Philosophy Blog

Last night was our fortnightly Bachelardian soirée. It was a truly lovely evening, made even better by two new participants who, it seems, enjoyed the evening as much as we did!

This session centered around fire—and the elemental poetry it ignites. Drawing inspiration from French Philosopher Bachelard's Psychoanalysis of Fire, Fragments of a Poetics of Fire, and The Light of a Candle, we each wrote several pieces. Two of these we kept to ourselves, while one was offered up to our circle of living, breathing poets.

I always leave sharing as optional, but so far, everyone has shared their creations—and it's my favorite part of the evening. Hearing what others have created, right then and there, brings a unique magic to the room. There’s an intimacy and spontaneity that reminds me of improv theatre, which I often find more vibrant and engaging than scripted plays (especially those with a bit of grace—my favorite being the Court Jesters, from our Court Theatre!). Poetry shared in this way carries a similar thrill. When I’m at home reading poetry, I sometimes connect deeply with a particular piece, and when that happens, it’s an experience like Emily Dickinson described—shivers, goosebumps, and that feeling of being both burned and frozen at once. And in these workshops, those moments happen far more often, perhaps because the room itself feels alive with creativity.

These sessions take hours to prepare—I read, create prompts, and design a supportive structure. And it is absolutely worth it!

My gratitude to Susannah for her inspiring voice and soulful support, and to everyone drawn to philosophy, poetics, and creativity. I feel truly blessed to spend time with such inspiring people.

My approach blends the analytical rigour of "Logic, philosophy of science and of knowledge" (name of my Paris Sorbonne master degree) with empathy, genuine care, and insight. Whether through short, intensive sessions or longer, periodic engagements, every partnership is uniquely tailored to support my clients in navigating complex challenges and aligning with their values.

The following is a testimonial from a Parisian school principal with whom I had the privilege of working. We met every six weeks (outside of the Christmas holidays and the summer break) over Zoom for exactly two years—about 15 sessions in total, starting on October 27, 2022. It’s rare that my support extends for as long as two years. However, each person's path is different, and some benefit from a more gradual rhythm, allowing time to integrate new perspectives and insights into their professional lives. Today, as we celebrate the end of our work together, I’m thrilled to share her reflections.

This testimonial was originally written in French and translated into English by ChatGPT.

"I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Lucie for her professional coaching support, which was both guiding and illuminating—full of integrity, wisdom, and practical insights that have truly benefited me in every way.

Lucie’s coaching approach is deeply pragmatic and rigorously grounded in the philosophy of science. Her method combines a search for concrete solutions with profound reflections, drawn from a wealth of general knowledge and extensive experience in human resources within the education sector. Over time, this blend of thoughtful analysis and practical solutions has provided invaluable support. The coaching we engaged in primarily focused on my professional positioning, addressing relational, operational, intellectual, and ethical dimensions. This shared journey of understanding and fine-tuning was both joyful and effective.

Lucie is a coach, philosopher, and facilitator with a remarkable scope of expertise. Her deep humanistic commitment, brimming with empathy and respect, positively bolstered my role as both an educator and a manager.

She enabled me to overcome numerous obstacles and resolve various challenges, restoring my enthusiasm in my dual roles as a specialist teacher and school principal. This coaching experience was truly ‘beautiful, good, and true’—in line with Plato’s cherished triad. Thank you, Lucie."

Working with dedicated leaders like this school principal reminds me of the profound impact thoughtful, philosophical coaching can have on the education sector and beyond. Each journey is unique, and it's always deeply humbling for me to support leaders in strengthening their roles and revitalising their passion for their work.

PS: My calendar is full until the end of 2024, but please get in touch to secure your spot for 2025!

Wonderful philosophy workshop today, around the story of The miller, his son and the donkey with Year-3 girls from a Merivale junior school.

We visualised the story as it was being read, and then shared what we had seen and understood. After answering a few questions we got to draw our favourite part of the story.

Some picked the “lesson” part, others the hilarious bit when the miller ended up carrying the donkey on his shoulders!

It’s been lovely reflecting on this fable and we are already looking forward to the next session!

PS: My calendar is full until the end of 2024 and part of 2025, but please get in touch to secure a spot for your school on terms 1 and/or 4 of 2025!

Last night was our first evening dedicated to French philosopher Gaston Bachelard. It has been wonderful to share a little of his deep love for poetry, and more specifically his work on the poetics of fire, water, earth and air. It was only the beginning of a five nights cycle, that I am so excited and grateful to have opened!

Special thanks to Susannah who enchanted us with her soulful voice and to Sally, from the Hagley Writers’ Institute. Thank you so much for your presence.

If you think you’d love to gift yourself this experience (of deep reflexion, connexion to yourself and others, creation of something beautiful), but can’t find the time, or the energy, please, just come. You will be well taken care of, on an evening that participants have kindly called “safe”, “surprising”, “playful”, “fresh”, “new”, “delightful”…

Let me share what Sally posted on Cherish’s Facebook page:

This evening, I went to the first session of the poetry offering at Cherish Hearts. Minds. Body & Soul exploring the magic of Gaston Bachelard, his beautiful blend of philosophy and poetic wisdom, with a particular focus on his wisdoms around the elements. It was absolutely magical.

Held beautifully (on every level) by the incredible Lucie who drew on her own magic to hold space for us and guide us to create our own, hmmmmm, proclamation I guess you could say.

Using prompts of aspects of nature (of our own choosing) and words from the amazing Hildegard von Bingen, we each created a poetic description of our Selves....

Such a beautiful, beautiful container of sacred stillness and creativity.

Soooo looking forward to the next session already..

I had just met Sally on the evening and I am really grateful to her that she expressed such enthusiasm, as first occurrences of new projects are always a bit daunting (for me anyway!). And there is nothing I love more in life than providing a time and a space in which people feel happy and inspired!

If you would like to join us for one or more sessions, please message me, so we can prepare a lovely space for you.

Today, I had the privilege of spending the day at a college in Ōtautahi, listening to thirteen teenagers who are just beginning their journey in a new educational environment. Each of these one-to-one conversation was a reflection on their well-being and aspirations.

Together, we explored how these young people could be best supported in their learning and growth, using the Māori health model, Te Whare Tapa Whā*, as a guiding framework.

As they shared their stories, many spoke of Taha Tinana, their physical health, expressing concerns about energy levels, physical activities, and mostly their sleep patterns, which play a crucial role in how they engage with their studies. Some voiced the challenges they faced with their mental health, aligning with Taha Hinengaro, and the pressures of navigating a new social environment, especially as they balance schoolwork and personal expectations.

Taha Whānau mostly emerged in the way they talked about family connections and friendships, emphasizing how critical their relationships are in providing emotional support and security. Interestingly, Taha Wairua—the spiritual dimension—surfaced in unexpected ways. For some, it was tied to personal values, a sense of purpose, or cultural identity. Others spoke about feeling spiritually connected to their family, expressing how deeply this influenced their sense of belonging and support.

By integrating these Māori principles, I aim to honour the rich indigenous culture of Aotearoa and provide a framework that is truly relevant to the lives of the young people I work with.

The purpose of this work is always to empower them to shape their “own beautiful lives”, a concept that resonates deeply with the ideas shared by Dr. Christoph Teschers, a wonderful academic from UC with whom I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate. His work, along with my own practice, continues to inspire me to guide young people toward lives that are not just successful, but truly beautiful in their own right.

* This well-known holistic model considers four dimensions of well-being—Taha Tinana (physical), Taha Hinengaro (mental and emotional), Taha Whānau (social), and Taha Wairua (spiritual). It emphasizes that true well-being comes from a balance across all these areas, much like a house (whare) that stands strong only when all four walls are supported.