From February 26th till March 2nd, the doors were open from the Youth Initiative Program for the Spark to Flame Forum, a place for young people to explore the connection to themselves and their fellow world.
The sun was on our side during this Spark to Flame Forum. After a dark Swedish winter, we finally had wonderful sunshine as the first participant arrived. During the night, next to crystal clear stars, we saw first some shimmering green which became stronger and stronger. We almost didn’t trust our own eyes: Northern Lights! What a blessing.
The days started early and the sun stayed with us throughout the whole forum. Some went for morning runs and some even dipped into the icy fjord. We listened to Jannis Keuerleber, who talked about the moment when we are truly able to see the other and listen to them. Who else is present during these moments? Perhaps everyone and everything that made it possible for us to meet. Present in this moment of pure creativity are all the futures made possible by this encounter. Some other highlights were the roasted carrots with tahini that we had for lunch, folk-dancing and singing, the various workshops, and an open mic evening where everyone could step up and share their talents with the audience.
Ursula Flatters spoke on the topic of connection to self. Could it be that if we said ‹yes› more often and tried to take down our boundaries we would find a deeper connection to ourselves? She spoke about the ‹silent I› that talks to us in quiet moments where we are free from any outer influences and identities. She illustrated how connection to others, self and nature are not able to be separated. Because of this, she showed how devotion and humility can help us participate in nature. This is what moved me when I heard Lien de Costers lecture the following day about the connection to nature. Her lecture was pure love and devotion towards nature. I was reminded of what our ancestors knew: they turned to nature when they had to pass a threshold in life. The process of becoming an adult requires courage and solitude which can be found in nature. I gained many sparks for further thoughts during the forum. As I perceive nature, does nature also perceive me? How can I participate in this world to bring more moments of transparency, moments where two ‹I›s can really meet? Can I commit to making space in which I can listen to my ‹silent I›? May each of our sparks carry forward, and one day meet again.
Photo Dowon Kim
