April 2026 Newsletter
When Mental Space Opens Up
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Cherry blossom season is here again.
Every year around this time, I make my way to the tree in the photo above - about a 30-minute bike ride from home. Until a few years ago I used to pass through this area regularly, and I'd find myself watching the tree, thinking, "ah, nearly time," looking forward to spring's arrival.
There are plenty of cherry trees near home too - in neighbours' gardens, along a little lane lined with several trees, and a neat row planted beside a big intersection where people stop to take photos when they're in full bloom. Once those neighbourhood trees are at their peak, I take that as my cue to go and visit this one.
The presence of this tree
This cherry tree stands alone beside a small canal. There's a walking path alongside it, so local residents pass by throughout the year - walking their dogs, going about their day. It's next to a fairly busy road. Nothing special about the setting, really. Just an ordinary part of everyday life.
When I arrive, I first look at the tree from behind. Then I walk closer to the water and watch the petals floating on the surface, or bring my face close to the branches to look at the blossoms. Then I circle back around to the front and take the whole tree in, slowly.
Why does this tree draw me in so much?
Alone - one tree, quietly present. Alone, but not lonely. Branches spreading freely, at their own pace. Something about the space around this tree feels like a different dimension entirely.
If my partner - who tends to be ready to move on once the photos are taken - hadn't been with me, I think I would have crouched there for a while longer, wanting to be held in the tree's quiet presence, wanting to stay in conversation with it.
Every person connects with nature in their own way
Watching this cherry tree this year, something came to me: that everyone connects with nature in their own way - and that's perfectly fine.
"Connect with nature. Go back to the wild. Touch a tree, feel the leaves. What does it feel like to touch the soil? - Doesn't it heal you? Don't you feel recharged? So relaxing..."
Messages like this seem to be everywhere. When the value of connecting with nature sits at the heart of your work, I suppose they find their way to you easily enough. I understand these messages, and I think they're right. And yet - there's a part of me that wants to say, "but..."
How each person wants to connect with nature is up to them.
Some people, like me, prefer to be alone - to simply be in the presence of something like this tree, quiet and still. Others might want to meditate together in a circle in the forest, or go hiking with a lively group of friends. And yes, sometimes I want that too - to do hanami with family and friends, to share nature with others. But when, how, and in what form - that's for each person to decide.
And that's fine, isn't it?
Working as a facilitator - supporting teams and organisations with learning, revisiting visions, reflecting on their work - I'm often struck by how differently people engage in shared spaces. Of course, there are times when a certain common understanding is needed. An organisation where dialogue tends to turn into heated back-and-forth might need something like, "before reacting, really listen first."
But what about a space where people feel pressured to speak up quickly? What if, for some participants, thinking quietly on their own is their way of engaging? And what if one of the shared agreements in that space was: we respect each person's way of participating?
This connects to something at the core of my work - creating inclusive spaces where every voice can come alive. Each person's voice is different. The way each person participates doesn't have to look the same.
This cherry tree reminded me of that again this year.
Opening up mental space
In Tajikistan, where I spent several years, the spring equinox is celebrated as Nowruz - a welcome to spring. Around the 20th of March there, the light is bright and warm in a way that's hard to imagine from northern Europe. I have happy memories of sharing special sweets and food with everyone around that time.
This year, just before the equinox, I made a decision. Looking back now, it feels like it was only ever a matter of time - which makes me wonder why I spent so long going back and forth, turning it over and over in my mind, thinking no, maybe, but then again...
But once I made the decision, I noticed it immediately: a sudden brightness, right in front of me. The energy around me shifted. It was more than just a sense of relief - it felt like the air around me was expanding outward, like ripples on water. I realised just how constrained that air had been before, how much I'd been moving within a kind of invisible partition. Mental space, opened up and released.
What I feel strongly and intuitively is this: when your mental space - your inner space - is filled with things too heavy to carry, things you no longer want to hold, then, just like physical space, there's no room for something new to enter. No room for what's already there to transform freely, to combine and create something unexpected.
It's like this: if there's a door behind you still left open, the next door in front of you won't open. And if one foot is stuck somewhere you're still struggling with, you can't really move forward on the other foot alone.
Of course, it all depends on what kind of doors they are - what kind of ground your foot is in. Are two doors open side by side, both glowing with light at the edges? Does the ground under each foot feel solid and satisfying? For me, that wasn't the case.
How did this equinox find you?
If you have a sense that something is about to shift, but there's still a fog over it - I'd love to talk. I'll listen to you.
Whether it's a coaching session, a question about facilitation, or simply you just want to talk - you're welcome.
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