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 ...
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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Stories in a word...
... but wait, there's more! What's the opposite of Hygge?