessings in daily life. Through personal reflections and anecdotes, they emphasize the value of bringin...

In this episode of the Liminal Writing Podcast, Ces and Lee are sparked by a quote from Rumi, found in a book entitled, 'The Rumi Prescription' by Melody Moezzi. They discuss their personal experiences and insights on the idea that true gold lies within oneself. The episode delves into themes of self-worth, inner beauty, and the power of self-acknowledgement, drawing on past hardships, imposter sy...

In this episode of Liminal Writing, Ces and Lee explore a thought-provoking quote from Robert Greene's book entitled 'The 33 Strategies of War' - "You are judged in this world by how well you bring things to an end.' Through personal anecdotes and reflections, they discuss the complexities of concluding projects, relationships, and life chapters. They openly share their struggle with having ADHD,...

In this episode, Ces and Lee revisit the pieces they wrote in 2021,, exploring themes of exclusion and the power of creating one's own conversations. The writing exercise was triggered by the question, 'What are the conversations that we are excluded from?' They discuss their experiences with exclusion, both personally and professionally, and how they have facilitated meaningful dialogues in their...

In this episode of Liminal Writing, Ces and Lee explore the profound quote by Virginia Woolf: 'The beauty of the world has two edges. One of laughter. One of anguish, cutting the heart asunder.' They bravely share their freshly-written pieces reflecting on the interplay of joy and pain in life's experiences. Their conversation delves into the idea of laughter as a form of rebellion, especially in...

Using the trigger line 'What made me laugh?', Ces and Lee share personal anecdotes, including a scene in a church and a reflection on the humor from a column in the Sunday Times. The conversation explores themes of memory, the joy of reading, and the influence of early experiences on writing. Listeners are encouraged to try the exercise themselves to discover what makes them laugh. 00:39 Lee looks...

In this first episode of the third season of Liminal Writing, hosts Lee and Ces reflect on the experience of aging as a blessing. They draw inspiration from an article written by the artist, performer and activist, Common (Men's Health Magazine, July -August 2024), discussing personal experiences with physical changes and the importance of maintaining a balanced lifestyle. The hosts share their th...

In this episode, Lee and Ces return (after an unplanned break) to read and reflect on a piece that they wrote in 2021 - 'what I hear when I listen to my inner voice.' They get to reflect on grief, specifically the loss of a beloved pet, and the dual nature of the inner voice—both critical and celebratory. They explore how balancing these voices is crucial, especially as they grow older. The discus...

Ces and Lee draws inspiration from a line in Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book, "Women Who Run With The Wolves". The book is a seminal work on the vitality, resilience, grandeur and wisdom of women. Ces writes about her circle of friends who have known each other from their teens, and have seen each other through the valleys and peaks of life. And this trigger line spurs Lee to write about the bloo...

Episode 11 is where Ces and Lee write and talk about a place in the northern part of the Philippines called Sagada. A town nestled in the middle of rice terraces, limestone cliffs, pine trees where tribal traditions of the Mountain Province live strong amongst its people. Ces and Lee visited Sagada at different times so listeners get to hear their unique experience of this wondrous place. Notes: T...

In this episode, Ces and Lee reflect on what sense-making is about and its impact on their lives. They discuss the struggle of making sense of past experiences, the importance of finding meaning and purpose, and the challenges of overthinking (sometimes). They also explore the themes of control, vulnerability, routine, creativity, and the foundational aspects of life like breathing and discipline....

In this episode, Ces and Lee write about their hands - what their hands have done...have gone through...and the memories that come up when looking at them, and feeling the strength and fragility of their hands.

In this episode Ces and Lee travel back to Sunday afternoons and memories of made up characters that brought solace and laughter. As kids we found kinship and comfort with certain TV and film characters - Dumbo, Kermit, Fozzie Bear and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew - as they exhibited some of the best qualities of being human - loving, being kind and trustworthy.

In this episode, Ces and Lee travel back to Sunday afternoons, to childhood care-free memories, and write about beloved characters that provided solace and laughter. Made up characters that showed and asked for love, affection, and the enduring comfort of friends.