One of the first things I did after arriving in this house was an exploration of the bookshelves. Outdoor life is very beautiful, but not complete without a book. To my satisfaction I found a decent collection of books in English. My favorite so far is The complete book of self-sufficiency by John Seymour. This …
Back to the Earth
Our backpacks are packed and our family members are blinking back their last tears: It’s time to say goodbye to the Netherlands again. We will spend the next five months in Chile, where we will work on several farms through WWOOF. It may not seem the most logical step after obtaining a PhD degree (Freddy) …
Colourful world
I was cycling home this afternoon when I suddenly saw a huge rainbow, shining over the houses. After I had been watching for a while, it started raining and I quickly got on my bike again. The trees along the street had adorned the gray tarmac with bright yellow leaves. The sun shone on it, …
The Way of the Leaf
After a tropical week it seems like the autumn has finally begun here in Gillingham. Time for an autumn story from Thich Nhat Hanh. He tells us that he is in the park, completely absorbed in the contemplation of a small leaf. He spents a long time questioning the leaf, and finds out that the …
Action from hope
Yesterday I went to a workshop at St Ethelburga’s, a church in the heart of the City of London that has developed into a center for reconciliation and peacebuilding. The title of the workshop was “Kickstart a Spiritual Ecology Hub” — something that I would eventually like to do in the Netherlands. With about 25 …
About elves
I am taking part in a study group about Laudato Si, the encyclical of pope Francis. We use a study guide from CAFOD, a catholic aid agency. I find the meetings very inspiring. Here is a short video clip: The movie is a call for action, but this has a spiritual basis. The big theme …