The Walk of Wisdom in a Year Round: A Look Back
Board member Hans Peerden in Scotland
This Sunday is the second silent walk in the series ‘the Walk of Wisdom in a year around’ (link). It is now also the second time that we as a foundation offer this round of reflection. An interview with our board member Hans Peerden, who participated in the entire series last year.
What attracts you to walking in silence with each other?
“By being quiet, I can experience much more what is happening around me. Then I see and hear better and I experience nature more strongly. The remarkable thing is that precisely because there are people around me, I experience more that it is quiet, because you have agreed on it with each other. I often walk alone in nature and then it is also quiet, but I am much less aware of it.
For me, the Walk of Wisdom is a special, honest form of searching for a good relationship with the world around me. That’s people, that’s nature, that’s what happened in the past and how our world is developing. Like many others, I am concerned about putting the individual first and the dominance of profit and efficiency. I think that’s a loss in the relationship with the other and my relationship with life.
Life has a transcendent value for me. A value that I always want to explore and propagate to others. These silent walks are a good way for me to do that and to help others experience it too. The beautiful route certainly invites you to do so.”
How did you feel about the first ‘Walk of Wisdom in a year’?
“The people who participated in the first year were positive and enthusiastic. The intention of the Walk of Wisdom of connecting with nature and the people around you came out well. For the participants, this has a clear added value. For some, it was also a pleasant way to hang out for a while and thus get acquainted with the WoW.
Throughout the year we have also had beautiful different weather, sometimes too cold, sometimes too hot, often beautifully sunny. Various people have introduced themes that were in line with the route or period. As a result, I have experienced for myself that the WoW is more than just a walking route.”
How do you see the future of the reflection round?
“I see the silence round as a possibility of an annual ritual. It is nice to walk the route in a year in a row in this form and to have the route parts connect together. It has its own meaning besides walking for days on end. In that respect, I suspect that next year will also ‘run’ well.
I’m curious to see if this form of experience can indeed become a ritual and if new people will become interested.”
The next silent walk is on Sunday 10 June: link.
