Wendelien van der Schaar

Wendelien van der Schaar

Fellow

Current Country

Spain 🇪🇸

Current City

Granada

Intuition

Cultivating inner knowing

A question currently animating me about the inner life/spirit is:

How do I find balance in yearning for meaning and justice while participating in a society that feels self-centred and superficial?

November 30, 2025

A question currently animating me about the outer world/universe/multiverse is:

How can the sense of community be fostered again?

November 30, 2025

The practices I’m finding most helpful at the moment are:

Time in Nature

November 30, 2025

A moment I noticed my inner light kindled this month was:

Even though goodbyes are hard, my inner light was kindled when I left Mallorca today. My tears reminded me of how grateful I am for this goodbye to be so emotional. Seeing my host family sisters cry, receiving gifts and the sweetest messages from people I’ve met here… bittersweet

November 30, 2025

A moment I noticed my inner light dwindled this month was:

Little moments that made me realise how individualistic society has become. Many attempts to make contact with people like smiling to them on the street but getting weird looks in return. No sense of community. Why are we acting like this in a time where people feel most alone?

November 30, 2025

Courage

Aligning action

Assumptions I'm examining right now are:

Other

November 30, 2025

I originally assumed:

I used to think spending time in nature was just a hobby of some people

November 30, 2025

These assumptions are changing:

Now I sense it is the essence of it all. Maybe if more people would spend time in actual nature they would finally realise they should cherish it instead of destroying it.

November 30, 2025

A moment I stepped out of my comfort zone this month was:

When I went on quite a difficult and long hike with 3 Mallorcan people pretty experienced in hiking and who I’d never met, as a girl who basically never hiked before. It was pretty difficult but so accomplishing and the people turned out to be super nice!! So thankful

November 30, 2025

Compassion

Engaged Empathy

Something that is helping me build trusting relationships here is:

Again, the group coaching sessions!

November 30, 2025

Digital Detox Retreat

Number of days I've gone without technology

Number of days I've gone without technology

0

Gratitude

Peers I'm grateful for:

Lexi Bennett-Williams

Lexiii! I loved the times we were put in a breakout room together and I can’t wait to have more time to talk over a call! Thanks for being such a good conversation partner and I’m excited to get to know you better!

November 30, 2025

Douglas Teixeira de Queiroz Santos

Doug, thanks for being amazing to talk to! Some time ago we had a few meetings which I loved, and recently you took the initiative again to plan another. Although we still need to have this one, I've loved chatting with you in breakouts! Thanksthanksthanks <3

October 31, 2025

Kashimani Simasiku

Thanks for reaching out to me to have a call that turned out to be way greater than I could’ve anticipated!! You’ve not only helped me with my current struggles but also made me laugh with tears, can’t wait to catch up again! :)

September 27, 2025

John Makuei Bath Madut

I want to thank you for your insights you’ve shared in the meetings, because I think your point of view is so interesting and your words have really put me to think! You were the one to stand out for me with the things you said, I remember such interesting thoughts you shared

August 31, 2025

Lizzy Leone

Thank you so much for reminding everyone about every meeting and also reminding me personally about lists of things I still need to do in Circle - this has helped me a lot because otherwise I fear I would definitely have forgotten some important things!! Thanks Liz!

July 31, 2025

Peers who have expressed gratitude for me:

Kashimani Simasiku

Thank you for always making time to have funny conversations about meat, parties, and Halloween. I really appreciate the time we have to get to know each other.

November 1, 2025

Lexi Bennett-Williams

Thank you for sharing in the group sessions and for a couple conversations we’ve had!

July 30, 2025

Magical Moments

Light-kindling moments

Light-kindling moments

Sunset walk

Palma de Mallorca

Sep 18, 2025

Nothing crazy, just connecting to my host family mom on a beautiful sunset walk with the dog :)

Facing the storm!

Palma de Mallorca

Oct 26, 2025

Although the weather is lovely here 90% of the time, it was absolutely terrible yesterday. It was raining a looott, the coldest since I’ve been here and even very windy. However, to celebrate my host family mom’s birthday, we still went out to explore a beautiful place of the island I hadn’t seen yet. We took some umbrellas and had a walk through the city in pouring rain, and somehow (even though I hate rain), I felt so happy! A small reminder not to let external forces determine how I feel too much :)

Connecting with locals over another beautiful hike!

Palma de Mallorca

Nov 26, 2025

After the first hike I did with the 3 spanish people, we immediately planned another one for a week later. At the end, we went to a bit of a secret viewpoint for the sunset and it was absolutely stunning. I felt so deeply happy and really connected with people I only saw twice!! So so thankful!!