Staying grounded during chaos art of hosting collective story harvest stories from the journey story activist Nov 05, 2023

I've been quiet for some time now, just cooking on my last journey and reflecting on the state of our world. There are two stories that stick with me from my very brief week in Istanbul. They reflect two lenses on what is happening and how we can host it.

The first is a moment in our ...

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Is this your threshold moment? stories from the journey Aug 20, 2023

I've just come back from spending a week in a house surrounded by forest in Connecticut. It had no internet, so I got away from the keyboard and the scrolling and spent time reading, resting and reflecting.

On my way there I stayed two nights with the vibrant and thoughtful Juanita Brown and her...

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The Yiddish word "die Levone" stories from the journey stories in a word Aug 04, 2023
Stories in a word...

German journalist Uwe von Seltmann fell in love with the Yiddish language and culture and has written many books about music, writers and history. These days he tours giving readings through Germany and the world. Here he talks about a favourite Yiddish word "die Levone" or...

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P.S. Every wondered about the Witcher? stories from the journey stories in a word Jul 29, 2023
Stories in a word...

Just in case you're a fan of the Netflix series "The Witcher", Gabi von Settlzmann tells where it came from.

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The Polish word "Wiedźma" & the Hebrew concept of "Tikkun Olam" stories from the journey stories in a word Jul 28, 2023
Stories in a word...

Polish artist Gabi von Seltzmann talks about the true meaning of the Polish word "Wiedźma" or witch. It means a woman with knowledge or wisdom. In the old Slavian traditions, she knew about herbs, healing and had contact with ancestors and magic. In the middle Ages the word...

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The Danish way of "seeing eye to eye" stories from the journey stories in a word Jul 21, 2023
Stories in a word...

The Danes have a particular focus on what they call "seeing eye to eye" or "being at the same eye level." Moving past the time of the sovereign kings, Denmark's people had to work together to rebuild their society. Being at eye level is a stance and a value. Toke Paludan...

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The Danish word "Dannelse" stories from the journey stories in a word Jul 14, 2023
Stories in a word...

Toke Paludan Møller talks us through the Danish concept of "dannelse", which is all about educating your "humanbeing-ness." The Danish Folk High School system -- still renowned around the world -- focuses on balancing knowledge and skills with supporting people to...

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Why "fika" could save the world stories from the journey stories in a word Nov 29, 2022
Stories in a word...

Ordinary people have coffee breaks, but the Swedes have "fika", a collective art in taking breaks. There are certainly fewer places in the world that drink more coffee and have developed the cinnamon bun into an artform.

Could the practice save the world? Listen to...

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The Russian words "sobytie" & "razdelit" stories from the journey stories in a word Nov 26, 2022
Stories in a word... 

Every culture has something unique to add to our understanding of what it is to be human and how we experience this world.

You might think that the word "event" would be a simple translation, but in Russian the word "sobytie" actually means to "co-be". Co-creation in a...

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Exploring how Swedes practice team stories from the journey stories in a word Nov 24, 2022

Stories in a word 

The Swedes have a very rich history of how they practice being in community and making sure everyone has enough. One image that often pops to mind is a circle of Vikings around a fire passing the drinking horn. Ulric Rudebeck describes his deep understanding of the old...

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What is "Hygge"? stories from the journey stories in a word Nov 23, 2022
Stories in a word... 

I love language! When I think about the scene from The Matrix when Neo is offered the red pill and the blue pill, I visualise it like this:

If the red pill were all the physical prowess in the world and the blue pill were all the languages in the world, I'd take the...

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A P.S. on Hygge... stories from the journey stories in a word Nov 22, 2022
Stories in a word...

... but wait, there's more! What's the opposite of Hygge?

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