Passing through the Needle's Eye

Every great journey, moment in life or trip has its beginning, middle or end with a deep process of letting go. Some when traveling to more far away lands get food poison or heat dehydration, others must learn to travel light or others see themselves facing hard breakups. In one way or another, be it physically, spiritually or materially, we are asked to let go of the things, toxins, people or feelings that somewhat no longer serve us for the purpose of where we want to get or who we are longing to become.

Maarten has now been in such process for 3 days already. He has been having incredibly high fever, sweating it out all and a little bit more. The process has been ignited by some flower medicine we are taking, which are meant to cleanse the aura and the body.

Be it for choice or for the circumstances, moments like this simply allow us time to reflect and inquiry deeply on What do I need to carry along and what has been an excess? Much of what we carry, emotionally and materially, we have acquired with little thinking or consciousness, throughout the places we have been, the experiences we've had and the not so necessary shoppings we've made. We have all a collection of feelings, possessions and people who don't make us be fully happy and most of all, to be in contact with our essence and most natural needs. Times like this make us process that and act upon it.

I remember when I was about to begin my journey through the Middle East 2 years ago, as I was packing the things I wanted to take (choosing from what I had already brought to be in Greece and Europe) I heard this voice saying I should pack as light as possible, letting go of all the beautiful clothes that had given me beauty until then. I had this guide within saying I should for now on look for the beauty within and to be able to shine it through from my eyes and gestures, more than from the clothes I wore. Moreover, I felt I had not to simply send them back to Brazil, but rather give them away to other people with much love and generosity. So it happened that I embarked in maybe the most significant and deep journey I have ever been into. One which opened my heart wide open, grounded me on my path, showed me the power of Love and brought me to where I am now.  

Letting go is an art to which we are a constant apprentice as life takes its curves, people come and go, circumstances change and our paths to authenticity and the essential become deeper. As Jesus once said "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a richer man to enter the Kingdom of God"


Valentine
Puerto Iguazu - Argentina

A duo journey into not-knowing

It was February 2010, we had met for one month and there we were sitting on a cafe in Maastricht while the wind was blowing strong and cold outside. We were dreaming and making plans of how we wanted to live our lives together. In front of us a little notebook where we took note and drew the words that came out flowing naturally. The plan was to go to Brazil in December and from there start a life which would enable us to have a house by the nature and to be connected to the world doing meaningful work with groups in different places and contexts.

A year later the dream has come (yet partially) true: we are now for almost 2 months travelling in Brazil, on a six months journey through South America.

And what is it all about then?

While many people meet and buy a house together to build their life, we decided to build our life together on the road - or at least to take this time to create and nurture the foundations of our relationship based on exploring the world together. We decided to give ourselves time and space to explore and reflect on what are the paths we are choosing for ourselves - both individually and as a couple - in search for clarity and integrity about the work we do and the choices we make.

From the beginning we saw this journey to be more than just a "back-packers' trip" that goes from sight-seeing to sight-seeing, and to make it to be a way of living, in which we will work and travel at the same time. Most of all, we want to learn from the land and the people who we come across, spending time at places that call us and engaging with the local community, offering them our labor (be it manual, intelectual, emotional and/or spiritual).

As we say, we have taken the intentional decision to travel into not-knowing, so the emptiness of having no plans or preconceived ideas and the active collection of new experiences, new sceneries, other traditions and encounters with inspiring people, can allow surprises and the new to emerge.

Where will it take us?

We really don't know and that is the beauty of it all. At times I get myself trying to foresee it and somehow plan "after the journey is over". As times passes by and the further deep we allow ourselves to be in this constant exploration, of each other, of ourselves and of this world around us, I remind myself that it is just not possible to do so right now. The journey has just begun and there is a long, long, winding road till a clear, consistent and grounded plan come through - a plan which is truly significant for us both. Until then our role is to keep opening up and clearing the channels to allow a greater flow of information to come through and materialize in the many forms that synchronicity or destiny can take.

Valentine
Puerto Iguazu - Argentina

Alice in the Wonderland

Yesterday I went to the cinema and watched Alice. It was Mother's Day afternoon and I decided to stroll from my "home" to the movie theater. A 3-4km walk in one of the main avenues of this area in Sao Paulo. On my way I passed by a bunch of flowers stall where lots of people and cars gathered in search for the perfect red rose or bouquet for the mothers. On the street a crazy traffic jam of cars, some with one person, some with the whole family, some with youngsters, some with elders. All going to their Mother's Day Lunch...

I was walking on the sideways against the flow, seeing them passing by frenetic, tense, laughing, celebrating, worried... Walking... singing out loud some of the shuffled music of my Ipod...

The movie starts, only 5 people in the room. Alice is being taken to her engagement party (which she is not aware of until she gets there). Her mom is looking at her and saying how she should be wearing a corsage and socks under her dress. Alice says how she hates them. Her mom insists on how this is what is pretty. Alice replies, "Who gets to say what is pretty and right? What if wearing a cod fish on our heads was considered pretty?" 

She is asked in marriage, in front of all the English society, by this man she does not comply with. She trembles...The signs and memories are there for her: the white rabbit, the blue catterpillar... She is scared... "I need some time". And far down the whole she falls...

In Wonderland she stretches up and down, too big, too small. She is doubted to be her. Says the wise catterpillar "You are not hardly Alice". There she is told she has a duty and a path to follow towards the White Castle. She deviates from the path, with her heart and passion, as she goes into the Red Castle. She is courageous and compassionate. The sword is back to where it belongs. Nobody else can slate the dragon. She cries. The catterpillar, as he transcends, say to here  "Your tears will do nothing for you"

And champion she goes, backed up with all the white army and her friends to the chess board to fight the dragon. It is no easy, but she's not alone and war is set as the two enemies start - the dragon and the sword. She is just a channel. They battle hard. Until with one slate the dragon's head rolls down, step by step to the ground. This is it. All put down their guns. The guilty ones are punished. She is given the potion to go back up the whole.

Up from the whole she says "no" for what is supposed to be right and go... to the other side of the world, where no trade has ever been done before. Hairs flying free with the wind blowing and a blue butterfly on her shoulder.

And we, are we playing Alice in our lives? Is the clock ticking for time?

Valentine

The Land of Nod (Robert Louis Stevenson 1850 - 1894)

From breakfast on all through the day
At home among my friends I stay;
But every night I go abroad
Afar into the land of Nod

All by myself I have to go,
With none to tell me what to do -
All alone beside the streams
And up the mountain - sides of dreams.

The strangest things are there form me,
Things to eat and things to see,
And many frightning sights abroad
Till morning in the land of Nod.

Try as I like to find a way,
I never can get back by day,
Nor can remember plain and clear
The curious music that I hear.

---------

Dreamy Louis,

As he knows, maybe

Since Dreamy Louis

Mysteriously describes me!

Maarten

Vrij

Vrij waarvan...
Gemakzucht

Vrij waartoe!

Daar begint het eeuwig zoeken



Maarten
(Naar Also Sprach Zarathustra - Nietzsche)

Van een afstand

Van een afstand kijk ik mijzelf aan

Een vriend loopt langs en zegt:

‘Kijk hem stralen, die man daar’

Ik knik instemmend en glimlach

‘Ik leer hem steeds beter kennen

En ooit zullen we samen zijn’

Onkruid wil tarwe heten

Zijn ogen dwalen af. Wel tien keer per minuut. Vol verlangen, vol verwachting. Vol hunkering naar iets onzekers. We hebben een gesprek, maar wordt er oprecht geluisterd? Het is liefde. Liefde die nooit overgaat. Liefde voor jezelf, geuit door aandacht. Onbestemde en bestemde aan-dacht.
Zijn ogen dwalen af; zijn aandacht verslapt. Hij is verliefd. Een braam met een rood pulserend puntje. Het puntje reikt tot diep in het hart, tot diep in de ziel. Iedere puls kleurt het lichaam roder. Rood; de kleur van hartstocht, erotiek en vreugde. Maar tevens de kleur van oorlog, bloed en vuur.
Zijn ogen dwalen af. ‘Deze moet ik even hebben.’ Ons gesprek slaat dood; alsof het nooit bestaan heeft. Alsof het van geen waarde was. Ik blijf nog even luisteren. Wordt er iets gezegd? Vluchtig afstemmen en later bevestigen. Even lachen; hoe onoprecht. ‘Waar waren we gebleven.’ Maar ik, ik ben al weg.
Zijn ogen dwalen af. Een braam met duizend borsten. En een pulserend puntje. Verliefdheid is een neurose; een die eeuwig duurt. Hij is verliefd; op iedereen behalve mij. Ik denk dat ik ga bellen. Moet nog even wat vertellen.
Zijn ogen dwalen af. Er licht iets op en maakt geluid. Mooi hoe binnen en buiten samen smelten. Ik ben het en begin mijn verhaal. We hebben een gesprek, daar blijft het bij. Hij is verliefd, nu ook op mij.