The path…is a generative symbol for a life. Paths symbolise transmission as well as quest. A path is a tradition, a way through the world that has been carved and cultivated by those who have gone before, sustained by repetition. We bequeath it to future generations as we walk along it. Following a path means following other people (or maybe beings of other kinds), whether we actually see them on the path ahead or whether this path exists at all only because they once made, sustained and renewed it. If we look over our shoulder, we may realise that we too are being followed. Following – a complex act that encompasses desire, imitation, discipleship, faith, devotion – gives human lives their unique shapes, while linking them together.

Transcendence for Beginners, Clare Carlisle, Fitzcarraldo Editions, London, 2025