Buonasera!
I have entered my fourth week here in Monticello, Umbria, a piece of paradise transmitting a sense of deep-rooted connectedness with the “all“, in a way a kind of homecoming, an eternal bonding.
Our project is still, and perhaps will always be, in a state of slow progression. The project, essentially, revolves around this fleck of land which we (my family and I) have been drawn towards and have always returned to in the summer, now counting for more than a decade. It‘s the place one might call a home away from home, an anchor and yearly refuge. Over the course of the past year, dreams and playful thoughts became reality, meaning that now we can actually call this place home.
As I‘m sat here at my little desk rounding up this first chapter in Monticello, the summer wind is howling around the house, standing in free solitude overlooking the panoramic scenery over the hills to Todi.
The Casale and its location make it the epitome of what I‘d ever thought was to become my summer and future of wildest imagination, an opportunity to co-create and take care of a place of history and future, wildness and community.
I‘ve always craved the far away, the unknown. Always dreamt of escapism and rewilderness. But now that I’ve leaned into the life here, it crystallises itself more and more that I, in fact, am so drawn to the slow pace of the moment, its simultaneous expressiveness and aliveness that I can‘t bear a thought of the latter. Here, I find many parts described in the book “Ikigai“, a book revolving around the pillars of longevity and how to find them.
What makes a life well lived? Who do you want to have been? And what makes life worth living?
This nowness is what I currently feel, the very connection to the instant moment and little moments in between. The waking up with the sun and falling asleep under the stars. The natural rhythm and pace along the physical work by day. Observing the daily changes and seasonal shifts in close up. There is so much going on, truly re-tracting oneself to involve the senses and shift perspective.
Casale di Monticello is safely tucked at the end of a rocky road, trespassing a farm. Although standing in solitude on its wide ranged land, you feel the embedment of the supportive community. The farm houses a big Italian family, transmitting deep-rootedness, protectiveness and liveliness and you instantly feel part of the clan. Since having spent summers here for years, the place and its people don’t feel foreign, but now they feel like your own community. It’s such a gift knowing that there is always someone to reach out to on know matter what, people that can give a hand with great craftsmanship know-how, guide you along the discovery of the land around us and the history of the house.
Getting fresh eggs and sometimes vegetables from their orto and having a coffee in between.
The biodiversity of the environment, particularly abundant this year after all the rainfalls in springtime, reflects itself not only in the amazing assortments of plants and changing scenery, but moreso in the daily shifts of light. The soundscapes of the over a century old fig trees sheltering the terrace, singing songs of the sea in the wind. The slowness by day, reminding oneself of the ease of summer captured in “Call me by your name”, namely the crickets and the old, content people you pass by when en route to the local shops. The seven layered hill range mistaking you of feeling like in a deserted land. The glimmering lights by night overlooking Todi and beyond, a hint of LaLaLand (but better!). And when strolling through medieval Todi by night with an ice cream, along the narrow streets lit up by the lantern lights, you may feel as though you’ve been transported back in time, just like it’s portrayed in “Midnight in Paris”.
A sense of safety and a moment of moment, solely living from one day to the next with a vision yet without rush and no thoughts greatly directed to far future topics. It’s a life in a de-stressed way, a purity and transparency making healing, transcendence and peace possible.
If you have once been fundamentally struck by the “randomness“ of the universe, you know how much value there is in the moment of wellbeing and health. I sense this deeply rooted need and desire to reconnect with nature’s rhythm, in which I sense a state of flow. And in such a state, you may find yourself addicted to it and might be repelled by the idea to walk the path of many, but compelled to follow the individual path of the intuitive guide.
For now, this recaptures the feels of our project in progress, with more updates to be expected.
I’ll leave you with one last call:
“Do less, become happier”
