LivinginPeace Testimonial by Dave Besseling

Indeed, a state of mind or existence dreamed of and aspired to by all. It remains a truly universal term yet it is sought through disparate avenues in a variety of ways by the multitudinous assortment of beings on this planet, sought regardless of social standing, bank balance or personality type. Be it a scavenging street urchin, single parent or corporate yes-man, the need to feel this peace, to let one's hair and/or stress level down after a period of hard work is inherent in the ebb and flow of human experience (the word "escape" comes to mind). Then there are those with idealistic proclivities in the matter, who would prefer to see this state of " living in peace" not as compensatory to the drudgery of day to day existence; but instead as a principle to be fostered AS our day to day existence (the word "freedom" comes to mind).

For many of us, the 21st century urbanity in which we find ourselves is at odds with this deep desire for peace in our immediate environment. We crave an existence where communication with our neighbours is based on mutual respect and honesty. We dream of community living that is not just sustainable, but also environmentally responsible and inspirational. For the people involved in the LivinginPeace project in Karamea, like-minded souls have come together and aspire to live in this way. The dreams are big and we've only just begun, but I don’t think anyone could have wished for a better start to the project. One of the main goals of this project is to build an artist retreat, where like-minded creative types of all disciplines can nurture their craft in an environment as described above, away from the cacophonous distraction that city living has become. I suppose you could say I was the first "artist in residence" at the LivinginPeace site, even though the physical artist retreat is still a long way off. I am comfortable with the reference though, because even when the thing is in full swing, I believe artists who find their way to this little piece of paradise will be met with the same spirit of responsible rebellion and conscious activism that I equate with this choice of lifestyle. They will be inspired by the same natural wonders that have re acquainted me with that ever-elusive sense of awe that fades with age, even if it is a fleeting thing. I’m sure they will feel the wide open space that this environ provides, and I hope they will leave with the same sense of awe, wonder and humbled appreciation for the fact that they've been living day to day in the very masterwork of the greatest artist of all.