Our Aim
Start of the walk: July 2008
Hiking with all senses through the magic of natureEncounters with people and ideas
Openness for inspiration on old and new ways
Simple life and living simply
Conscious rediscovery of time and cycles
Departure and homecoming
I will undertake a long journey on foot as walking is one of the best and easiest ways of getting to know the world, the people and myself.
Our consumption oriented lifestyle is out of control. Natural resources are vanishing as quickly as the wind and the pollution of our earth is getting increasingly out of hand. Meanwhile, an increasing sense of disorientation is spreading throughout society as we learn that consumption cannot fill the emptiness in our lives. How can we manage once again to act responsibly and respectful within the environment? The answer not only depends on our interactions with one another and other living beings, but also on our perception of the world around us. Our actions will only result in the desired outcome if they are conscientiously carried out. But how can we change our consciousness? I want to discover possible answers and get to the bottom of the essential question: How can we bridge the gap between knowing and doing?
I will see and marvel: to experience the earth with all our senses, beginning with the small wonders along the way: the grass and the flowers, the beetles and the butterflies. I will listen: to the voices of earth and its people, visiting the sages of our time and seeking out what a sustainable and responsible lifestyle might look like. I will learn: from both the old and new knowledge. I will perceive: protecting the net of life and living as a part of it.
The Indians say that the way west is the way of clarity. To develop a sustainable lifestyle on our planet this clarity is of utmost importance. We should recognize that the consumption and growth oriented lifestyle of our western civilization can not be maintained forever. I will also walk to the South. The southern route is the way of change. As soon as we have clarity about our situation, we will need to change and the courage to carry out that change: A conscious decision for renewal.
I want to share the insights of my experiences by collaborating with print, radio, and television media from around the World. I hope both to inspire people, as well as, to encourage a new-found consciousness to flourish in people's hearts and minds. This is the central purpose of the campaign.
The overall idea of our trip is dedicated to the concept of "Crossroads." In both an individual and a universal sense, we are standing at a crossroads. It is time to make a responsible decision about our future. I will identify and communicate these crossroads on my way, and I want to consciously engage myself into these crossroads. Only then will we discover that which has seemed impossible in our consciousness so far. More crucial than the great distance covered will be the experiences in each moment of the journey, taken in by all my senses. I will not travel by airplanes. I will cross the oceans by ship (ideally by sailboat) in order to travel as ecologically and simply as possible.
I will not define an exact destination of my trip, holding with the old Chinese proverb: "Reach your goal without thinking about it, because every desire binds the mind."
