De Gaarde

Leerplek voor Spiritueel Ecologisch Leven
Molenhoefstraat 7, 5071 RL Udenhout tel. 013 5335846

huisatoomhanden aarde duurzaamheidkringrozenparadima shift

Origins and Inspiration

Elly Verrijt ( 1944 ) founded De Gaarde in 1999, inspired as she was to do this by Hildegard of Bingen ( a German mystic, 1092-1176) and the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, an source of inspiration of her younger years.
Here was the foundation for the further emergence of her cosmic vision. Besides this, all of her life experiences have led her to this moment and place. This is her story.

de peelwayangde bijlmergarden

“I was born and raised in De Peel ( photo 1), a peat-cutting area in the south of The Netherlands where my parents began a farm. At home I learned that we are all dependent on the processes of the Earth. The Earth is limited in what can be provided for. A farmer knows this and acts accordingly. This life close to nature and Earth has touched my soul and has given me insight in who I am. A Cosmic / Earth spirituality has supported me all my life and I know the Source/ Creator God as the foundation of my life. ”

“I am trained as an agricultural science teacher and I have worked in vocational training for several years. As a young woman I was deeply touched by the work of the French priest /paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. It was also through his perception of evolution and the story of all Life that I decided to join the Medical Mission Sisters in 1966. From that moment on I dedicate my life to more ( ecological) consciousness in the world, more compassion, care and love especially for the poorest.
In 1969 I went to Surakarta, Java in Indonesia ( photo 2). After a post-graduate training in Public Health Nutrition at the Universitas Indonesia in Jakarta I was a nutritionist in the slums of Surakarta and the villages of Central Java. Together with the people we worked for better health and living conditions.”

“I tried to “save” people, especially the malnourished children and more and more I realized that the intense pollution and destruction of the life-systems that I saw, was the price paid for “development” and economic growth.
Now I see that no wellbeing is possible for humans, if not the whole Community of Life experiences more wholeness. Slowly I moved away from an anthropocentric to a more eco-centric worldview.
Due to risen difficulties around visa and work permit I left Indonesia in 1981. For years now I work as Spiritual Guide and Spiritual Therapist.( I am an alumna of Institute for Spiritual Leadership, Loyola University, Chicago USA, 1987) “

“In 1992 I survived the Bijlmer disaster when a plane crashed in our apartment building. It proved to be the beginning of a new phase in my life. It made me an expert in working through trauma and spiritual transformation crisis.
( photo3)”

“In 1998 I stayed for several months in Genesis Farm, a Learning place for Earth Studies in New Jersey, USA. (www.genesisfarm.org)
I got to know the writings and vision of Thomas Berry, a priest, cultural historian and eco-theologian ( see www.caroline-webb.com), who had built further on the vision of Teilhard de Chardin. This had a great impact on my life. Also the video presentations and writings of Brian Swimme ( www.brianswimme.org). He is an astrophysicist and describes the recent findings about Cosmos and the dynamics of Evolution in a spiritual way and applies it to a design of an Ecological Spirituality for our time. I became convinced that real change can only happen based on a New Story about Cosmos and Earth. A new creation Story will give us the energy and creativity needed for change. It will lead us to a new understanding of our role as human in this crucial phase of evolution. ( www.evolve.org)

M Southard Cosmea flowers in De Gaarde Elly Verrijt

Foundation of De Gaarde

“I had no choice but to start De Gaarde. To help people to find a spiritual -ecological worldview and a new connectedness with Earth. To tell the New Story about everything as it has emerged during eons of evolutionary time. A story that is congruent with all the recent findings in science. I experience day by day how much creative power, vitality, love and deep joy this generates.
To create a place where people can heal there lost and broken connection with the Web of Life. As to find healing, as new perspective and a reason to live for. “

In the past years De Gaarde has meant a lot for a great number of visitors. It is a place for spiritual nourishment, a learning place, a place of encounter and sharing, a place to do your (inner) Great Work.
It all happens on a small scale it seems, but the radiance of all that happens here reaches to many places on our Earth, besides to our near surroundings. In that way is “small beautiful,” and fruitful. The inspiration is carried forth and spreads.

Sources of Inspiration