SCHOOL OF ALL RELATIONS

SOAR memories

3/27/2018

Anna's memory of a workshop-day in February...

I am standing in the top floor room at SOAR, sunlight coming in, the view of the sea in front of me. The workshop this week is about non-violence and relations. Our facilitator Brigitte is brilliant. She seems to have magic powers to make us reflect about the dynamics of our group and our individual patterns and see it with such clarity. But this morning, I can’t concentrate. There is something going on in me, I don’t know what, but it demands space. I can’t stop crying, and I talk to Brigitte. She tells me to wait a few minutes. Then she puts me in the middle of the group, when all I want is to hide. I close my eyes, while the group sings a song about beauty, a song of beauty, while spiraling around me into a group hug. I feel the warmth, the love, the acceptance of me as I am with all my mess. As I leave the workshop to go look at the sea by myself, I am not alone. My family there on the top floor is with me with all their support and care.

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SOAR-memories

2/20/2018

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Ilsa's memory of (every) arrival-day, just before everything started.

End of November - it is the end of autumn, but on the island the air is still soft and full of sweet scents. Many still swim in the sea and enjoy the gentle breeze and sunbeams on their half uncovered skin.
At the Oikia Karapanou everything is in full swing, with merry excitement in the air. Today everybody is going to arrive and our adventure is going to start. We will all lay eyes on each other for the first time, a first real hug, a first feeling, first laughter and stories about from where and how everybody got here... At night we are going to spend the first evening together around dinner, carefully looking at each person, one by one, already feeling our hearts a bit more open – wondering what will come, but also impatient to get started with this new life, in this newborn tribe, in this house.

But before those moments, there is this very special instant of silence, as if the whole place held its breath for a while... One last round in the house to check on every piece of furniture, the lavender and herbs from the garden placed on every bed to welcome the travellers. It is still so calm that you can hear the wood squeaking under every barefoot-step and one can almost hear the sunlight dancing curiously through every empty room, eager to welcome their new guests who will make this house a HOME, creating, sharing and holding countless stories...

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What stays with us after SOAR...

7/1/2017

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What can I say about Soar? My personal experience in Soar makes my tongue weak. The space, trust, tools and care I was given to look deeper into myself. All the workshops, Non Violence and communication, looking at my patterns and meeting my inner child. Daily meditation, yoga, community work, way of council, giving, sharing, love, magic, finding beauty all around me, in me, people around me and nature. Spending 30 days trekking in the end of my Soar journey. My tribe, the community, me being part of something greater, feeling of belonging, connection, and trust. After a year has passed I'm still struggling to find the right words. All I can say now is:
Thank you.
It can be difficult for an individual to find his place in today's rapidly changing World - especially when there is no time made for it by society. So take the only step you can, step into yourself, step to ground your roots deep in, and to find your way to be you and with you every day for the rest of your life.
This is Soar to me.

Jenna (1st year's participant)

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What stays with us after SOAR - a poem...

7/1/2017

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As I land in the soil
Roots begin to uncoil
Stretch and strengthen
Retract and lengthen

Sleeping around a forgotten seed
A child inside awakes
Reaching a hand out
My roots go deep
As we meet
I sway with the winds

I fall and I rise
The circle supporting
I am heard, I am held
I rise taller

As I blossom
My heart is expanding
Full of joy
I am loving
And living

Briar (2nd year's participant)

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Why SOAR is precious... here is what Anna thinks

6/17/2017

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SOAR is a rare kind of education that invites young people on an important inner journey which helps each person to meet both their strengths and their challenges, and not least to share these with each other and the world. Feeling safe and supported is crucial for such a journey. I have never felt so safe to meet whatever came and I have never learned so much about the power of a supportive and listening community. These two branches - finding my inner strength and feeling the power of a community - are crucial for finding my way to contribute to the world while having the whole of me in it!

Anna (1st year participant)

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Life after Soar: A letter from Lefteris (2015/2016 scholarship )

10/7/2016

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Helllo!
I'm Lefteris, a Greek graduate of SOAR, granted with a scholarship in 2015/2016.
It's been 4 months since our graduation, but my heart is still close to the School.
A school that has become a second family to me.

This program really helped me to change my life: meaningful communication, collective collaboration, deepening, self discovery and new revelations. I re-discovered what being human means.

My overall experiences from the typical educational system and my adult life in a country striken by socioeconomic crisis can be summed up in a sentence:
A systemic discouragement to explore a crucial question: Who am I ?

For me this discouragement goes very deep: It's an obstacle in expressing our core personal dynamics, discovering who we are,  how we relate to each other, how we shape our social environment and, consequently, in becoming whole on a personal and collective level.

I strongly believe that my generation has a responsibilty to re-create this wholeness. As Nikos Kazantzakis wrote: "Love responsibility. Say: "It is my duty, and mine alone, to save the earth. If it is not saved, then I alone am to blame."

This is something that comes naturally in SOAR:
We were all for one and one for all. We discovered every day how we relate to each other. We experienced how it's like to take responsibility for ourselves and our community with respect to the inner processes and the time needed.

If we, the young generation recover our values, then we will able to recover from the crisis as well. The School of All Relations can play an important role in this process. I personally evolved and became a better person during this program. I now feel stronger than ever and closer to my dreams. And more than ever ready to shape a better future for all of us young people who live in Greece.

I strongly recommend School Of All Relations and i'm very grateful for being part of it.

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Life after SOAR 1: A letter from Iris

9/15/2016

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" Looking back on it now, three months later, I’m so happy about ending up on this beautiful island, in this stunning house with all its lovely people. Still, sometimes I struggle to describe my experience.It’s something that actually loses some of its magic by talking about it, you have to live it! Also, I feel like we went so deep sometimes, things are still moving in me, which is very beautiful. On my daily bus ride this past week I’ve been pondering about the questions what I have taken from those 6 months.

The biggie here is love and connection. Excuse the cliché...

The aspect of community life has left me with the deep trust, that I’m not alone here. That for every painful experience, every struggle and every joy, there is someone to share it with. Someone who might not have gone through the exact same things but who will be there for you, willing to listen and stand by you with a caring word, a loving hug or a compassionate gesture. I had moments where our being human suddenly felt so beautiful and empowering, when faced together. Seeing how we all carry the same things in our hearts, so similar, yet still so different…

All this might sound quite logical but I think especially in the time we are living now, as young people there is a lot of pressure to put yourself out there. To be independent, to know where you’re headed (how on earth could we?!), to be „successful“, always already thinking about the next step while you’re still busy doing something else. In Highschool the conversation about university starts even before you graduate and the nagging questions of "So..what are you going to do after …?“ stay with you even if you’re studying, or while you’re traveling or doing something completely different.

At least this has been my reality but SOAR has strengthened my love for the uncertain. I still remember one of my intentions I spoke at a fire once "…to find security in being by following my heart…“ and think that this knowledge, how to do that, is one of the core things SOAR can provide for young people.

And there’s so much more, I could fill pages with the beauty of SOAR. But this underlying feeling of home, people who get me and that life is my friend is what I take as my treasures and am forever grateful for."

Iris

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Reflection of Skye from SOAR festival

4/23/2016

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The first thing that struck me on arriving at SOAR was the way in which we where welcomed, by the community, which such warmth easy and openness.
We were immediately invited to join the rich rhythm of community life, part-taking in delicious food, yoga, singing, introspection, and meaningful connections.

A few days after arrival SOAR festival kicked off.
This was three days of workshops, celebrations, feats and sharing.
Put together by participants and team.
The festival was a gift to the wider community, (both local and international), giving us a taste of "life at SOAR".

What a feast !

Photo: Tom Schaefer

My highlights were many: a non violent-communication workshop, sunrise yoga, council and storytelling, open mic night and wild dance party.

I experienced and witnessed such deep connections, beauty and transformations among all those who attended.

I found so inspiring to feel the power of what has been created here at SOAR over the past 5 months, as unique individuals here came together, created and intricate web of relations with one another.

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The shepard's story

3/25/2016

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Everything is possible.

The sacred land of Methana welcomed us all with grace into its valleys and
with an amazing view.
We Camped freely, transforming the little white church into a kitchen,
some ruins nearby of an old village.

Awareness was present about the Shepard; he doesn't like to have people
around because his goats are climbing about in the mountains and might get
scared by humans and dogs. Some brief interactions with the Shepard
brought us to feel his heavy annoyance about us being there.

Nevertheless this encounter didn't disturb our sharing circles, rituals,
meditative walks and solo time.

During one of our walks, Christina met an old school teacher of her
daughter, and with whom she had a beautiful talk. She gifted Christina
with some wine and was told that next time we should tell her earlier that
we were coming, so she could prepare a meal for us all. A spark of
connection was created again.

The day before we left, the Shepard had called for the police. A Policeman
appeared, talking with Christina in great understanding, knowing the
Shepherd from numerous troubles and how rough he could be with others. He
Kindly gave us some alternative places to go to next year, letting us know
that If we got authorization from the owner of whoever's land we were on,
we could stay for as long we would want to.

Easy and peaceful, the Policeman didn't bother to make any trouble, and
wished us a good way back home.
Welcome to Greece!

Waking up for our last morning packing the tents and gathering for our
last circle, we saw the Shepherd with two other people. We assumed that it
was the owner of the land being shown where we were camped and
listening to strong complaints about it.

Not being so disturbed about it, we gathered for our last circle honoring
our experience together.

Walking on the concrete road on our way back to the port a car stopped
next to Christina, the school teacher appearing through the window with a
big smile. Waiting for translation about the clearly exciting story, we
discovered the School Teacher WAS the owner of the land we were camping on
and who gave Christina complete trust and allowance to come whenever she
wanted.

The Shepard then also arrived in a car, the School of all Relations
together on the road with him and the owner. Trying to get out of this own
mistake, the Shepard finally asked about us, where we came from, and what
was our intention.

Finally he asked Christina if next year he could join our group to learn a
bit of English, learn other things.

Text written by Marion Ansaldi

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BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!

1/25/2016

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Soar already started almost two months ago, two months so full and intense
that there has not been a minute left to reach out to the world.
A thousand excuses!

We are a group of 10 wonderful participants from all over Europe (Spain, Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Holland, Finland), 9 team members and many friends coming and going.

Our 6 months program started with a 3 days trek around Aegina.

Our first workshop: Developing Sensory Perception.

Creating our community garden, with seeds from local varieties from the seed bank of the Aeginian Organization for Preservation of Biodiversity.

The sea is at the end of the garden: every free moment is an opportunity for a swim.

Preparing lunch.

During and after the Relations and Non-Violence workshop.

Sharing in small groups.

Climbing on mount Oros to watch the sunrise.

What is it like to be at SOAR ?

Anna Nyskov Irgens-Møller
Age 25 -- Denmark

To be at SOAR is 17 people coming together with different experiences, stories, skills and motivations, all wanting to learn and dream and create together.

To be at SOAR is having your home a castle with a garden and balconies and sea and sunrise view, with five minutes walk to the morning swim and an owl looking at you from above the hammock.
To be at SOAR is intense weeks of workshops and meeting inspiring people, but with all the time and space you need for crying and laughing and being who you are.
To be at SOAR is being in a house full of creating, loving people, and balancing this with making time and space for yourself.
To be at SOAR is learning, feeling, dreaming, crying, hugging, swimming, eating, singing, sharing, cooking, meeting, laughing, being, cleaning, watching, hiking, biking, listening and making fires.

Iris Angel
Age 19 -- Germany

Even after this short time I have (re)found more things inside myself than I had imagined. Through all the amazing things I'm experiencing here, the inspiring people around and the time we have I was able to recharge. I could reconnect to my inner joy, my passion and excitement about life.

I'm eager to learn and grow. Along with it came a new sense of what is actually possible and an inner trust and a feeling of being empowered to go my own way. A few days ago when I had a moment to myself I felt like I was able to get a tiny glimpse of the new person I might transform into over the coming six months. There's much more to find and I'm planning to welcome anything that comes .

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Anna's memory of a workshop-day in February...

Ilsa's memory of (every) arrival-day, just before everything started.

Soar already started almost two months ago, two months so full and intensethat there has not been a minute left to reach out to the world.A thousand excuses!

We are a group of 10 wonderful participants from all over Europe (Spain, Greece, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Holland, Finland), 9 team members and many friends coming and going.

Our 6 months program started with a 3 days trek around Aegina.

Our first workshop: Developing Sensory Perception.

Creating our community garden, with seeds from local varieties from the seed bank of the Aeginian Organization for Preservation of Biodiversity.

The sea is at the end of the garden: every free moment is an opportunity for a swim.

Preparing lunch.

During and after the Relations and Non-Violence workshop.

Sharing in small groups.​

Climbing on mount Oros to watch the sunrise.

What is it like to be at SOAR ?

​Anna Nyskov Irgens-MøllerAge 25 -- Denmark

​​​​Iris Angel Age 19 -- Germany

Categories

Soar already started almost two months ago, two months so full and intense
that there has not been a minute left to reach out to the world.
A thousand excuses!

Sharing in small groups.

Anna Nyskov Irgens-Møller
Age 25 -- Denmark

Iris Angel
Age 19 -- Germany