From Nepal to Italy
Dear friends,
Our time as residents of Italy won’t begin until October, when the official transfer takes place. And so, I decided to travel for five more weeks in Nepal, to indulge in the beauty of the country—the nature, the kindness, the simplicity, the spirituality—and to spend a few weeks in a peaceful place to work on the final part of my book. I suggested to my youngest son that he join me for a few weeks and return earlier so I could write in solitude.
I’ve been able to write in solitude, and how! In a small house overlooking a large lake, with green mountains in the background, I was able to focus deeply for two weeks. On one of the peaks across the lake stood a Buddhist stupa glistening in the sun, while another was home to a monumental Shiva. I felt well surrounded.
But my son didn’t return earlier. Instead, during our time together, things unfolded one after the other, and as a result, he spent two weeks volunteering to teach English in a small school in a very remote village—only reachable after a two-hour hike through the mountains. He stayed at the volunteer post with a young American woman, and later another one. I was on the other side of the country. My son is seventeen and decided a year ago not to return to school after the summer holidays. He’s earning his high school diploma through self-study. It’s going well, but that’s almost secondary. The way he has developed as a person through all the challenges and adventures—many of which I’m largely responsible for—is truly impressive. He can hardly believe himself how his confidence and independence are growing. What I see most is how his heart is opening and how wise he’s becoming.
In the meantime, we’re enjoying one last week together in Nepal. My book, which is now really almost finished, will be published by Samsara at the beginning of next year. The title is The Dance of Nobody: A Personal and Transpersonal Journey in Search of Freedom and Love.
During our first week together, when my son went trekking for a day, I created a first version of a website for Amiglia. I’ll share more about this new place in the coming time, but here’s already a little peek. In the first two weeks of October, we’ll start setting up the buildings with a few pioneers. After that, Amiglia will be open to anyone who feels drawn to it. I look forward to welcoming you there!
The view from my writer's cabin
