by Martin Kirchner

I’m loaded with inspiration and joy right now and would like to share a little of it the best I can. This is not an “ordinary” blog article, but a travelogue and will be especially valuable for people who are interested in holistic change, recipes for wellbeing or the interface of social change and spirituality.

HOW I AM RIGHT NOW

I’m so grateful right now. Again and again I have had the luck in my life to spend intensive times with unbelievably great people in really amazing places.

This week I am at a retreat with 40 social entrepreneurs and activists from Brazil, Mexico, Kenya, Hong Kong and India, in the middle of a small mountain village above Lake Geneva.

We were all invited by The Wellbeing Project and the wonderful place – Montagne Alternative.

WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?

Shifting the culture of the social change sector.

I’ve been invited here by The Wellbeing Project. I was already in Sweden in February at a meeting, where I was well accompanied in my personal Pioneers-of-Change crisis before the Summit.

What a privilege. I’m amazed at the way my life has played out.
The week was intense, with lots of exchange, meditation and fun. For example, I learned the Breath Body Mind method against post-traumatic stress. As a DJ, yesterday I played a 5-rhythm wave (yes, including Rage Against the Machine).

The clear insight is: “Wellbeing inspires Welldoing”.

In order to bring about good things in the world, we have to make sure that we are doing well, that it works and GOOD. If we burn out nobody gets anything out of it, we just pass on unhealthy patterns.

Here I would like to share two interviews I have done:

Interview with Greta Rossi. Greta runs the Ashoka Changemaker Exchange and has collected many great tips, especially for young changemakers and organisations on the website “Recipes for Wellbeing”.

Interview with Frank Hoffmann, Ashoka Fellow and gynaecologist Frank uses “discovering hands” to educate blind women who detect breast cancer early with their increased sense of touch, and get a job through him. He talks about his wellbeing, and has a tip for everyday life.