The pursuit of freedom (blog)
Two weeks have passed since I arrived in Portugal. A period of rest and soaking up the fabulous weather and scenery, was followed by a few days of disorientation, then reorientation. Thankfully, my compass feels like it is pointing in the right direction again. Driving on the other side of the car and on the other side of the road, is a good analogy for the disorientation I experienced. Discomfort and frustration not knowing how to work the cash machine, receive post, get mobile broadband, find organic food, navigate the internet in a foreign language, communicate in shops, understand road signs and find my way around the local town. All this led to a momentary downer. If I couldn’t work out the supposedly simple things, how was I going to deal with the complexities of the Earth Collective project?
Of course, in my heart, I knew the answer. It’s the continuation of a theme I have been developing over the last few years, during my ‘nomadic phase’. An opportunity to elucidate this occurred during lunch with friends Laurie and Geeta, who have come to Portugal to look around with a view to joining my project. They have yet to sell their long term homes, which contain a lifetime of possessions. So, the question arose, how do you start the process of packing up and moving to a different country? My answer was, “one room at a time”.
When I sold my farm three years ago, I went through every room of my house (and extensive out-buildings) to sift, sell and give away all non-essential possessions, even my most treasured ones. In fact, I had to repeat the process several times. It was a form of purging. Everything that was left fitted into one large transit van when I moved out, though this was still too much for my new home on wheels. So, I fine-tuned once more and discarded anything I had kept for my future home. Now I was down to the bare essentials - clothes, food, cooking equipment, bedding and tech. By the time I moved out of the ‘mothership’ a month ago, my worldly possessions fitted into 20 boxes, several of which were basic provisions and dried food. Still quite a lot to lug around given I will probably have several moves in the next few months, as I search for the ‘chosen area’ in northern Portugal.
‘One room at a time’ morphed into ‘one step and a time’, then ‘one day at a time’ - a whole new definition of freedom. Freedom has been a theme for years. I was searching for it when I left my farm and took to the road. I named the ship on wheels ‘Freedom’ in honour of the quest. At that time, I desperately needed to be free from responsibilities and routine, the things that trapped me in the rural idyll I had created to escape the corporate world. It’s amazing how you can become a slave to your dream! Nomadic life wasn’t the epitome of freedom either, though it was a step in the right direction. Now, freedom has an entirely different meaning. It’s about being able to reinvent myself and my life in a different country. Another venture into the unknown which is potentially stressful. But I have found the best way to keep my balance and enjoy the journey, is to deal with the challenges a day at a time, remain fluid and follow my instinct, in order to converge with the divine synchronicity that I know will manifest my project. This type of freedom is about being in the moment and honing my connection to all that there is – mind, body, soul and the cosmos. Obviously, it’s a work in progress…..
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NB. I post short ‘Notes’ on my life and times in between blogs, which can be found in the top navigation of my Substack. More content can be found on my website, including wonderful pictures of my travels, also information on my book, ‘The Ultimate Relationship… the one with yourself’. If you like my work, please help me to spread the word. I don't use social media and rely on word of mouth. Thank you.
You’re smashing life as ever! 😊👍🏽