From ancient land wisdom to modern nomad life
Three years ago, I coincidentally came across a video by Benebell Wen. She spoke about the Chinese Hakka nomads and their understanding of living in relationship with dragon spirits, the energetic currents of the land shaped by mountains, water, and wind. As I listened, I was looking out over the coast of Mogán. The curved volcanic ridge stretching into the ocean like a tail. And in that moment, something aligned. Not as a thought, but as a bodily recognition.
Of course, coincidences do not exist. As Robert Edward Grant https://robertedwardgrant.com/ so precisely words it: “There are no coincidences, only relationships we have not yet discovered.” At the time, I could not yet grasp which relationship was revealing itself to me. I only knew that something ancient , something familiar without needing explanation, had been touched. My Hakka ancestry, generations of nomadic movement, and this land beneath my feet suddenly seemed to meet.
Today, three years later, I understand what that moment set in motion. It was not an intellectual insight, but an invitation to devotion. Soon after, I made decisions that visibly changed my life: I sold my restaurant and chose to fully commit myself to the land. Not as an owner, but as a participant.
I turned toward ecological agriculture, toward caring for soil and water, toward a relationship with place that is not about leaving or staying, but about listening, attuning, and taking responsibility. What once appeared as coincidence now reveals itself as the beginning of a much deeper connection.
Reconnection Without Attachment
What this experience slowly revealed to me is that the essence of nomad life has never been about constant movement, nor about the absence of roots. Modern nomads often search for freedom by changing places, jobs, or possessions, yet many still feel blocked, restless, or disconnected. Our ancestors understood something we are only beginning to remember: connection does not require attachment. They moved when needed, stayed when invited, and trusted their ability to reconnect with land, with people, with purpose. The flow of life was not held by objects or locations, but by relationship. When we cling to places, identities, or material forms, energy begins to resist. When we learn instead to attune, to arrive fully and release consciously, the flow restores itself. Nomadism, then, is not about owning less or moving more, it is about remembering our innate capacity to connect, again and again, wherever life brings us.
The Wealth of Connection
What followed from this understanding was a simple but practical question: where do we place our trust? In Let’s Buy a Tiny House Together, I explored how material attachment shapes our sense of safety and how investing in ownership often hides a deeper fear of not having enough. When security is anchored in possessions, we tighten our grip, and with it come resistance and fear. When we invest instead in relationships in shared care, responsibility, and presence something shifts. Trust replaces control, and emotion becomes guidance rather than weakness, showing us where flow can return.
This perspective is beautifully reflected in the work of
Ken Honda. When asked if he feared losing everything, his answer was simple: “I have so many friends that I always have a place to stay.” He explained that with fifty-two friends, one for each week of the year, support becomes sustainable without burden. The power of this idea lies not in the numbers, but in the shift it invites: safety comes from connection, not accumulation. Wealth is measured by how deeply we are held, and in that trust, fear loosens its grip and life begins to flow again.
Listening to the Land
Seen through this lens, reconnecting with dragon spirits is not about belief, but about attention. Like nomads before us, we learn to listen more carefully to our surroundings, to land, wind, water, and the energetic currents that shape a place. This is exactly what we do when we regenerate the ecosystems we live in: we listen. And when we do, the dragon spirits begin to whisper what we need to know, how to reconnect, how to care, and how to let energy flow back to us, without owning anything.
Join the Exploration
My Experience is a movement exploring regenerative ways of living and traveling rooted in freedom, connection, and respect for place. We’re currently working on a real-life case study: buying a tiny house together on a finca in Gran Canaria, using life tokens to value time, contribution, and shared care.
If this resonates with you, you’re welcome to join My Experience, follow the process, or take part in the conversation. And if you want to explore these ideas in person, come to the Gran Canaria Nomad Fest – Pilot Edition 2026 to learn, share, and co-create what comes next.
You’re welcome Yineke! Here’s hoping you have a wonderful week! xox