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As we step into this new year, it’s easy to toss around the phrase “Happy New Year.” But this year, I want to give something deeper and more meaningful—a heartfelt message that serves as a gift from me to you.
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the weight of the world? The pain of the world tells us a story, that has us grappling with anxiety and despair. Deep down, we sense that our world is becoming more troubled and uncertain, amplifying a sense of darkness. Facing the uncertainty, and the psychological reality of our time, is challenging, and these feelings can be uncomfortable to accept. As a result, they often linger, unspoken in the back of our minds.
This is where Bibliotherapy Australia comes in, to guide those whose inner light has dimmed. Reconnecting with ourselves and strengthening our inner light is essential for resilience. Those who struggle to establish this connection, are among the vulnerable.
The transformative power of bibliotherapy has enriched my life in countless ways. While I cannot fully repay this gift, sharing it with you is my way of giving back.
My all-time favourite story is “The Magic Faraway Tree,” written by Enid Blyton in 1943. I have always adored reading about the adventures within it, since I was a little girl, and those memories continue to live in my imagination—it’s truly the most magical place of all.
Our world has somewhat become like Topsy-Turvy Land, one of the incredible realms at the top of the Magic Faraway Tree.
For those who may not have read this beloved children’s book, let me provide some context. The Faraway Tree is a massive tree, located in the middle of an enchanted forest. It has a slippery slide that runs down the centre. Many magical characters inhabit the tree, including a little fairy named Silky, Moonface, who has a round face resembling the moon, and the Saucepan Man, who is covered in saucepans, kettles, and other metallic clanging objects.
A boy, his two sisters, and their cousin, discover the wonderful folk and their friends who live in the Faraway Tree. At the top of the tree, a ladder takes them into the clouds, where they embark on many adventures in the lands that appear among the clouds. They never know which Land will come to the top of the Faraway Tree next.
In the Land of Toys, they find teddy bears, dolls of all kinds, stuffed animals, and clockwork toys that move, talk and laugh.
The Land of Goodies features tiny houses and shops made entirely of food. There are chocolate chimneys, gingerbread windows, and trees that grow biscuits and jelly flowers. What would you want to eat in the Land of Goodies?
Some lands are delightful, like the Land of Do-As-You-Please. Just imagine all the things you could do—fly a plane, eat six ice creams in a row, or ride on an elephant! This Land is filled with shouts of joy.
Then there’s the Land of Spells, where you can buy a spell to grow blue daffodils or make cats sing. What kind of spell would you want?
The Land of Presents is a beautiful place. What gift would you ask for? A necklace of diamonds? An enormous box of chocolates? But remember, this is the Land of Presents. A present is something you give to someone else. In this land, you can only receive items to gift to others.
I recall one adventure that was somewhat troubling for me: the Land of Topsy-Turvy. In this land, everything had to be upside down. How uncomfortable it must have been! Every house was upside down, perched on its roof. The trees were also upside down, with their roots in the air and their heads buried in the ground. And the people walked upside down as well, balancing on their hands and their legs in the air while carrying baskets on their feet.
In the Land of Topsy-Turvey, the people climbed a ladder on their hands to enter their homes through the windows. Inside, everything was upside down. The people sat in upside-down chairs, experiencing life from an unfamiliar perspective. The Land of Topsy-Turvey reminds me that life can be uncomfortable when it differs from what we expect. It’s a time when it’s normal to feel confused or to have emotions we don’t fully understand.
In times of uncertainty, we are given a unique opportunity to cultivate a deeper connection with ourselves. As Echart Tolle wisely points out, true peace isn’t found by simply rearranging the external circumstances of our lives. Instead, it lies in the profound realization of who you are, at the deepest level.
When the world feels chaotic and upside down, imagine embracing this opportunity to reconnect with the harmony you seek that is already within you. By nurturing this inner stability, we can face life’s challenges with a new sort of profound resilience.
In 2025, I am embarking on an exciting journey to discover new paths. This journey is rooted in transformative conversations that reshape our understanding of resilience—one that doesn’t ask us to try harder or doesn’t hinge on blind optimism. This is a kind of resilience that can sustain us through anxiety and uncertainty, serving as a guiding light that truly makes a difference in our lives.
Bibliotherapy Australia offers transformative programs and training, that help you identify what resonates deeply within you. This enables you to actively support the wellbeing and flourishing of humanity and our planet. It’s a practice that reconnects you to what is meaningful and authentic, reigniting your sense of belonging in the world.
I encourage you to ponder two questions:
When the whimsical land of Topsy-Turvy leaves the realm of the Faraway Tree, what new land would you dream of finding at its peak? What experiences would you want to unfold in that magical place?
Consider how the glow of your own spark feels, and the impact it has on your journey.