On January 27 2017, Vivienne (VivU Buntu) organised INTO YOUR NATURE. The purpose of this event in the beautiful surroundings of 's-Graveland was to inspire by the wisdom of the Earth Keepers in DOWN to EARTH, have a dialogue on its impact with Rolf Winters, get acquainted with the global goals for sustainable development and connect to nature and other fellow human beings.

2016 has been a challenging year in a lot of ways and has tested our ideas of the shape of the world. This has caused many people to take greater responsibility in contributing to take care of our world, whether being it from a personal or business perspective. Many people are looking for places where they can be inspired to bring out the best in themselves while at the same time connecting with like-minded others. Across different worlds (corporates, freelancers, start-ups, GO’s, NGO’s and human beings everywhere) I hear and sense this longing, and with my own purpose of ‘serving the world and humanity by connecting’ I loved to facilitate an answer to this longing this with INTO YOUR NATURE. I believe that the more people become conscious about the importance of connecting to their own nature, the more we can make a difference in taking care of the world and each other. 

After the film and dialogue we went outside for a reflective walk in the beautiful surroundings, with nature providing the perfect opportunity to connect with the other participants as well. Following lunch the participants had the option to choose from three workshops: Qi Gong, a guided walk with a ranger, fishing with a local, or a transformational breathing session.

With a lot of gratitude I look back on a very special and inspiring day with a group of 70 beautiful human beings. I want to thank all the Earth Keepers present for their open minds and hearts and for connecting.

1400 litres of litter cleared, 2000 crocus bulbs newly planted, but mainly solidarity: this was the result of the ‘Grote Ontfermbermdag’ – loosely translated as the Big Roadside Care Day – on 14 January 2017. For this initiative, DOWN to EARTH was used as an inspiration to come to new insights and create more connection, both with nature and each other.

During the Grote Ontfermbermdag, an initiative to keep the roadsides in the communities of the Duffelt, Ooijpolder and surrounds clean and liveable, thirty people took care of various roadsides through a clean-and-plant initiative. Afterwards they watched DOWN to EARTH together. During the cleaning walk, farmer Hannes Brücker talked about how the litter in the area poses a threat to his cows, and how grateful he is that actions are being taken to prevent this. Alderman Erik Weijers demonstrated how civilians can use the app developed by the municipality of Berg en Dal to report big piles of trash and litter.

Participants were surprised that people throw the most odd things onto the side of the road and don’t realise the gravity of it. But the positive feeling they got from cleaning op the litter together also surprised them. This feeling of solidarity within their community was strengthened by the answers of the Wisdom Keepers in DOWN to EARTH, who talk about the differences in the world and the outgrowth of consumer society. A message of hope for the future emanates from their stories; of a great involvement in what is happening in the world, but mostly a message of attention to what natures has to offer, of living by the seasons, of living with the generations before and after us. Joint celebrations or rituals can be healing for a bigger circle than just the individuals that partake in it; one of the participants called the film a ‘medicine’. DOWN to EARTH gave many the insight that they must restore the connection between nature and society, of which the Ontfermbermdag is a great example. They want to actively help spread the message that we are all Earth Keepers.

An important effect of the day is that the trust in informal cooperation has increased and that new connections have emerged in the community of the Duffelt and Ooijpolder.

For more information and photos have a look at the Facebook page of Ontfermberm.

When I first watched DOWN to EARTH I was inspired by the link between the film and my work in a clinic with youngsters that struggle with addiction and behavioural problems. Their issues are to a high degree connected to our current society and excessive use of social media. I wanted to show the film to these kids in combination with a lecture, in which they could think about the message of the film in an interactive way.

On 8 and 9 April 2017 the 48 adolescents, split into two groups, experienced the lecture and the film. The lecture, which took place during the first half of the day, focused on our society of consumption, social media and what its use implies. We had an interactive discussion and the group got the chance to think about several theses. Amongst other things, we discussed our high material needs, the true costs of our consumption society, and the term ‘socialbesity’: an addiction to social media, under which other achievements (school, work) suffer. We ended the lecture with the question of where we can find our balance again.

During the second half of the day we watched DOWN to EARTH. We discussed the film extensively, during which the youths voiced their ideas, fears and recognition, and came up with new questions. Many mentioned that the film brings them back to the essence of life; that we sometimes forget what really is important and that DOWN to EARTH helps them to remember what that is. We discussed the cultural differences between the peoples in the film and us. This was known territory to some, but completely new to others.

The kids said they would like to see the film again because it contains so many wise life lessons. Seeing it left them with a good and inspired feeling, and at the same time made them think about their position in life – not only in their personal situations but also in society as a whole. One said it reminded them of this quote:

“If you want to build a ship, do not send people to find wood. Do not tell them what the ship must look like, but make them long for the sea.”

On May 4 World Day, the world in all its diversity took center stage at St. Lambertus Westerlo. Students (16-18 years), their parents and teachers were shown the movie "Down to Earth".

Students and teachers describe seeing the film as an intense experience.

"Down to Earth reflects, in my view, not only how we can deal better with the planet, but also how we can deal better with ourselves and others. One of the sentences that has stuck with me is: "We carry no fear". I think this is a very powerful and rich statement, because you live in harmony without fear. Shouldn't we all be doing that?

Juliana Fasotte, (age 16)

'High school; also called the delivery room and the vestibule where we prepare our children "for the future". At school we run the heads of our students at full speed. We provide them with knowledge from beautiful, thick books full of glossaries and grammars in foreign languages, definitions, evidence, critical comments and scientific analysis. But we often lose sight of a crucial matter, especially in the place that must prepare them for that later life: we hardly give them "vitamins" for sustainable and personal growth. We fail to help strengthen their internal compass.

Teacher

Down to Earth gives an awareness of the now. The ideas of the earth keepers that are about dignity, speaking lovingly, compassionate listening, working together and living together, about deep respect for people, animals and mother earth inspire and emotion. The film is an antidote, a medicine, for children in this often maddened, sad and incomprehensible world created by the adults. "

Julian Rietveld (Age 17)

"A movie that will hit you whether you watched it with your heart or your head."

Borrow Adriaansen

We are going to show the film again. Especially to focus on action with our head, our heart and our hands.

On a cloudy Saturday in October my partner and I met Rolf Winters and his family through the white screen at the Happinez event. The message of DOWN to EARTH had long been hidden somewhere in the depths of our minds, and the film seemed to lighten up this essential spot in our brains: humanity is in such big danger that our existence in balance with nature is threatened. We have work to do!

After the screening we, and the rest of the audience, had a conversation with Rolf. After a walk through the woods we came together around a fire where shaman Steve led a ceremony to connect with mother Earth, the winds, the sun, our ancestors and each other. The warmth of the fire and the event stayed with us for a couple of days. It seemed that a kind of metaphysical connection had come into existence between the visitors of the event, Steve, Rolf, the singers near the fire and the Earth Keepers from the film – a lovely bubble to float in.

After the heat of the fire of those first days had cooled down, the bubble suddenly burst and we were both attacked by uncertainty and sadness. What was happening here?

The inspiration flowed away, and we started scrutinizing every act in our daily lives. We couldn’t stop seeing ourselves as wasteful consumers. It was good to share our worries and we decided: let’s not drive ourselves crazy, but let’s feel the responsibility and deal with it at our best. Let’s see what we can do. It's great if we succeed in doing something different for the good, if not, then at least we tried and maybe we’ll take that step in the future.

And then we ordered new mattresses. We had chosen for mattresses made of almost purely organic materials that becoming mostly biodegradable after ten years. But when the mattresses were delivered we were shocked: Both mattresses were packed in big, thick plastic bags and around the bag was a big cardboard box. After unpacking we watched the garbage dump we had just produced. Slowly the inspiration we felt from DOWN to EARTH came back to us. I suddenly saw a how these giant cardboard boxes could turn into canvasses to paint on. I remembered how a friend, who is a teacher at an art school, had told me about the new studio at her school. I texted her pictures of the ‘garbage’ and asked her if it was useful to her and her students. “Wow, those are great materials to use in our new studio!”

Two days later we were at a parking lot, carrying the cardboard ‘canvasses’ from my car to hers. “Do you like Dionne so much you’re giving her your garbage as a present?” our mates joked. Full of self-confidence about this tiny but effective contribution to the ‘Earth Keeping project’, I answered happily: "Just watch DOWN to EARTH, you’ll understand…"

Natasja Essers