Sitting in Boudhanath, watching the sun shed says of rose gold light on the temple.. For some magical reason, I keep returning to this place.. Last year, this time, I made the decision to transition out of the job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.. Which meant leaving Nepal one year early.. I am now heading back to Norway, and the road is open.. Led by a deep curiosity of what it truly means to be a human living in the heart, having the freedom and space to be immersed in Nature.. Softening the edges of my life, exploring wild femininity, align to the intuitive rhythm of my being, walking the ancient paths of my land..
I have spent seven years studying peacebuilding, conflict resolution, sustainable development and humanitarian emergencies, driven by a search for meaning and the chance to improve the health of the very systems that fuel the violence and suffering. For what is true peace? What is medicine? Is there a universal remedy? And who was my last ancestor living from a whole heart? Parallel to the traditional academic realms, the search brought me from ecopsychology, rewilding and systems design to eastern mysticism, tantra and medicine traditions. To the yogic scriptures and practices, ayurveda and meditation, the wisdom of direct experience. During my two years in Nepal, I have also been blessed with the time and solitude to truly embody the questions, to feel them carve out space and integrate with my own body and mind.
Joanna Macy writes - “The transition to biosphere consciousness has already begun. All over the world, a younger generation is beginning to realize that one’s daily consumption of energy and other resources ultimately affects the lives of every other human being and every other creature that inhabits the Earth.” In the end, the only way I can justify my own existence is to fall so deeply in love with the Earth that I possibly can, and at the same time - falling in love with myself - for there is no separation. When I breathe life into my being, Her being is also ignited. Could it be that very idea of ‘human’ is undergoing a profound upgrade, which will provide a newly charged fuel to our economy and co-existence?
Since I was a child, I have prayed to the Sacred Feminine for guidance, asking to be shown how I can use my energy to serve the whole. Slowly, she began pulling my layers back.. Whispering - …remember.. My sensitivity heightened, and my awareness began to expand and contract with greater force.. I began listening to the silence.. Which turned out to be louder than I could even have imagined.. She told me to shed what didn’t resonate with my spirit, what didn’t feel natural. And when I didn’t listen, She would raise her voice.. I was craving to be in water, in the ocean.. What would it feel like to slip out of the skin of conditioning and cover my body in Nature’s emerald robe?
Too curious to leave the question unanswered, I began letting go.. In meditation, I could see the fabric of my life more clearly, as well as the seemingly invisible hand of the weaver who was in charge of creating the patterns.. Taking shape with each breath and movement of my intentions.. There is a difference between ‘receiving an imprint from existence and imprinting your intent on the universe.’ Becoming conscious of your existence, your energy and nature requires great introspection. When we strip down all the notions of Self and identity we have constructed around our being, we are left in a naked state, where the only thing that matters is our relative position to our surroundings - our connection to nature, and our ability to navigate it. Only when we are able to go inwards, we will be able to create intentions that resonate with our true nature.
The continuous answering to ‘what would nature do?’ finally led me home. To the northern seascapes, to wild honeysuckle, sand and pine.. Fresh water, roseroot and bare feet. To the garden where my mother's hands were tending to the roses on the day of my birth. To simplicity. To live responsibly within a community, nurturing and preserving its rich diversity, while not exceeding the limits of its self-renewing capacities. Seeing success as to what extent my life’s work will bring me closer to Nature. Preparing to become an elder of my tribe. Cultivating the arts - and changing nature of diplomacy, which I now perceive as a conversation across the fertile, thriving and flowing edges of existence itself.
In its broadest sense, any form of peacemaking begins with a deep respect for energy, the substance that fuels our progress. Resolving any tension in the flow of energy by bringing the conflicting currents to the surface, shedding light on the root causes of stagnant suffering, and engaging in practices such as creative problem-solving, nonviolent communication, and deep listening - so that the vital energy can fuel the optimal functioning of the system in which it flows. With a vision to help co-create ecosystems where there is a healthy balance between information and transformation, and all resources are equally vital to the cycle.
We come into this world as pure and unique reservoirs of energy, and are slowly channeled into the mainstream frameworks. Most of us forget who we are in the process. Through inner and outer sustainability practices, like meditation and spending time in nature, you begin recognising the protective layers you have constructed around your own soul-seed from the time of birth.
The next generation of environmental peacebuilders are not only here to protect the environment, we are here to create a world where the environment doesn't need protection. Coming from a biosphere consciousness mindset, understanding that it is our responsibility to untangle the energetic knots we have created in our global systems. Finding new ways to re-route the currents that allow for the deterioration of our ecologies, destruction of life – blocking life force. For this to happen, we have to become guardians in the places we live – rising from the roots - because ultimately - what we do to Nature, we do to ourselves.
This year, our planet reached its carrying capacity. My patience is also reached. I am answering a calling from the depths of my inner and outer waters. No fearing the past, no placing expectations on the future. Curious about what will unfold when a divine feminine rises from her roots. Carving out a paradise of her own. Resting in the present moment, infused with love, and open to receive.