My parent’s relationship, still heavily under the stresses endured, was rather tens and often laden with emotional unease. At the same time, my dad, who had joined the peace movement and took a pacifist’s stand against the reorganization of the new German army, propelled his children into a rebellious position to whatever pressure applied to us by the old guard teachers and conservative, bureaucratic forces of society. Thus we turned out to be amongst the first in town to break the dress code and venture out into unconventional territory.

Self-determination always spelled in capital letters throughout my life.

Time of traveling followed these years of living in a fast-changing society which, interrupted by political turmoil seemed to be still working hard adapting to an even faster-growing economy.

Far away India and the ancient wisdom it had to offer was explored reaching it hitchhiking through the, at the time still open and thriving Afghanistan. It certainly left impressions on me I’ll never forget. A mountain in the region of its capital Kabul appeared on the horizon in the morning as small peek viewed over the desert, and grew and grew the whole day long as we slowly approached our destiny.  

Visiting several potteries throughout the Far East I learned about the primitive but skilled ways inherited by the potters over thousands of years from forgone generations.

My way back to Germany initiated when I realised that the love I’d found just before I left home constantly coloured the experience I was having. So, I returned to meet my future wife Maria, later mother of three of my children. Together we founded our first pottery in an old cottage build in 1754 exactly 200 years before we both were born.

Like a dèjá vu it hit us at first entry, knowing that we would live and work there, but sure not to make it our home for the rest of our time.

Shortly after my acceptance as an apprentice, my girlfriend and I moved into a big old farmhouse, left by its owners for the land to be subdivided and build on in the following years.

I loved my new job and jived through quite a few arguments with the conservative management because my skills advanced quickly, and thus made myself irreplaceable in the workforce.

Our first touch down onto Australian soil I remember like today. I felt the old ground under my feet vibrating in a very low frequency, so low in fact, as if the heartbeat of the world was suddenly noticeable. 

It felt like coming home to me!

We – that is my first wife Maria and our then two little boys, Johannes (4y) and Bernhard (2mth)- started from scratch, bought a place of then 2000 hectares in the bush endeavoring to build a new, adventures life.

Yeah, certainly the move to Australia opened our eyes. You know, looking out of the car window into the landscape knowing that for the next hundred kilometres to find nothing but indigenous land, no road, no factories, no neighbours to have to deal with and last but not least no other countries threatening the existence of each other, felt just like a haven to us.

Our first intend to plough with horses and make our way to the shopping mall, thirty k‘s away, on horseback was soon mended.

Thank God there were petrol pumps to water the garden!

The experience of farming sheep and cattle is still lasting till today, only that our oldest son Johannes has taken it over. But a living is generated from the tourist income generated from a large pottery workshop and accommodation hired to the many people coming out for a break from their busy lives in the cities. 

Once our children had grown up Maria and my way parted. 

I went back to Germany to work on an artistic career, fulfilling unresolved dreams of seeing my innermost inspirations recognized by society as contributions. 

Contrarily to all economic considerations, I did my art, unfolded some of my urges and drove needs to sculped and paint.

The success of expressing myself turned out to be a tremendous boost to my emotional life and understanding, but my need to make an income disappeared behind the horizon. 

As finances dwindled into oblivion a change was inevitable. 

A traditional German proverb says: Shoemaker, stick to your molds!

So in an act of desperation, I turned back to a pottery vessel water purifier which I had, as a side-line, always given some attention. 

Time was right and demand soon grew to substantial proportions to give me grounds to live on. 

I always seemed to love what I am doing but my realization, that this pure exchange of “labour of love” for money aiming to save for my oncoming age, will never grant a dignified departure, let me to allow for change as being the most essential force in life. 

And changing I did!

Oh, how wonderful it is to face our fears and reap the results of courage! 

Looking, searching, following deeply motivated interest. Considering the implications on my immediate environment consisting of the beloved people I knew and the extended circles of society I lived, I soon became aware, that aiming to live a truly abundant life will change not only my own but everyone’s life for the better. 

 To understand this point turned out to be a true challenge to myself as I was born and raised condemning the rich for their arbitrary, seemingly ruthless and egotistic behaviour towards the natural world, thinking of their competitive gain only. 

 It was at this point I re-devoured what I had learned from early experiences in my life namely that the source of all existence is one and is always looking to express itself in all its glory and inert intelligence. 

The implication of this will result in an honourably conducted life as long as the aim of every action is focussed on the common improvement of circumstances for all. 

My core understanding till then hovered around spiritual enlightenment while considering the material outcome as negligent. 

But now I knew that all in life has to work hand in hand, the inner world with the outer world, to the benefit of all involved. 

The major shift to me was accepting that circumstances and age had led me to a new frontier, to confront me with new challenges by the cheer knowing that a fresh intuition was engaged for me to discover a potential that lay dormant before and that had been lurking to come to flourish. 

That is the kind of “re-birth” we all experience throughout life if only we manage to overcome the anxieties keeping us from it. 

And where does the right action lie?

In growing our understanding of who we are and taking precise steps towards where we want to get.

That in itself is a whole chapter addressed by me in many posts and shares on my website. 

 Thank you for your interest!

And thank you for giving yourself the appreciation of seriousness!

I can do this and

you can do this because

we can do this together!