Earlier this week there was a moment when I was standing in a restaurant in Finland’s fascinating and beautiful capital Helsinki, ordering dinner for my family while also mentally drafting notes for this Editor’s Letter.
Standing there, I felt a sudden sense of surprise by a heaving darkness outside. It surprised me for the time of day. In fact, for a flash second I had an experience of being outside season, place or time- a strange and extremely fleeting sensation that perhaps some of you who have moved or travelled a lot have felt.
I checked my watch. 6 PM. I had been anticipating the dark, cold season’s approach for weeks but in this second really felt it upon us completely.
It was an interesting moment in terms of atmosphere, light, awareness and season. I had just been emailing and messaging with Australian writer Kerrie Basha a couple of hours prior and one of my questions for her in the interview we prepared for this months content was about a sense of hemispheric balance and awareness when launching monthly content. I was excited as our interview would also launch a new category focused on soulful insight and dialogues here at Pacific Roots Magazine.
For example, beginning this month and through November, all content at Pacific Roots Magazine will be labelled Autumn as here where I live in Northern Europe the bustle of the cold season begins. However in the Southern hemisphere, the shift is into Spring. With a global readership in mind, I have been wondering how I could balance and give proper regard to that distinction, while also paying heed to the seasons.
I still have not quite figured that out and am allowing myself time to explore the challenge. Meanwhile, I occupy myself with the busy season of back to school, leaves falling and people striding with more focus and thought. There is a seriousness to Autumn that I love as well as the drama that plays out in nature with all the gorgeous, shifting hues unfolding through the months.
In addition to the seriousness, I love the “busy” energy. Busy seems to be a very pedestrian word, doesn’t it? But for me, the notion of busy reminds me of the energy I had every late August as a young girl growing up, thrilled to get my notebooks in order, all my writing utensils organized and readied for a fresh new chapter of school.
Ultimately, a purposeful busy to me has a dharmic quality- a dynamic flow of activity that includes action, rest, interaction, production and reflection. It is fulfilling ones function- from deep spiritual duties to the most basic daily chores.
I view this site, the recently founded Pacific Roots Magazine, as a modern yet very grassroots media outlet. I founded it in a spirit of education, advocacy and awareness and it is currently not monetized. The beginnings of my media project here are run on sheer dedication and passion which is a common thread I found with many of the individuals I interviewed this month, who run non-profits or began their business with a similar motivation of advocacy and passion.
For me, the essence of the “purposeful busy” I seek to emody through all seasons is that cycle of action and rest towards meaningful work that sustains both yourself, your family and your soul.
Features this month include
- The Time of Shojin & the Power of Vegetables by Toshio Tanahashi
- The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, USA
- Lisa McDonald of Sanctuary Brewing Company in North Carolina, USA
- Israeli animal sanctuary Freedom Farm Sanctuary
- Australian writer Kerrie Basha of Bohomofo
- Alisha Utter of vegan farm Arbor Farmstead in Vermont, USA
- North Carolina based Farmshire Animal Sanctuary feature by Calen Ann Otto
- ABC Sweden, Bee the Change & Vi Odlar! in Lund, Sweden
- Maxime Renaudin, founder of Tree-Nation
- Hawai’i Cow Rescue Reflection by Hawai’i Lava Flow Animal Rescue Network organizer & founder Alessandra Rupar-Weber
- Oslo’s Car-Free Livability Program
From this month forward, I have also decided to begin publishing content on a rolling basis so visitors to Pacific Roots Magazine can enjoy features and interviews on a more regular basis.
I hope enjoy this month’s content and that, no matter where you are in the world, that you have a wonderful season.
Annika Lundkvist
