Newsletter Níjar, August edition 2025
Dear Friends,
In this months Journal we would like to treat you with different entries to the Garden of Nâm. On the menu we present three tastes of NâmLiving. Not like a fixed order of courses like in a Michelin rated restaurant but more like a combination of tapas to be enjoyed in whatever order you prefer. Every entry opens up another perspective on living in the Garden of Nâm.
The first entry is a short film, the second presents the garden of the Garden in its variety and care and the third describes what happened to a young guest during her long stay experience.
NâmLiving – The Film
As referred to in the February edition of our monthly journal filmmaker Maarten van Vliet visited the Garden of Nâm for 3 weeks during the changing of the years. He not only made an effort to capture the Garden in oil paintings but also shot footage with the idea of creating a short movie. The end result is now ready and a very, very nice film emerged. So take a seat and experience how he captured Living in the Garden of Nâm:
NâmLiving – Trees & Ethics
In the Garden of Nâm we apply the same kind of vision as with the vision of Living Nâm. Living in the Garden is closely connected to and as much as possible in harmony with nature. Nature is taking care of itself and it is nurtured by us. We observe and contemplate before taking action. We always seek balance in what is necessary to do for the fauna and what the garden can do by itself. For instance: in this semi-dessert climate we are slowly building up good soil live. With a rich and healthy soil all the plantings will thrive. After a certain amount of years the soil-life will take care of itself but in the first 8 -10 years it is good to support this. The garden contains now over 200 trees and we follow a regenerative, low-impact method to promote the soil fertility, water efficiency, and biodiversity. In conclusion: we aim at working with nature, not against it. Necessary, especially in this challenging semi-arid Mediterranean climate.
For our guests Edwin has prepared a booklet with a map of the garden, the ins and outs of taking care of it and with an overview of its plantings and function in the Garden of Nâm. If you wish, you can take a peek!
To check the booklet click here
NâmLiving – A Longstay Retreat
A month before Maarten, Lisanne came to Níjar to conclude an extensive journey to South America with a 2 week stay in the Garden, curious how it would be and realising that a moment of stillness – in between her months of adventurous traveling and returning home to her family in the Netherlands – would be a very good idea. And it was, which inspired her to return, which she did. But the season was completely different. This time she stayed for a month, complementing her wintery experience with a high summer stay. It was very nice to see her settle, blend in and find her way during this longer stay. She also exchanged a hectic and demanding period for the complete opposite. How she experienced this you can read in the story she wrote especially for this months journal. We hope that you will enjoy reading it!
To ´A Month in the Garden of Nâm´click here
Epilogue
Nicolas of Cusa – renaissance thinker, bishop and mystic – once wrote that really knowing the world is impossible. It is like a painter who is painting a beautiful landscape. He (or she) can never completely capture the environment because he himself is an integral part of the landscape that he is painting. In order to picture the surroundings, he has to paint himself painting the landscape. But then, even when he does so, his attempt escapes him. For how can he paint himself, painting the landscape, painting the landscape ad infinitum. Hence, Cusanus writes, the absolute is never fully grasped but can be approached by opening to a unknowable beyond from which the actual experience is taking place. Infinitely wide, intimately close. What is left is Awe and Wonder.
We wish you a joyful summer holiday 🙏
