How do you think individual, collective, and planetary wellbeing are connected?

When we are able to feel our innate connection to ourselves, to others and to the planet, we tap into our true nature, our interconnectedness. It is where science and sacredness meet, where the evidence stacks up to support the concept of our “interbeing” as Thich Nhat Hanh put it. To live within an awareness of this means we might perceive ourselves not as fragmented, isolated or wounded individuals, but rather as a part of an infinitely complex whole. If we were to live with this as our guiding principle, the very idea of it might allow both our thoughts and our actions to be infused with a new depth of compassion and care, transforming how we treat our bodies, minds and our fellow humans and non humans and also to care for the wider world that surrounds and supports us as a part of ourselves. Conversely, to live in disconnection is to deny our bounty, our beauty and our community with all things, human and beyond human.

Also – we are united by so much more than that which divides us. The work I do within the realm of creating non religious ritual engages with the universal experiences we all share – birth, death, love, grief, home, food, family, reflection, seasonal changes, work, rest, rites of passage from one life stage to another… Regardless of our beliefs,  the list goes on and on, for ritual denotes meaningful moments of transitions of all kind, whether they pertain to our identity, our location, our race, our challenges, our losses and our joys. 

Our lived experiences are so often demarcated by the same thresholds and so to find kinship and connection amid all our many differences allows us to accompany each other through the same transitions we all face, offering a way to feel less alone along the path we all walk through birth, life and death.

What do you hope the outcomes are from the global Hearth Summit?

Enhanced appreciation for art in nature as the tie that binds us, heals us, generates our curiosity, and creates those awe-filled moments that teach us to feel in our bodies.

WHAT TIU IS READING, LISTENING TO, AND WATCHING

Work for Humans Podcast: Nourishment for the Soul: The Sacred Power of Ritual in Work and Life | Tiu de Haan

TEDxHeythrop College Talk: “Why We Still Need Ritual with Tiu de Haan”