Peri Chickering
Peri Chickering is a coach, consultant, herbalist, and leadership educator. Working for years in field of wilderness-based leadership, she went on to run her own leadership school in Colorado and then start new schools in South Africa and Bulgaria. Taking her leadership experience from the outdoors inside, Peri has worked with clients in private, governmental, and nonprofit sectors, including Disney Theatrical, USDA Forest Service, World Bank, Stanford Woods Institute, University of Chicago, and Renaissance Reinsurance. She holds a master’s degree in human development and a Ph.D. in human and organizational systems. Now situated in the small town of Hancock, New Hampshire, she, her husband, their cat, and two horses steward 55 acres of beautiful woodlands passed down from her grandmother.
Twitter: @SilentTogether
Medium: @PeriChickering
Favorite non-reading activity?
There are two which are neck-and-neck in terms of being favorites. First would be hanging out with my horses – be it sitting on a rock as they graze, combing out their manes and tails or going for a stroll on our trails. The other would be a long, quiet walk in woods where there are few people and lots of unmarked paths to explore.
Is there a work of art that you love. Why? Have you ever visited it in person?
The Statue of David in Florence. I had heard that is was worth waiting in line to go see. Although I am generally not a big art person, when I walked around the corner in the Galleria dell’Accademia and my eyes landed on it, I spontaneously burst in tears. It seemed literally alive with life! Talk about an artist in communion with a piece of stone. Unbelievable.
Is there another profession you would like to try?
If I was 10-20 years younger, I would love to become an Equine Dentist. Helping horses stay healthy by keeping their teeth and mouths in good shape is a dying art. Traveling around to farms and homes, keeping the horses calm while the work is being done, and providing a very valuable and often hard to “find a good one” service.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
I love the question and I would have no idea there was a difference until I actually finished a book! Being a writer involves a suite of skills which include: landing an inspired idea, having the discipline and commitment to get the essences of the idea down in words and hanging in there with all the rewriting and editing. Once the book is in print, the author part seems to involve describing and engaging various audiences in the themes and ideas of the book and seeking out the best avenues for getting it into the hands of those who may find it of value. Having only written one book, I had no idea how often or how challenging it would be to shift gears from one frame of reference to another!
What brings you great joy?
My morning pot of tea. For decades – over 4 now – I have had a morning ritual of making a pot of tea and sitting down to drink it. When I have my pot of tea I do not do anything other than sit and slowly drink it. At home I have some oriental tea cups into which I put a small amount of tea at a time. It is a ritual I can do anywhere in the world and brings me totally into the present moment.
