Thriving or striving

Often I use the word 'learning'. But what actually I mean with it? Maybe you'll think I want to become more clever or something; having more and more knowledge about particular topics.

No.., for me it has nothing to do with that 'more'.

The opposite! No becoming, gaining, striving (for example to become smarter).

But learning to see patterns. Getting insight in (my daily) life. Why? To see what is truth en what's not. To see conflict in (my daily) life. Learning to understand that, so I can live without conflict, so there will be more energy; a good energy, for a thriving world.

Thriving instead of striving! Thriving within the meaning of blooming; 'Lemlem'.
My lifelong 'lesson'. Un-graduable.
'Thrive', what you learn (if you really want to) at the school called life, 'strive' what you learn at most other schools and educational institutes.

Learning.

I just followed a part of a great workshop organized and facilitated by three alumni of Knowmads. About doing business differently.
By diving into our 'passions' I realized that I'm actually on my way. On the way I like. Not on someone others, no; really mine. I'm not realized that before so clear like today.
By talking with others who really listen to your story, I felt really glad about it.
I'm not a 'professional'. Not an artist. For me it's often difficult to explain what I am doing.
Then years of my life I spent on being-there- as-much-as-possible for my children.
And I found out that actually that is what I feel I want to do. Being-there.
Now they are more grown up I don't have to be there so physical (surrounded) anymore, but still I want to be there in another way as much as possible. How? To be as much as possible me.
And that means... learning as much as possible, things what are important for me. Going my own way, living my own life.
And no big dream? No fixed point to go to? No direction?
No. Being there as much I can... for them, me (= the world) feels for me more than enough. Is there actually more?
The rest is a side-issue.
The rest, what great (and where) it will bring I will see.
Business and all other things will come out from that. Not the other way around.
This learning is never ending. And is my basic in life, the thing what fires me.
No fixed dreams (aren't they hopes? thoughts? imaginations?) anymore.
Be - what means ever learning, moment to moment- and act. From out that. I keep it simple.
What is for me the greatest thing in life...

What gives me hope?

"What gave you a hopefull feeling today?" was a question this friday afternoon at our 'checkout'  at Knowmads.

A lot of beautifull, funny and touching answers. 

When I gave my answer I was too shy to truly speak out (still have my awful uncertainity by speaking for groups) and I said something similar: "just to be here, that makes me hopefull. Because I know this place is totally open and all magic can happen. The Greenhouse just started, but now already great things happen."

But it was far not complete what I wanted to say. Because the word 'hope' is a real serious fact for me and I could speak about it for hours.

But then, wow, Laura, who was standing next to me spoke. And, brrr, it totally resonated with my thoughts.

I was glad she (at least) dared!

"Hope??! What 'hope'? Why? I don't have hope. I don't wanna reach out for something. Something in the future. Something better. I don't hope, I don't trust..." And more, but I don't remember her exact words. But it was almost the same I wrote in this blogpost.

We both feel the same: Love, trust, freedom, it's all the same. 

And it's all about 'being'. 

In our eyes you don't love somebody. You don't trust something. You don't believe in something.You don't have to hope for something. You cannot reach for freedom. It is all the startingpoint.

Because you are this.

When you feel love -what means love for the whole-, you automatically trust (the process, that's what going on, where you are 'in' )

It's never about future. And the word 'hope' supposes that.

It's about feeling the moment, truly being in the moment, and share, move, live fromout ' that' .

No hope needed! No trust, no believe.

Attention. Real attention. That's what matters!

In my eyes only this is what is uplifting and brighten everything! 

It's all about yourself.

And, of course, the relationship you have with your surrounding.

Fromout what? Fromout what you relate? Fromout what you move?

This completely full (with life) 'moment'? One with the moment? Or fromout hope/ fear (for the future)? 

  

Unfortunately, wasn't there yesterday- at this 'festival of solutions'(operation education)
But Kim Ravers says it in her drawing: nice things in education are goïng on!

Hole - Whole

Like I wrote before, those days I really dived into the thing 'conflict'. What is it? What does it mean to me? How it occurs? What to do with it?

I work in an environment what really supports and uses methods like 'non-violent-communication' and 'deep democracy'. Like it. But still, I wanted to go deeper.What is really beneath conflict and violence (also violent communication)?

Especially when I read the quote of Krishnamurti: 'there is war, because you want peace.'  I was triggered to find more out about this.

What the *^%* did he mean? 

Why he said a thing like this? 

Huh? We all want peace, don't we? 

We all say it: 'We want worldpeace.' 

The words brought me a kind of upside-down and they were was on my mind a few weeks.

Now I like to share my thoughs..

I try to keep it short. Of course there were a lot, but I try to share a few of them...

What is peace actually?

It is a state of balance. Of perfect harmony.

Isn't it? I think so.

A state of love. Wherein we all love eachother and everything.

It's a state of silence, of rest. 

No thoughts which bother us. A state where we be what we truly are.

Wat is war?

Is it the opposite?

No, I don't think we can compare them.

Love has no opposite.

A lot of people maybe don't agree, and say: 'it is hate', but I do not think so.

Why there is war? 

In my eyes, it is because (some) people don't use their intelligence. Their real intelligence. They feel a hole, and want to fill it up. A need. So they become greedy. In what kind of form. The hole can be filled with everything... and some people love to do it with money, money and more money.
I think there is war on based. On greed. On a missing-factor. A non-completeness (and isn't tht strange? Because everything in the Universe is good as it is)

A war is a big conflict.
So, a conflict in general you can see as a need. Where the basic is greed.

It's based on the hole.

Not the 'whole'.

That makes peace: beïng fulfilled.

That makes peace 'loving what is'. 

Loving every circumstance..

And that's not, far not, easy.

Conflicts.

Part of the day. How many conflicts do we have?

And if you are looking to it some better, how they occur?

Because we don't agree with a 'what is', a fact.

We are so used to think in time...

In lines. 

Always in our thoughts, here to there...

This situation is not good, so I need to move there...

And we miss the moment..

And we miss the peace..

It's the same.. wanting to fill a hole.

Also a kind of greedy-ness. 

Of not-having-enough.

Of feeling mistreated by life.

How it is possible when life is a power of goodness?

For me it is very hard to deal with conflict personally.

One of my children often get me in this 'zone', for example. And it's hard.

My lesson is to accept that her brain is not really 'grown-up' yet.

But to stay calm when somebody deals with anger is not easy.

But we have to I think.

Conflict takes a lot energy. And what does it give?

War.

Small or big wars.

When we don't want the big ones.. how do we accept the small ones?

I think it's time to try to grow some up, all together.

We can do it in a moment.

There are several methods to use, but the far most important thing I think is just really see what a conflict in general is...

A 'Not-loving-what-is'.

Wanting.

Needing.

Urging.

Missing.

It look likes fighting against life. Against the good there is. Against 'fullness'. Even it is on a very, very small scale.

So I think I understand the words now. It's the wanting part. That is conflict. This never creates peace within. And, within, there is absolutely where it starts.
Not at the 1%. It starts with you. Me. We. Every single second.

There is a big difference in wanting change and beïng change. In wanting peace and beïng peace.
What does it mean: 'I want worldpeace', when you are not living it. Than it means it is just a phrase. Or a fantasy. Or an utopia. Sounds great and nobel, but....hmm... It's all from out the 'hole' and not the whole..

Soil

How beautiful the world can be. Everything in a natural balance. Freedom, green, clean, rich in all natural sources..
How beautiful pieces of the planet are..

How beautiful and rich soil is.
It's feeding everything.
But we abuse it. Completely. We do not see it.
Like love. Our soil.
We want more. We are not satisfied. Always hungry. Always in a wanting- more- modus.
Oh, when you compare it with the state of the world nowadays, it is the same..
When do we see our own soil?
We abuse it. Completely. And do not see it either.
It's also a note to myself. I think all of us are used to live without the deep respect. How often do we have this feeling, that we deeply seeing/feeling our soil? Fulness, real fulness, instead of that empty- and wanting-more-ness?
Just now and then?At very special moments?
Who has it 86400 seconds a day?

Own compass, own learning path, own trail

At Knowmads & Knowmads Greenhouse everyone is 'blazing their own trail'. It's a place where it's all about learning. About beïng open, honest; a place where you can make mistakes.
With other words: an organisation where you can be totally yourself.
The last sentence in this Manifesto for the creative Worker (John Hagel) totally suits;  it's a place to join forces and a have a hell of a time:

1. Live our lives, and not someone else’s. We are the arbiters of meaning in our own lives; no one else, no matter how wise, rich, or well intentioned, can decide how we should spend our lives. Our passions serve as our compass as we seek out that which is beautiful, enriching, and meaningful to build our lives and the future.

2. Blaze new trails. There is no established path to greatness; we will need to step off the well-trodden trail and blaze our own. We commit to diligently exploring and creating new ideas, perspectives, methods, relationships, etc. We challenge the status quo, and in turn, seek out things that challenge us.

3. Prioritize learning over efficiency. We are focused on trajectories that lead us toward excellence and progress. We know that to reach our highest potential, we must never compromise growth for short term efficiencies, and we support others on their own learning paths. Mistakes, while the enemy of efficiency, are the fuel for learning.

4. Share knowledge freely. As we find better ways to share and exchange knowledge, each new discovery we make individually has the potential to benefit everyone collectively. We see each person’s enormous potential to contribute to our global knowledge base, and we are committed to moving from a zero sum mentality to one of collaboration and increasing returns.

5. Recognize that institutions exist to serve people.  We don’t exist for institutions, they exist for us. We create and participate in them to cultivate and pursue our passions and to develop more rapidly than we can on our own. We expect those we charge with leading our institutions to do everything possible to foster the growth of those they serve.

6. Quit jobs that we hate. There are too many interesting things to do in this life to waste time on things that don’t matter. In a time when jobs are in short supply for many, those of us who have jobs may be tempted to hold on to them because we have become comfortable with a certain lifestyle. We pledge to give up the corner office, fancy car or anything else of little consequence that may be holding us back from pursuing our passions.

7. Escape the trap of wasting time by being busy. Being overscheduled, even with the best things, will cause us to miss the important things that can’t be planned, and will rob us of the most valuable opportunities of our lives. In a world with so many meaningful things to do, we strive to master the delicate art of deciding what’s not most important to us and letting them go.

8. Live life for the adventure. Life is as amazing as we make it. When considering different opportunities, we ask, “When I look back in five years, which of these options will make the better story,” because no one ever regrets taking the path that leads to the better story.

9. Stay on the edge. The people who change the world are out at the edge of their field, pushing back the boundaries of the unknown. Though exhausting and sometimes risky, that is where we belong. Over and over we have found that the edge is not a cliff, but a fertile field awaiting our exploration.

10. Continually reinvent ourselves. We know that passion is the key to personal growth; it compels us to take risks, overcome fears, and attempt things never done before. And as a result, passion transforms the passionate. Only as we continually reinvent ourselves can we start to discover and reach our full potential.

11. Never settle. Never. Ever. Not even once.

We all have the potential to become passionate creative workers.  Let us join forces and help each other along the way to become better, far better, than we ever could alone. And, let’s have a hell of a time along the way.

                                        

Ta- Da..

Ground

Grounded.
But no roots.
Is that possible?

Yes, me I think so.
Roots you can see as history.
But is 'history' really important?
I don't think so.

It keeps you way from the moment, like 'future' does.

I want my heart to be my ground.
Grounded in love..

Organize for complexity

Organize for Complexity, part I+II - Special Edition Paper from Niels Pflaeging

Narratives and Storytelling

What John Hagel is sharing here  is quite important I think.
A story has an end, a narrative is open.
When you want to sale something is it about 'listen to me'? 'Listen to my point of view'? -- story
Or is it that you want to invite people to something, you like people to join? -- narrative

A New Story of the People from Sustainable Man on Vimeo.

Blame or build?

If the most important thing in the world is 'coming more together', 'unity', why it is not the most elementary thing we learn in schools? Why it's not the main topic?
Is it because the 'them' don't want us to do it?
I do not think so.
It looks like real intelligence is not so important. For most people.
But what if it is for you?
Than you have the freedom to do it different. Build new schools, etc.
It's al about leadership. Taking your own lead, taking your very own responsibility very, very seriously.
About not blaming but always looking to yourself (what is it what you can do to change something what really get you down), not to rely on others. About care; to shine instead of being depressed about the world. With that nobody comes any further, and doesn't the world need you? Like children need the wisdom of their parents, I think we have to be (as fully as we can) there, to do what we can.
And there is freedom more than we think. Look around what happens already!
I'm so happy to see all this possibilitarians around!
Even it's on a small scale..

Power

I might be blind. I don't know.
Lot of people around me 'believe' in a kind of conspiracy theory.
Believe in the bad against the good.
Me, I do not.
Every cell in me resists when people say so.
I do not get this at a deep level. When people say so I visualize the second world war.
What if I stood in the shoes of Etty Hillesum or Elie Wiesel?
Having the deep feeling that 'bad ones' had all the power to make an end to my (and not only mine...) so, so loved life?
I often, since I was young, imagined this.
How painfull, and how totally unfair and unbelievable.., in the end I would feel that it's not 'the end'.
That Life is so more powerful. So much more than....
Elie and Etty came to that point of forgiveness.
To love.
For all.
It's all what can heal. All what coints.
Any attention to the 'bad ones' what is not love, is waste..
In my eyes..
'Do what you have to do, and walk in the light...'  That's the only 'theory' where I give attention to. Simple. All kind of conspiracy theories I do not give any of my energy.
The picture of the holocaust is for me enough. And how people like Elie and Elly went through it.
People like 'rats' and 'snakes'...  people very 'low'... , like the Nazi's; it's their process of life to have this kind of consciousness, and Life itself will learn them their lessons. I do not fight against this, to seperate good- bad.
I don't see 'them'. We are mankind all together. And there is something so much stronger dan our bodies, than this visible earth. Our true beïng. If the whole world would be 'gassed'; what would happen? I am not scared. At another 'level' Life would go on.
But now; I am truly thankful that I am alive. And have every second to learn and act. And I like to act in a changing way, I mean try making things better than it is- but not fromout fear. The fear* that the so-called 'bad' ones, the monsters in society (read: the monsters, the uncsciousness in ourselves), will overrule us. No.. all my cells are into beauty. Light.
I didn't read the most recent books from Elie Wiesel, like this one. But while writing this blogpost I get the 'desire' to do so. Like his books as 'day', night' and 'dawn', which I really, really enjoyed, this one will have the same conclusion, and where all my cells agree: only love counts.

*Moving fromout fear.
Right action doesn't come fromout this in my eyes.
But if you think, how noble it looks like eventhough, "they will get us, we have to save, because otherwise we and the world are gone- let's become a lightworker or something else, to fight on an energetic way", it is for me the same. I see it a lot around me. As a kind of spiritual 'growth' or something.
But for me it's the same: action fromout fear.
This is not my way of life. I don't have anything with it. I like to act with no agenda. I don't like to join in this 'oh-so-peaceful' fight.
So. Frustration is out again. Excuse me. And I think a lot of people will not understand me..but ok :-)

You

Two video's of a great place to be. To really learn; grow, change.. For yourself. For growing your business-idea.
Knowmads.
An international business school. Very unique. Students create their own learning route. And they show up how worthful it is to learn in freedom. To take their own responsibility in their learning and work. What is it what I like to bring out in the world? This is the mean thing. Not: this is what you need to learn to get your degree. No. In this school it start all with 'you'.

Knowmads, Curious why they're smiling? from Duy vu Dinh on Vimeo.

Conflict

A few days ago (thanks again to facebook, the place where we can share so much to so many- for me such a great tool) I read something what felt like... I don't know. It turned something upside down. Just seven words.
It's still in my mind (and more than only there I guess).
Probably in a few days I share my thoughts about it. I think some thoughts will like to make a blogpost here. But now the sentence is still learning and unlearning me things, it looks.
But the words were those:
'There is war because we want peace'.
Said once by Jiddu Krishnamurti.
It brings you back to the very point of 'conflict' itself.
Diving in it..mmmmm : )

Mafia

Corruption. The bad ones in society. The thing that affects a government on a large scale. But it's more than that. Or less....
Or, whatever the size, the scale, it is this in my eyes:

beïng not true to yourself.

When your doïng is not combined with your heart.
And that is something!
I found out that this feeling, the feeling of corruption in others, although it was on a small scale, made me rebellous since I was a kid.
It is also the thing I want to be aware of in my daily life. It's so easy to be corrupt! And so easy to only blame others. That (faraway) thing what happens on a larger scale, that 'government-thing'.
But don't you think we are it more often than we think, mafioso ourselves?
When we decide to buy things as cheap possible, as we decide to choose for pleasure instead of doing things that really matter...
Is there a big difference? Also our decisions make our society not the most healthy one...

If we are pointing again, let's listen to advice the of my only guru: here.

Fractals & Change

Thinking about an open lecture at Knowmads, one thing I especially remember.
It was really beautiful to hear Rodrigo Alonso speak about his work;  how this movement started and how it still continues. A big, a very big, 'wow'.
But what me got even more was his being. The way he shines. His sparks.
You really felt his love in his work. It was difficult for him to stop talking about it. Also I liked his 'ordinary'-ness. Doing great things (here is a video about things he is doing now in favela's) but speaking about it also with a kind of shy-ness. He didn't had an atitude: 'I know it, because I prove it'.
I love this.
A pity I had to go afterwards, because I really liked to talk with him. But good to hear a few students did so, and even applied for the programm. To also become a warrior without weapons.

The sparks of another guest at Knowmads this week also got me.
It was Marja de Vries who talked about universal laws (the whole elephant revealed, where I already wrote a small blogpost about some time ago)
For me it was also great to hear her speak, instead of just reading her book. Especially one thing she said, often came back to me the following days: "Where in nature two spirals cross, there is space for 'new'. For growth. The birthplace of new fractals."
You can see it for example in the sunflower.
You can see it as a point of (even it's very small) chaos. Of friction.
There is happening something!
It made me think about my own life.
I cannot live in a place where everything is perfect. I really need a kind of mess. A kind of unfinished surrounding, open in many ways.
And what about that important person in my life who triggers me very deeply and often makes me totally upset and so react doing things totally different than him? (What me again let me think about our parent-relationship. Don't we grow by a kind of friction? Don't we simply need that state?)

The week at Knowmads Greenhouse ended Friday with a meeting with our neighbours- entrepreneurs who rent space in the same building as we. Together with somebody who works for the municipality and an architect we talked about plans for the future of the complex. What a surprise we heard so many great things! The architect and the man of the municipality, both really enthausiastic about their plans, decided to make a big 'Art Hostel' for art students from abroad next to our place. A tea garden and -house, a place for children, urban farming, ateliers.. many things we really liked to hear! Also for example, the man of the municipality said: it's gonna be an example for how the future can be! Not only for the neighbourhood. We should show the whole city and tourists that we start this project even with the soil.
The thing what came upon my mind when joining this: again an example thet 'change' happens at 'chaospoints'. The 'Kolenkit', our neighbourhood, is namely the most disadvertaged area of Amsterdam.
I liked it, this meeting. More than that! It made me happier than I already was.
I think real change is happen at such places. Like real leadership for me is what Rodrigo is doing in he favela's.
It's all about us!
We against them? Like municipality against us? No. It's about humanity. Look how you can work together by being open.
It's all about that point. The 'clash'/ meetingpoint.The place of new fractals.
Coming back to Rodrigo again. He started his work with occuping an unoccipied museum. With a few collega- students he started working without money on their dream to create a whole new museum in that  almost rotten building. Then years without almost any money. People, even the government came with some help.
And now, also just by doing, they are asked for giving leaderships trainings.
It's about 'asked', not 'we are so good, look at us, we should give'. When you do your things, and stay open, then there is space for the magic to come-in, for real growth!
Openess. That's not what I feel when people talk about 'we-against-them'.'Look how they threat us.'
Just do! Do your things!
Intrapreneurship, entrepreuneurship... just make Art. That means: bring, share 'wholeness' in your life, what also means seeing people (also the 'them' ) as real people. Distancation in my eyes never works. 'We' are better, because 'we' know the way (really? Do we know all?)
We are the 100%! In meeting eachother (like the two spirals in nature) lays growth, new fractals, change...
Lemlem!

It's about... You!

Wow. I really enjoyed reading this blogpost. So good when somebody's thought resonates with yours.
I feel such an agreement with this words: "The only alternative is to look every morning to you in the mirror of gifts, and to monitor the compass of what you were meant to be.
For what to do next, you are always on yourself."

Road to Amsterdam

How education can look like!

Unknown

I like philosophizing.
I don't like a philosophy.
I like entrepreneurship.
I don't like working on a business plan.
I like the art of teaching.
I don't like fixed lessons.
I love the beauty, the stream of Life.
I don't like the way we frame it.

I love the fact we have the freedom to do our own research.
In any field.
I love to swim the ocean. Not to fill our buckets with it.
Beïng in the unknown.
For me the unknown it is not experimenting new things. Things you haven't done yet, or places you haven't been yet.
No, for me it's the love to beïng at your own path.
Not holding on someone else's philosophy.
Not feeling stucked by the way youre businessplan has to look like, or something.
Not teaching children fromout a fixed idea, fixed lessons or a fixed philosophy.
It's all about the ocean, in my eyes. Where creativity is.
Creativity. Liveliness. The neverending movement.
Fresh. Lemlem!
From there-out, I think, we can make real change. Totally different, because fromout unknown! New.

Stillness

Something about regeneration again.
When this happens in your body?
I think when you are in a state of not- knowing.
In a learning mode.
In being without assumtions and beliefs.
In totally openess.
In freedom. Not free from something.
Befreeing of something isn't where it is about.
It's about being. The moment.
It's more about non-action. Stillness in yourself. That renews.
Fromout there: new fresh action!

Dialogue

I like this quote.

It's all about questioning in life. Not 'telling'. Dialogue. With the universe, with others.

I think.

The moment you think 'I'm there, so I can tell you', something, a great process, is ending.

The opposite of regeneration.

The opposite of become more fresh and healthy.

The power of dialogue in my eyes is 'the friendship-way'. Explore things together.

I think it's always good to question yourself about the way you relate. With everybody. 

Health

'Innovation' is somehow a strange word for me.
Like 'education'.
For me everything, has to do with one process: regeneration.
The inside process of becoming more healthy than you were.
Using the force of your body to change. To change unhealthy cells into healthy ones.
Growing, by (un)learning.
Becoming more fresh every day. Lemlem.
There a people who have the 'air' of 'I know it'. I am there, I saw the light ;), and don't have to 'change'.
Like bosses and managers can have.
And guru's. And many, many others.
People who say or think: 'I know the way!', in any possible field.
This  you can also see organization-wise, and business-wise.
We know it?(yeah right) Or beïng, continual, in a learning-modus? Open for everyone?
I think healthy organizations (and see yourself as an organization also) always strive for more health.
For more freshness.
Lemlem.
Like for your body it's the most important thing, it is for any other organization.
Regeneration. Health.
It's number one.
The power of Life.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship.
What does it mean to me?
For me it's a kind of spirit.
A 'power' to fire yourself up, learn yourself. Not beïng teached, not copy in any way. To do what really moves you.
Even if you don't have your own business (yet), yes even if you work for a company, I can see you as an entrepreneur.
For me it's about living. Living in a very creative way.
And creative means for me: living inside out. What again means for me: take your fire, your inner self truly serious. So: personal leadership.
Leading yourself.
Take all the responsibility yourself.
For me it's all about responsibility.
Taking the 'You' real serious, and so the world.
Entrepreneurship starts by/ is You- ship.
'Ownership' of 'you'.
There is business without this entrepreneurial spirit at all.
And there are employees with an entrepreneurial spirit.
For me it's important to be able to be somewhere where you can be an can give of yourself. Earning money from your own business is great. But also you can be entrepreneural within an organization.This places are hard to find, unfortunately. But they exist.
Doïng has everything to do with your drive.
That match.
That is for me entrepreneurship.
If you can do what deeply moves you.. that is incredible!
For me it's about growing.
Not booming business.The hard thing. But fromout growing yourself. Like a flower, rising to the light. Rooted.
For me an entrepreneur can feed himself. Independant. An own light in him.
Not depended on other people and society structures, but seeïng through this. Innerly alone (but not lonely), independant.
It's about a kind of strongness. Beïng stubborn.
Able to lead himself, in any place, or situation.
Or in any case: the 'willing' to that.
A deep kind of willing. An urge. An innate power.
An enermeous lifeliness.
Lemlem : )
When this is suppressed they get ill.
That's why, I guess, entrepreneurs need a lot of freedom.
They need because they have to do something with this power. It has to go it's way!
So... entrepreneurship is taking your self serious. Letting the greatness, that lifeliness, that power flow.
Art is to be able to do something with it. To use it wisely.
Entrepreneurship and (life)art. One!
In my eyes.

Fresh new co-workingspace in Amsterdam

This place is like a dream for me. As if I have to sqeeuze myself, to realize it's really true. No dream. Reality. The place really excist.
Knowmads Greenhouse, a fresh new kind of co-workingspace in Amsterdam.
The whole athmosphere is breading cocreation. Learning. Action. It doesn't feel as 'work' at all to be the heart of office. Just totally....
awesome.
If you are in Amsterdam, come along. Take a look, breath the energy, and drink a coffee or tea with us!
Welcome home! : )

Humility

Just read this in my facebook-timeline (thanks too Seb Paquet). Really like it a lot. Isn't it true that is's all about your commitment? Your commitment to 'truth'?
I think so..

"Humility is a consequential virtue. Humility is a consequence of having real intellectual honesty and integrity, which in turn is a manifestation of unswerving commitment to truth. It is a fragrance, as it were, coming from the blossoming of intellectual honesty and integrity growing out of the root that is commitment to truth. 

Thus the antidote for arrogance is not humility, for being a consequential virtue, humility cannot be directly pursued. If you directly “pursue” or “practice” humility, you will only become a hypocrite, pretending to be humble but in reality arrogant. The only true antidote to arrogance is commitment to truth, and intellectual honesty and integrity you develop therefrom.

Another consequential virtue of your commitment to truth and intellectual honesty and integrity is wisdom—the discerning acumen with which you know what you know, what you don’t know, and the difference between the two. Therefore, you who are truly wise are also really humble, remaining always an eternal student of life."

Life...

When I was a child I loved to be a boy. And I feld like a boy. Even in my  dreams I was a boy. Somehow I just was a boy. Haha, I always remember an upset reaction of the little sister of a friend: 'Titia, you are a girl? I always believed you was a boy!'
Time changes!
In that time I could never think that someday I would be really, really thankful for the fact I am born like a girl.
That I am blessed with a body what can be a part of a very holy cocreation- process.
To have Life in you. To feed it, with your thoughts, with your beïng, there are no words for. The contact you have, it's all about..Life, love, the "sacredness'' **
That's why I am totally 'into' cocreation nowadays.
Working without this state of connectedness with the whole, doesn't 'work', doesn't make any sense anymore. Where there is no eye for this, I will leave.
Life is all about beïng in contact with this. In all 'fronts'; in the small, in the big.
We don't have to look to our differences. We can get over our religions, and all other boundaries (statements) we made.
Just embrace the gift we are all human and have the possability to connect; with wholeness, and so.. we can do more fromout this. We have all the possibiliy to do great (in what kind of scale) stuff, I am sure.
And what if we all more and more connect with each other? Fromout this place,  in 'real live', and work together on things that matter? This is the thing I'm deeply interested in.

When I was younger, I really believed the world could be better one day.
I think it's a process I am going through, and it somehow has to grow in your life.
The 'believe' changed in a 'knowing'.
I know now, that it is ok. That it can turnout well, but it can also turnout worse.
But then? There is far more than our outerly live. The *good* in us, our true *beïng* will stay anyhow, because it cannot die.
It's 'trusting' the process, but from a deep level, where 'trust' is a 'knowing'.
I also know, we can do what we can. That action fromout love (or the wholeness), creates 'better'. Beauty.
So, that is what we can do.
I don't have to 'believe' anymore. Just be, connect, and act.
As simple. 'Trust' and 'believe' can change in a 'knowing'. What is enough. Knowing, deeply knowing, that you are love(d), and that love 'rules'. That it is everything.
I'm thankfull the process of becoming mother brought me here, the deep dive into 'cocreation' at the most elementary scale.

As a child I din't realized my gift!
But it was fun living both sexes. Knowing there are differences, but also not. The embracing of what is (the masculin and feminin) in yourself... wonderful : )

(**This process is just one of the millions and millions what can bring you into 'cocreation', I think. Becoming a mother is just mine- and I think everyone has its own unique one)

I have no name,
I am as the fresh breeze of the mountains.
I have no shelter;
I am as the wandering waters.
I have no sanctuary, like the dark gods;
Nor am I in the shadow of deep temples.
I have no sacred books;
Nor am I well-seasoned in tradition.
I am not in the incense
Mounting on the high altars,
Nor in the pomp of ceremonies.
I am neither in the graven image,
Nor in the rich chant of a melodious voice.
I am not bound by theories,
Nor corrupted by beliefs.
I am not held in the bondage of religions,
Nor in the pious agony of their priests.
I am not entrapped by philosophies,
Nor held in the power of their sects.
I am neither low nor high,
I am the worshipper and the worshipped.
I am free.
My song is the song of the river
Calling for the open seas,
Wandering, wandering,
I am Life.
I have no name,
I am as the fresh breeze of the mountains.

I have been a wanderer long In this world of transient things. I have known the passing pleasures thereof. As the rainbow is beautiful But soon vanishes into nothingness, So have I known, From the very foundation of the world, The passing away of all things Beautiful, joyous and pleasurable. As the moon is full and serene, In the day of harvest So am I In the day of my Liberation Simple as the tender leaf am I For in me are many winters and many springs. As the dew drop is of the sea, So am I born In the ocean of my Liberation As the mysterious river Enters the open seas, So have I entered Into the world of Liberation This is the end I have known. Two poems by Jiddu Krishnamurti

Love and believe

A few more words about ' loosing trust and believe' , where I wrote about a few days ago.
Trust is an inside thing.
For me it's the same thing when people tell me: 'this is a very inspiring article, or person'. You cannot say that, because for everyone it is different. How can somebody tell me it touches me deeply like it does you?
'Trust me', is like that. Or 'believe in this/ me'.

Trust and believe are are for me included in one feeling. Love*.
Love is 'whole'. The rest are parts.
That's why I'ld rather say instead of ' I believe in a better world' (for example): I feel a better world, I see a better world, I am a better world ( my world= the world); so I do a better world.

It's about action.
Not about somebody's words (like trust in it, believe...)

Action shows.

Love will give the right action.
For me life is all about love (what not means we do not have to use our brains)
Leadership is about love.
Not words like ' trust' and ' believe' and big plans.
But simple: actions out of love.

Actions which show care.


(* Love: Thinking again about a dream I had several years ago. In another blog I already wrote about it.
There was a feeling world war three had begun. It was so scary: terrible kind of modern fighter projectiles above our heads
But in my dream I was taking care of children. And I loved them. And that love was bringing a state of peace around us. The feeling of : this is what it is, and it is safe. It really felt safe.We were surrounded by ' good' while the circumstances where the opposite.. This is why I don't 'believe' or 'trust'. It's all about what you experience yourself.
'Trust' and ' believe' isn't a thing you can ask for.
It's all about action, about the experience..of the action what came out...
...love.

While giving this blog a title (love and believe) and while wroting ' believe' I was thinking about what ' believe'  means is for me in the context of religion.
It's the same.
Love. The love-relation between me and my source. Relationship.

So... For me no quotes anymore like 'believe in a better world (trust me)', 'trust me, my concept is one what has a big role in saving the world, be a part in it' or things like that.
No.
Acts.
Acts out of love. They touch me!
Let's show up all together!
We've got work to do, instead of making new businessplans, creating steps in our heads and so on. Act! Just make that step(s)!
(What of course also is a big note to myself. Like everything I write here. It is the way I see the world, so how I see myself. The frustration about things in the world, is a frustration living in me.
But happily I had this feeling last week, being to-tal-ly fed up with not enough making action. All together, but also personal.
I'm glad I took it seriously and I explored  a simple solution came up. Now it's just about 'do it'. Now I'm not working alone on it, Already mades some steps, what feels very good. More about this soon, I am sure:) )

Lemlem

Funny; just googled on the name Lemlem, and found this:

Meaning: Eritrean name; meaning unknown

Soul Urge: People with the name Lemlem have a deep inner desire to use their abilities in leadership, and to have personal independence. They would rather focus on large, important issues, and delegate the details.

Expression: People with the name Lemlem value community and balance, and are dependable and considerate. They often tend to gravitate to occupations where they can act as peacemakers or negotiators, or fulfill these roles among their friends and family. They tend to be conventional, responsible, family-oriented, warm and affectionate. They sometimes worry obsessively about those they care for. They work for harmony and balance in their lives, and respond positively to beautiful things.

Resonate

Pain again

This morning I woke up different. And now, being awake already for several hours, I still feel the same.
It's a restlessness.
A frustration.
A pain.
Again.

I fail.
I terriblly fail.
I cannot help Afumia the way I want.
My dear grandmother of my children in Eritrea.
That beautiful woman is suffering. She doesn't have food enough...
I fail!
I fail at so many things.
So for example I also don't give the children the education they really need.
They are not in an almost perfect school like this.
They are not surrounded with the beautiful nature there is at the earth, but living in the suburb of a city. A city highly polluted. Aaargh!

Where is the institution what helps me out?
Where is the facilitation I need?
Where is my hero?
Help!
Poverty in many ways... What to do?

No, it's on us.
Totally on US.
You, me.
We have to make action from out this 'failing'- feeling ( I am sure I'm not the only one who feels failure sometimes)
Words, concepts, etc. makes me crazy (like you can read the last blogs)
It's the action.
Where are we? What are we doing together?
Where am I? What I'm doing?

We connect via social media. Facebook is big.
How big!
Why we cannot gather this way and make steps?
A worldwide collaboration?
Let's be that huge NGO.
Let's organize ourselves, and do something, without fiddlestick.
Where the profit is impact. Where the impact is more equality, freedom, hapiness and balance at any field.
We don't have to wait for a superhero.
Why we can connect at dance-festivals? At facebook and more places? We are aware we are one. Why not act as one?
Because we are too busy with our selves?
I feel a little sad today. Because I admid, me myself I do not do enough.

I am now sitting at Knowmads Greenhouse. Where it's all about making change. It's a place what breaths action. It facilitates young startups. Young people with the aim/urge to make change, who choose for fairness.
Let's the start of the Greenhouse be a big kick under my ass. It emerged with almost no money. Just because  the need was there. A beautiful example of cocreation.
Don't we have to act like this? All together, worldwide?  Make that move toward collaboration? Making more possible? Because we love? Because we care...?
What can be my role in such a collaboration?

We know the power of the web. The power of love. Of community, relationships.
So again..., and a big note to myself: Where a we? Where are we in the thing called poverty? Where am I? Where am I in my relationship with Afumia?
Where is the action what's needed? Aaaargh!
Would this whirring feeling stay today?
I wonder...
And I wonder where this feeling in combination with the power I also feel will bring me.
It's not all 'failure' I feel (happily not), I don't feel as a complete looser, but it's looking in a mirror.
This woman, who is in my heart, is suffering today. Am I writing while eating an apple, while my belly isn't even 'grunting'.

There is a lot of work to do in my life. Really a lot.
My life. In the same 'ammount' I feel it is a gift, I also feel the action what is needed...so the enormeous challenge...
I know my own 'peace' and wellbeïng is highly, very highly important, but I think we have to be in the world as much as we are possible.

All gone

I don't trust anymore.
Really.
I don't have trust.
Neither hope.
Don't have any hope anymore.
Not at ALL!
Not for my children.
Not for my future.
Not for the world.
Nope.
I don't trust anymore that things are going to be better.
That the world is in peace one day.
No.
I don't believe in a better world anymore.

'What? She became crazy, or what? Is she deeply depressed, did she fell out of love for life, did she hear extremely bad news maybe?', can I hear you thinking.
'Where are her ideals? Where is her always- optimistic view? Where did it went so suddenly?'
Please, don't be worried. I'm making well.
And I will explain now.
Why I don't trust.
Why I don't have any hope.
And why I don't believe in the best anymore. That something will turn into te good.

It's very simple.
I don't wanna live with hope and yearning.
That actually means 'trust'.
Trust is nothing more than authority and blindness, if you're looking good. A mean, a tool, to set you into action.
'Trust me' tells you: don't do research anymore. While, in my eyes, every thing has to be researched by yourself.
Having trust doesn't bring you to insights.
And me myself I decided to choose for having insights in my life.
Then you have fullness in the fulfillment. In the moment.
There is no space for hope and yearnings.
Just a seeing and experience of the good what happens.

So. Simple.
I prefere insights above the safety and support of 'trust'.
I experience, and feel. And stay in my selfresearch- mode.

But..when somebody (like for example a teacher, or a politician- but it can of course be anyone) tells you: 'Trust me', it is something really different than your own 'trusting in a better world? Trusting in positive change?'
No. I came out that it's the same. It's a kind of sleepy condition. What you also can give yourself.
I am sorry.. But I like to be awake.
Everything depends on our own individual process and actions. Not on a view of somebody else, a concept, an ideology, an organized religion or a theory.
It's about you....and beïng alife, sprited.

As mother I can wholehearted (try) do what I can do for my children.  So can we do for the world. But please fromout openess. Fromout freedom. Not a fixed 'believe'. In any idea- even it's yours.
I think a constantly openess (freedom) is the key.
I know it sounds very contrary, because 'trust', 'hope' and 'yearnings' seem to be very postive and good, soft words. But.... if you look further, feel deeper... I think you also will find something else.
Action, real action, come from another place.
A place where it's  f u l l  already.
A place called...love, maybe? Love for life?

Don't worry.., I still (deeply) love to be there ;-)

Another story

Love without cherising what's in between the 'you' and the 'me'. Whithout the deep gratefulness, the celebrating, the awareness of the holy ground. That 'in between'- space, what is such a gift.
A 'relationship' without this is pain, in my eyes.
We can all get the insights that we are love if we want. If we really want we'll get them I think. But to live it. That's another story.
To show it, to retrieve it in every moment and to give it, constantly.
How difficult.
  A society without deep gratefulness for life, without the celebrating of the gift called 'earth', the awareness of the wholeness. Without the awareness of 'the field'- that holy field what surrounds us. A society what is based on greed, in stead of being aware how gifted and worthful we are.
We can easily see this sickness in society.
But to live, to be, to work on another healtier one. To show it. To work every moment at it, dedicated. That's another story.
How difficult.
The red thread in both lovely relationships and a healthy world is I think all about a basic feeling: humility; feeling so gifted for 'the ocean' what can be felt between two people. Feeling so gifted for life, for the world.
To more than just 'accept' this gift... that makes a healthy change.
A change what is needed!

Being

The freshness in a child.
I saw this beauty a lot in Eritrea.

Their mind  not full as a lot of children here.
Poor, but in a different way much freer.
And happier.

They learn us so much, just by being. Like people with for example ''down-syndrome''.
We like to make life complicated.
Like for example using things like 'psychotherapy'.
Why dig and dig? And then solving things one by one?
What a waste..
Just be aware you are the 'all'; you and I have the same thing floating through our vains. A (w)holy thing called 'blood'..
You're gifted as possible because of your beïng!
Insight, and love & care for oneself. A far more faster (and cheaper) 'treatment'!
It's the most important we can learn our children I think.

That's a thing you can use your brain (mind) for.
When you feel small, stupid or whatever, think twice.
Think and feel deep: 'Am I?''Is it true?'
And you'll experience the opposite. A real love for life.
That insight makes free. So simple.

'Psychotherapy' seperates. Because it's seperates heart and mind.
Love and care are based on 'the whole' and they are what counts.
Everywhere.
In every 'issue'. Small (on a'personal' level) and big (on a worldscale)!

Mind

"Why you don't write in english?",was I being asked a few days ago. "Hmm, just simply because my english is very bad', I answered.
But I considered."Why not?' It will improve at least!
So.

Let's try to see if I can share some things in this way. Let's see of I can explain something, something I wonder of.
Something I wonder of a lot these days.
It's of this.
Why people give up at the ego? The ego/mind?
Because some eastern guru's like Osho are telling so?
Why all that battle against 'the mind'?
I love my thinking.
Feeling thankfull that I have my brain.
Of  course I know they are just a part, and they don't have 'the whole' inside like my heart has (I believe my heart is (and contains) everything/the whole)
But for me the mind is also a great part. Not as great as my heart, not at all, but also enormeous.
In my eyes it is a great tool where I like to care for and give it a place what it deserves.
When you don't use the mind, but when it's using you, you create ego. I know.
You create time and all that kind of ballast. The world  as we created with all the problems . But we can change, and I think here for we also need 'mind'.
You can keep it clear, and use it for your never-ending learningprocess, and that is something you can be very grateful for.
The mind as a part of the most intelligent 'organisation' called Life.
I see every living part a enormeous gift. So is the brain!
Not something to fight against.
Let your mind be. Embrace it. It is not a bad thing. Not only 'ego'. See it, know how it can serve, and use it for the good!

Only using the heart we can live like bonobo monkey's. Share our love with everybody because we are all one. What a pleasure! Haha, but we live in a world, where, at least I, feel a responsibility for. To be there as complete we can. And completeness means also to embarassing our brain. Heart and mind. In balance, this two tools are giving right action.
Used wisely. Fromout clearness.
Fresh green clearness. Lemlem!

Dreamups

Een platform wat is ontstaan om helpen dromen te realizeren.Wereldwijd. Kijk op www.dreamups.org.
Binnenkort is de 'lancering', gaat het 'viral', en kan het verspreiden van 't mooie snel gaan volgens mij.
Want wat als mensen met vernieuwende, duurzame ideeën en dromen & doeners uit meer dan honderd verschillende landen samen de grootste kennisbank voor duurzame oplossingen bouwen?
Met alleen simpele "do it yourself" oplossingen"?
Oplossingen die gemakkelijk te delen zijn, en alles open-source. Dus alles 'vrij'.
We hebben met z'n allen zo ongelovelijk veel mogelijkheden.
Met z'n allen zélf bouwen aan sociale, economische en milieu-problemen. In het klein. Dichtbij. In je eigen community. Samen wordt het groot.
Elkaar steunend.
Het kán! We hebben zo veel in ons.. Dít versterken.
Het enorme wereldwijde cocreatie-project waar we met z'n allen verantwoordelijk voor zijn.
Join!
(En laten we meer van zulke platforms bouwen. Op zo veel gebieden kan alles mooier! Samen kunnen we zo veel meer bereiken, zó veel meer doen! Werkloosheid? Dat is eigenlijk toch te bizar voor woorden? Opbouwen. Moois laten ontstaan. Iedereen heeft z'n eigen 'community' waar veel gedaan kan worden. Het ligt aan ons!)

Afsluiten of open?

Na het lezen van dit blog van Pieter Spinder (heel kort, simpel, maar eigenlijk heel diep), bedacht ik me: "Ja, mooi. Eigenlijk is het je vijand recht in de ogen durven kijken."
Want, na zoveel over Shell gelezen te hebben vraag je je natuurlijk wel af daar überhaubt mee aan tafel te willen zitten.

Het is je deuren open houden. Je niet afsluiten.
Altijd ruimte hebben voor dialoog.

In de wereld is er zoveel unfair. Is er zoveel "slecht".
Je daarvoor af te sluiten, en alleen het ánders doen is gemakkelijk. Open staan voor een eventuele match ergens, en vandaar uit samen een mooie verandering proberen te laten ontstaan (waarbij je je zelf blijft- dus je moet wel sterk staan) kan ook.

Hoe je werkt, is hoe je in het leven staat.
Sta je open om "slecht", het 'donkere' in je zelf te onderzoeken? Je eigen donkere kanten in het licht te willen zien?
Of het ontkennen en aan de kant schuiven?
Een klein blogje was het, maar het hield/ houdt me wel even bezig.
Vond het wel een blog met een hart.

Ik realiseer me dat ik veel in de wereld nog te veel oordeel..
Organisaties zijn mensen... zijn net als iedereen 'change' (verandering is onze gezamenlijke constante)
Dus. Alles gaat om openheid en verbinding, denk ik. Met wie dan ook! 'Good' or 'bad'.

Pijn

Isaiah Stephen

Shock en pijn.
Zou het waar zijn? Is het de andere kant van de medaille, de andere kant van je extreem gelukkig voelen?
Leven..
Nog veel te leren.
'Pijn is niet waar'.
Dan klopt er iets niet, ben je niet 'in de waarheid'.
Als ik dát namelijk lees of hoor, denk ik en zelfs voel ik  'ja, dat klopt'.
En toch.... is het er.
Kán het er zijn.
Soms.
Stekende pijn. Snijdend, scheurend, snerpend..
Vlijmscherp, ijskoud, je door merg en been laten verstijven.
Het zijn momenten, flitsen. Maar momenten kunnen eeuwig (lijken) duren.

Je hart. Gevoeligste plek die er is... Wat je er aan kunt doen, ik weet het niet..
Accepteren. Zit niks anders op. Maar houden van 'pijn', hmmm, in dit geval ook 'loving what is'?
Nog lang niet uitgeleerd in m'n leven.
Stel je voor. Zou wel erg saai zijn.
Dus dank je, Hart...
Ik blijf je als mijn enige leermeester zien. Dat zeker.
Al geef je me in m'n leven $*@3~*#... de moeilijkste, keihardste lessen.
Maar je staat in verbinding met al het andere van me. Geweldig georganiseerd. Samen zorgen jullie weer voor herstel.
Zouden deze momenten er misschien zijn om in evenwicht te komen? Zijn ze een kado?

Zucht....op een goeie dag zal ik het weten...
Op een moment.
In een flits....

the Greenhouse

Wat zijn er veel (jonge) mensen zich bewust dat "het systeem" er niet echt voor ons is. Er zijn zoveel mensen die verandering willen!
Er zijn zó veel ideeën, er is zoveel energie en zó veel passie om een positieve impact te maken.
Maar vaak is het toch moeilijk.
Hoe kunnen we het met z'n allen gemakkelijker maken dromen uit te laten komen? Zorgen dat iedereen de mogelijkheid heeft?

Overal gelukkig, wereldwijd, komen steeds meer plekken op waar hier aan gewerkt wordt.
The Greenhouse is ook zo'n plek.
We willen 'groene' ideeën' een vliegende start geven, en werken dus samen. Samen met studenten van Knowmads, met coaches en met verschillende 'profs'. Een groot internationaal netwerk, wat een samensmelting van mooie energie en een warme broedplaats is!
Dat is wat een 'greenhouse' is. Een plek waar zaadjes uitkomen.
Dát is waarom we er zijn!
Een omgeving die "learning" ademt en gericht is op resultaten die mooie veranderingen brengen.
Niet blijven denken, maar actie!

Eén maart, dus over zo'n zes weken is de kick-off. Wil je verder met je droom?
Een incubator gericht op duurzaam ondernemen was er niet in Amsterdam. Nu dus wel. Benieuwd?
Er is uiteindelijk plek voor twintig, vijfentwintig mensen.
Kom langs op de open dag zaterdag 16 februari.

"Welcome home"!

Ferdinand Huyckstraat 64  1016 HW Amsterdam

De wortel (het gebrek); er uit!

Met wortel :)

Een berichtje in de Spits vanochtend, tijdens dagelijkse metro-ritje, maakte me dat ik hier weer iets wil schrijven.
Ik las het ene verschrikkelijke na het andere. Vrouwen die verstoten worden in Ethiopië, geweld, geweld en nog meer geweld, aandacht op de crisis, etc.
Elk land heeft zo veel problemen. Armoede op elk vlak.
Toch ben en blijf ik positief. Helemaal wanneer ik dit schrijf vanaf zo'n plek als Knowmads.
Waarom?
Oplossingen komen van mensen die anders tegen deze problemen aankijken. Die op een andere manier denken.
De ellende lijkt dan wel haast te groot om op te lossen, en we haast niet weten waar te beginnen, toch denk ik dat er oplossingen zijn.
Knowmads is er zo'n eentje in mijn ogen.
Een school?
"Denk je nou echt dat een school, een kleine school nog wel, iets kan doen aan zulke enorme problemen?",hoor ik je denken.
JA.
Dat denk ik écht.
Wat we nu het meest zien is dat we al die problemen stuk voor stuk proberen op te lossen. Vaak op het zelfde vlak als ze ontstaan zijn. Niet dat het onnodig is, vind ik, maar veel is 'lapwerk', herstelwerk.
Vaak word geprobeerd alles één voor één op te lossen.
Maar..ik denk dat we alles ook bij de wortel aan kunnen pakken.
'Huh?', hoor ik je denken..
"Maar alles zijn toch los van zich staande problemen?''
Nee, ik denk het niet.
En ik denk ook niet dat het op deze manier één, twee, drie gaat.
Helaas niet..
Maar..het kán, volgens mij..
'Hoe? En hoe kan een school als Knowmads daar een rol in spelen?'
De wortel, die er uit gerukt kan worden, volgens mij, is het gebrek aan liefde.
Aan hart.
Heelheid, helder denken en heel 'zijn'.
Het lijkt alsof de oplossing heel ver weg is, maar hij is in feite heel dichtbij.
Volgens mij is de oplossing: lef.
Lef om kinderen/ jongeren ander onderwijs aan te bieden.
Lef om mooiere scholen te stichten.
Lef om je kinderen voor completer onderwijs te laten kiezen.
Lef om als jongere daar naar toe te gaan.
Scholen dus als oplossing voor wereldproblematiek?
JA.
Scholen en thuissituaties zijn de basis voor de ontwikkeling van jongeren (lees: 'ontwikkeling van de wereld')
Scholen hebben zó veel te bieden in het brengen van harmonie- in jongeren zelf, en dus ook in de wereld.
Integraal onderwijs. Niet alleen hoofd, maar ook hart en handen.
Waar jongeren zelf als 'vol' worden gezien, en dit dus ook de wereld geven.
Wat ze dan ook doen, het zal vanuit hun hart gaan, en dat is in mijn ogen échte duurzaamheid.
Het kan wél.
Als ouders en leerkrachten (nee, iederéén staat haast wel in contact met jongeren)  zouden we moeten beseffen dat we met het meest verantwoordelijke werk bezig zijn: we creeëren een nieuwe generatie.
Een generatie die het verschil kan zijn.
Met nadruk op "zijn".
We missen éénheid in de wereld. Liefde. Zorg. En het ligt volgens mij in onze handen om jongeren écht te laten bloeien.
We kunnen jammeren en klagen over hoe slecht het gaat- maar daar bereiken we geen mooiere wereld mee. We moeten er "zijn".
Niks meer en niks minder.
"Zijn" betekent 'volledige' actie- hoe klein ook; wanneer het met je hart is, is er een énorm verschil.
Groot in het kleine.
Thuis en op scholen.
"Zijn". In mijn ogen dé oplossing.
De ruimte daarvoor bieden... óveral!

Rapport

Leren.

We zijn het er bijna allemaal over eens dat we buiten school om het meeste leerden.

Leren is immers niet het inprenten van dingen. Het overnemen van andermans kennis, copieëren van info wat bepaald is nuttig voor je te zijn.

Echt leren, waar je van groeit, wat je iets geeft, gebeurt alleen vanuit een vrijheid.

'Een' vrijheid?

Vrijheid.

Je kern. Wie je bent. Vrij.

Jij bepaalt wat je leert. Alles gaat vanuit jou.

Leren is mooi.

Waarom wordt er in het onderwijs op iets gehamerd wat helemaal geen 'leren' is?

Gisteravond kon Leah, m'n dochtertje, niet slapen. 'Waarom zijn andere ouders altijd zo trots bij een rapport van hun kind en jij niet?' 'Waarom zijn ze blij en geven ze kadootjes en kijk jij er nauwelijks naar?'

Hmmm...., moeilijk uit te leggen dat waar ze elke dag naar toe gaat, waar ze haar best doet, iets is waarvan ik vind dat het radicaal anders zou moeten. 

Het is voor haar moeilijk te begrijpen dat het me alleen om haar gaat. (Of ze goed rekent en haar best doet? Het gaat me alleen om háár; ben elke dag blij (of 'trots'), wat voor cijfers ze ook haalt of met wat voor rapport ze dan ook komt)

Dat 'haar best doen' vóór 'iets' niet bij mij past, en dat ik automatisch dus niet kan reageren als andere ouders.

Dat de manier waarop gewerkt word eerder faalangst dan 'bloei' geeft.. iets wat ik bij haar ook zie, en wat me pijn doet.

Nee, van zo'n rapport -hoe goed de resultaten ook zijn - wordt ik niet blijer.

Het is voor mij juist weer altijd even een zichtbaar iets: zó wordt je dochter beoordeeld. Hier heeft ze naar toe gewerkt. Maar, vraag ik me dan af, was dat vanuit haar zelf? Waar was de dialoog, waar was haar vrijheid? 

Niet de 'vrijheid van doen en laten waar je zin in hebt', maar de vrijheid die ze is. Haar kern.

Werd dat gezien? 

Was er ruimte voor?

Vol

Metro-ritjes in de vroege ochtend, altijd heerlijk om na te denken.. Rustig wakker te worden..

Vanochtend, op weg naar Knowmads, bedacht ik me waarom ik er zo graag na toe ga. Volgens mij is één van de dingen de 'heelheid' die ik er proef.

Ik dacht namelijk na over het begrip 'verantwoordelijkheid'. 

Het is een woord wat bijna een vervelende betekenis heeft gekregen.

Verantwoordelijkheid hebben voor jezelf, voor je gezin... Je ziet zo veel om je heen waar het daar ophoudt. Zó veel is daar op gericht. Onderwijs vaak ook. Het heeft zo veel individualisme in zich..

Terwijl het zo iets moois is! Misschien wel het mooiste wat er is.
Maar we hebben het verkleind en vervormd.

Wanneer je diep beseft dat jij - wij, ik, jij- de wereld bént, en dus eigenlijk de hele mensheid vertegenwoordigt, merk je dat verantwoordelijkheid eigenlijk 'leven' betekent. Op z'n volst.

Is 't niet eigenlijk een kunst?  
Volgens mij ben je er nooit in uitgeleerd.

Het is eigenlijk een enorme liefde voor de wereld.

Ik merk bij Knowmads dat het begrip 'verantwoordelijkheid' hier zo veel voller en mooier is.

Changemaking begint bij het besef dat verantwoordelijkheid een totaliteit is. Eén geheel. Liefde. Voor de aarde, voor de natuur en voor elkaar. Als je beseft dat je eigenlijk een soort vertegenwoordiger bent van ons allemaal, is je reactie, je antwoord (je verantwoordelijkheid) ook geen gedeeltelijke, maar een ondeelbare. Heel.Vol! 
Wat je ook doet, hoe klein je actie ook kan lijken.

Hier wordt completer les gegeven..(al is les geven weer niet 't goede woord, want ik zie hier bijna alleen maar dialoog). 

Kennis; informatie over duurzame business, maar samen met die (zelf)bewustheid.Waarbij dat laatste de basis is.

Dat is denk ik de warmte die hier is..

't Besef dat die kunst om verantwoordelijk te zijn het belangrijkste is. Lerend, werkend vanuit die volheid..

('Volheid'. Dat is een intentie die ik altijd bij het nieuwe jaar heb (teminste vorig-, en dit jaar). Een 'nieuw jaar'. Niet dat ik er zo veel mee heb. Voor mij is elke dag weer zo'n nieuw begin.. maar toch sta ik er wel steeds even bij stil. Een nieuw jaar voor je. Een nieuw jaar met zó veel momenten... Ontelbare momenten om zo veel mogelijk 'volheid' te ervaren.

Mmmmmm...., léven!) 

Succes

'Succes'.
Alles te maken met 'fouten', 'failure'.
Het gaat zoals het gaat, met de intentie die je er bij hebt.
Wat is een 'fout'?
Het bestaat eigenlijk niet.
Net zoals 'succes'. Wanneer doe je iets goed?
Wanneer mensen het prachtig vinden? Wanneer je een bepaald aantal mensen bereikt met mooie dingen? Wat is de maatstaf?
Het is vergelijking. Allebij. Allebij in de kern hetzelde dus.
En elke vorm van vergelijking stopt het leerproces (wat ieders' vrijheid is). Kapt af, en is onredelijk.
Wat is vergelijken?
Versplintering, en niet heelheid.
Geen blijk van intelligentie dus (en wat wordt ons kinderen van jongs af aan geleerd op school? Ja.., vergelijken, beter zijn, willen bereiken, scoren..)
We moeten volgens mij met heel andere ogen ook naar wereldproblematiek kijken.
Oplossingen kunnen alleen liggen bij mensen die een geheel zien, en geen 'fouten'en 'succes'.
Om aan te 'werken', want zo moeilijk; vergelijken is het gemakkelijkste wat er is. Wie doet het niet dagelijks? Alles een etiketje geven. 'Dat is mooi','dat is dom', 'dat is....'

En zoals 'succes'en 'fouten maken' met elkaar verbonden zijn, eigenlijk min of meer hetzelfde zijn,
zo kwam ik erachter dat het bij 'leven'en 'dood' eigenlijk ook zo is (zo zie ik het op dit moment). De laatste hebben we een beetje verbannen, de eerste opgehemeld (zoals mislukking/ fouten en succes)
Alles wat bloeit sterft ook weer af, en is gewoon zo.
Liefde (equivalent aan leven voor mij) is niet alleen mooi, maar brand ook dingen af. Verwoest. Pijnlijk. Ongelovelijk, eindeloos mooi maar evengoed een soort dood (maar dat is mijn visie, ik weet dat veel mensen liefde alleen maar ge-wel-dig vinden)- wat je brengt tot 'wat is'.
Doet me denken aan toen ik nét moeder was geworden. Zó gelukkig ik was, zo vól met liefde voor haar.. Maar in één van de eerste nachten had ik een droom dat ze later in haar leven dood ging. Helemaal van slag werd ik wakker. Het gevoel bleef lang. Jaren. En het zorgde ervoor dat ik eigenlijk altijd 'moet' beseffen dat ze er elk moment niet meer kan zijn.
Leven en dood...één.. Wéér 'wat is'.
Dat laat je weer leven (want met angst leven is niet leven..)

Dus: leven en dood, één geheel, laten we dat accepteren. Het is mooi. Maar die andere éénheid kunnen we beter schrappen! Inzien, en wég ermee! Weg met het zien in vergelijkingen.Te beginnen bij onszelf, een groot unlearnproces..(en hopelijk komt 'het onderwijs' dan ook nog eens zo ver..)
Succes (note ook to myself) ;-)

Once upon a time in papervillage

Wow. Blijft zo mooi om te zien: een stuk van Filippa Barfvestam's reis op papier:
Unfold! Be you! En déél, verspreid, zodat anderen het zien: opgevouwen hoeft niet : )

Roots

Waarom vind ik dit toch zo'n mooi nummer? Waarschijnlijk omdat hij zingt dat alles bij jezelf ligt. Wanneer je echt alleen staat (niet eenzaam, maar 'gewoon' los van alle overtuigingen van anderen en jezelf) komt 'waarheid'.. Je 'soul', je thuis; je echte roots.
De plek waar we die roots gemeenschappelijk hebben. En van waaruit we aan mooiers bouwen.
Be you! Sterk om alleen te staan! 'Deep down' geworteld; weg met oppervlakkigheid! Zoals nationalisme (of een andere één of ander ''ik ben.."- ál die woorden die op de puntjes kunnen worden gezet zijn denk ik totaal onnodig); je 'thuis' (en heelheid) is immers óveral, waar je ook bent: in je zelf'!

Basis

http://www.knapzakcoach.nl/

Bianca Blom las twee jaar geleden het boekje 'de creatiespiraal' van Marinus Knoope. Helemaal enthousiast over het boekje schreef ze hem gelijk een brief met de vraag of er een versie voor jongeren kon komen (ze zat in het onderwijs) en Marinus antwoorde positief dat ze daar zelf mee aan de slag kon.
De eerste druk van 'hoe leef ik mijn wens' is nu inmiddels bijna uitverkocht, en het is tijd voor een vervolg! Maar omdat het een proces is wat jongeren doormaken, besloot ze het laten ontstaan van een vervolg- aan de jongeren zelf over te laten. Het is immers iets van hun.
Een paar maanden geleden had ze Maurice Spees ontmoet. Hij maakt onder andere (internationaal co-creatieve) documentaires (zie site) en was onder de indruk van het boek (en droom die er achter zit)  Wat als hij nou alles zou filmen? Dat was het eerste idee. Maar ze deelden meer, en het idee groeide. Een geweldig voorbeeld weer eens van wat ik cocreatie vind.
Een proces van binnenuit ontstaan. Groeiend door open te luisteren naar wat binnenin 'leeft'. Te delen en te laten worden.
Vandaag was de kick-off en kwamen jongeren uit allemaal verschillen de plekken uit Nederland samen bij Knowmads. Bianca en Maurice legden een beetje uit wat hun idee was - het samen, maar vooral door hun zelf, laten ontstaan- en.., even later leek het wel of er dingen gebeurden die, tja..., magisch leken.
In zo'n korte tijd voelde iedereen zich veilig. En ondanks we elkaar bijna niet kennen werd er heel veel gedeeld.
'Het gebeuren' door de interactie was zo mooi!
Op het einde van de dag werden de veertien stappen uit de creatiespiraal door de jongeren op een eigen volgorde gelegd. Iedereen was het eens met het feit dat de stap 'ken je zelf' niet het einde maar het beginpunt moest zijn. En niet 'een droom' of 'wens', zoals bij 'de' creatiespiraal.
Voor mij één van de geweldige momenten van de dag. Dat was namelijk ook wat Bianca afgelopen jaar gemerkt had. Vaak liepen jongeren in 'de spiraal' vast, omdat ze zich zelf te weinig kenden.
Dat is waar ook ik zo'n enorme moeite mee heb. Wat is er belangrijker om jongeren mee te geven dan dat?  'Ken jezelf!' 't Belangrijkste in het leven, volgens mij. De basis. En nooit te vroeg om daar aandacht aan te geven! Zo mooi dat ze dit zelf aangaven.
Hoe kunnen we dit binnen het onderwijs niet  of nauwelijks doen? Bizar!
Gaan een aantal jongeren nu zelf laten zien wat er gemist wordt? 
We gaan het zien..  De volgende samenkomst is al snel.
'Hoe leef ik mijn wens' en dit vervolg wat aan het ontstaan is wil er de aandacht binnen het onderwijs aan geven!
Leren is zoveel meer dan 'het onderwijs' nu! Samen, energie gebundeld en van binnenuit, kán (en moet) het mooier..!!