If things are just unfolding in their own divine rhythm? In their unique ways – and our little structure-yearning minds are trying too hard to make sense of the larger timing we are walking in? What if we asked our bodies?
Read More2025 — Going into relationship
Dear fellow human,
may this find you in the right moment, and may you find some of that which you are needing in this sharing. From human to human.
2024 is "behind" us – or maybe even inside of us?
Maybe it’s a good moment to take a deep breath together.
Let’s breathe out some of that 2024 air, inviting its magic to stay and reside, and sending of all of the unwanted glamour and debris…
Breathing in some inspiration. Some intention for seeing beauty in walking these new ways, as unsettling as they sometimes seem. Stay strong, enduring the clasping grip of societal anxiety hasting for our sanity, pulling us down… to come closer to the ground… followed by our sanity is our body. The perceiver and receiver of it all. The body – A sacred space. She has led me so wisely this past year – To the ground in her own way. To the bone in her own way – grieving a loss my mind hadn't quite comprehended. She was sick three times in a row – never happened before. My father passing – never happened before. Luckily I feel my spirit is in bright communion with him as he walks the realm on the other side of the veil, enriching my ancestral world with his love and warmth and at times making himself feel even closer to me than when he was in his physical form.
Timing — Kairos.
Time — Cronos (aka. Kronos, Cronus)
But:
“It’s too late!
We are too late!”
…
What if though, it is just the right time?
If things are unfolding just in their own divine rhythm?
Their unique ways and our little structure-yearning minds are trying too hard to make sense of the larger timing we are walking in?
This past year to me has been an awakening to the world of Kairos. Kairos being the right time for an action, a word, for them to have their strongest impact, being present with that which wants to emerge out of the moment, a coming together, an opportunity, a synchronicity, flow, the divine alignment of time, the frequency of miracles. I asked for witnessing miracles, and received them. My future oriented cronos-prone mind sure had her troubles taking the backseat when some of my dearest humans can be as Kairos as it gets. It is the child-like energy of being led by exploration, following an invisible thread.
Large parts of the world today (clearly speaking solely about the human parts) orient around cronos – deadlines, plans, chronological time, often untethered from natural rhythms that would be conducive to kairos, as we would be attuned, listening to the changes of the winds, the leaves, the clouds and we would naturally be doing the right things. My body revolts sitting in an office when it is sunny out and time for feeling the fresh air and the sun light on my skin, moving my body through the colors, textures and sounds of the season…
k a i r o s
(if it was for the AI text helper of this blog the above would’ve looked like this:
k. a. i. r. o. s.
TRUST AND SURRENDER
Trust and surrender to the almost invisible thread of higher guidance, trusting that miracles are possible and that things are coming together even more beautiful than your mind had anticipated, with just a little bit of letting got, of spaciousness, of breathing, shifting, moving and allowing. With guidance from within the body, a vessel to connect to the wisdom of life on this large planet. She is always tapped in – how often do we make space to listen to our bodies?
Some words about
The ARTWORK
A PRAYER FOR RELATIONSHIP
I created this illustration, honoring the insights and experience I have gained last year and sensing into the new year.
An illustration that holds a prayer for the simultaneous existence of life in all forms. Of energy in all forms. Of realities in all forms.
Asking for relationship building and repair – with ourselves, with each other, with place – even with that which we fear, with that which we need, with that which needs us.
AI not being neglected, death not being unacknowledged.
What is our relationship to these beings and energies?
Who or what in this picture are you drawn to?
Why?
It is yours to see what wants to speak to you. Is it the glow of things?
Is it the darkness? Is it the dead branch on the tree or the eagle perched on top of it?
…
If you feel inclined, please let me know what speaks to you and why.
Story by Robin
Robin, who has been on my side (emotionally more so than physically) has written a little short story prompted by the visual.
Thank you, Robin.
INTUITION
I drew the snake more prominent than the other animals, not knowing why, trying to doubt my decision, until someone told me the snake is the sign of the Chinese New Year. Then I knew something inside of me was tapped in to that larger phenomenon.
This said, I hope 2025 for you will meet you where you are at and help you thrive in that which you do. Being in the right place, at the right time, with the right people and the right experience.
If your curiosity stirs you, you are welcome to continue reading about recent developments in aligning my purpose with my professional path (it’s all a big colourfully mixed bag anyway. Remembering my friend Charlie’s comment on my persona: “Jenni, you defy any category.”
This sure doesn’t make me a natural friend of bureaucracy, to which I must have sometimes appeared as threatening being.But healing is on it’s way. I can feel it :)
PROFESSIONAL UPDATES
VISUAL SCRIBING
On the more worldly matters I want to share that I will keep freelancing as a visual scribe on Vancouver Island and wherever it may take me. Hopefully supporting more gatherings around climate, agriculture and alternative governance models. Visual scribing aka Visual Sensemaking is the art of attending events and weaving information together using live-illustration of the shared content and creating a visual synthesis that can be shared out to the audience at the end of the day as a summary.
Some of my highlights were the Cowichan Region Climate Gathering (thank you Carla and Jennifer for sending this opportunity my way), the GOAT – Gathering for Open Agriculture Technologies, the NADAWG – North American Digital Agriculture Working Group, and other smaller gatherings in person and online.
Image of visual scribing of Cowichan Valley Climate Gathering:
To see more of my visual scribing work please go here: https://www.ottilie.cc/#/visual-scribings/
Due to my body and soul refusing to thrive sitting in front of a screen I currently do not accept any graphic design or classic illustration projects.
If you know of Visual scribing opportunities though, please send them my way :)
FOREST SCHOOL
As of this week I have taken on the mission to support Nanaimo Forest School Co-op in their transition to spread their (or our) wings as a cooperative, delivering great visual communications, visioning and partnering with other local endeavours. The Forest School host children in the wonderful nature places here in Nanaimo's foresty parks and food foresty neighbourhoods, helping kids aliven their sense of connection to nature and stewardship of places, removing invasive species and learning about local animals, plants and mushrooms.
Any wisdom around how to make a forest school great is greatly appreciated – we have some good ideas too but an outside perspective can be so helpful and inspiring :)
2023 A good Year for Compost
This blogpost aims to take you a bit on my journey. I am hoping that what I am sharing will be nourishment to you and may spark some curious thoughts, ideas and invitations for collaborations among ourselves and with others. […] I have found that there need to be more of us, who look at what’s below our feet and understand how the earth beneath our feet can be fed by our “waste” (manure and humanure, food scraps, garden “waste”…).and see how this is an important step towards integrating death as part of the ecology of life.
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Concow, near Chico, California
Headed Home to the West Coast – Visiting Concow Meadows Research Station
Looking at the landscape I saw a lot of heat scars, dead trees even right by the coast… the past five years certainly have come with heat and wild fires, drought and renewal. It leaves me with a mix of feelings of sadness, despair and motivation to help regenerate. Listening to the radio in the car it seemed time hadn’t moved on – same old classics, as if the world was still like 1970 – but the radio shows do talk about how to save water, how to deal with waste and what to make out of Ukraine and Russia.
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Bergwaldprojekt – Planting trees in the UNESCO Biosphere Region Pfälzer Wald
Being off grid for a week planting climate resilient trees in the UNESCO Biosphere Region Pfälzerwald, Germany with the Bergwaldprojekt e.V. in Autumn 2020.
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We Are In.Tuition – Design for a fieldbook full of inspiration
Designing the layout for a fieldbook on intuition was a true pleasure. The collaboration with the initiators Ele Jansen and Monique Potts was one of appreciation from both sides.
#intuition #universe #non-violent communication #transdisciplinary approach #art #theoryU #deep ecology #possibility management #Dragon Dreaming #The Arte of Hosting #SocialPresencingTheater #OpenValueNetwork #Hidden Commitments / Immunity to Change #Magic #Shamanism #Emergence Pedagogy #Coyote Pedagogy #Open Space Technology #Hero’s Journey #Positionality #conversational intelligence #serendipty management #
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Christmas Market in Eberswalde
“Ottilie’s Tierwelt” beim Weihnachtsmarkt Eberswalde / Ottilie’s Tierwelt at the Christmas Market Eberswalde – Featuring “die eierlegende Wollmilchsau”, “Das kleine ABC der Tiere” and some crazy deep sea creature illustrations.
Read MoreLove And Light
Grief and Love for those cyclists, that were victims to an insane truck driver in Lower Manhattan yesterday… Love and Light to their friends and family and into the world, so in resonance such things will be prevented by empathy and understanding for one another…
More background information here: > https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/nyregion/police-shooting-lower-manhattan.html
Bergwaldprojekt Moorwiedervernässung auf Rügen im Jasmund Nationalpark
One week on the baltic island Rügen with the Bergwald Projekt digging in the mud, moving water buckets in a chain to install dams that will help rehydrate the MOOR (wetlands). Truly useful sustainability work, helping restore a piece of nature.
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Paint The Wall
The Raccoon and the Moose are my first wall painting, approx. 4m x 8m – We used a grid, two people and a rough eye to transfer the sketch onto the wall. // LOCATION: Berlin Lichtenberg
// ARTWORK: A raccoon because there is a raccoon family living in the space and a Moose, that stands for the cartype which can be found around there a lot.
HELPING ASSISTANTS: one.
Should I stay or should I go? →
Should I stay or should I go? – Zwei Monate bin ich unterwegs durch die USA und Kanada, um meine Fühler nach Orten des Ankommens auszustrecken. Auf der Suche nach einer möglichen neuen Heimat und natürlich nach mir selber, in Montreal und Ithaca, NY.
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CD-Design for friends // LINKAA DEBUT ALBUM
I was lucky to have the chance to design the Debut Album for my friends Polina and Aaron and their band "LINKAA" this year. We chose the Pangolin as the key visual, to honor this special, versatile creature, as it is at the brink of extinction.
Favoriten gehen sehen... // Designs für den Kirschgarten Werder
Im Laufe eines Design-Prozesses gibt es oft Abschiede von favorisierten Entwürfen, sei es aufgrund ihrer *fehlenden* Funktionalität oder einfach eine Geschmacksfrage.
Read MoreIllustration und Einladung
Der verSchöneRmann Wald Frühjahrsputz
…ist eine Nachbarschafts-Aktion, bei der Nachbarn gemeinsam einen Wald entrümpeln.
Read MoreSculpture Martha Bird by illustrator ATAK
Remembrance Day for Lost Species // Nacht der ausgestorbenen Tiere @ Baumhaus Wedding
In honor of the amazing biodoversity of our planet, for the Remembrance Day for Lost Species we put together an evening of poetry, art, animation and board game. The event took place at the neighborhood project Baumhaus in Berlin Wedding.
Read MoreDas kleine ABC der Tiere // new release
"Das kleine ABC der Tiere – Jenni Ottilie Keppler" – Umweltschonend und gemeinwohlorientiert produziert von Oktoberdruck AG in Berlin im Herbst 2016. CC-BY-SA Jenni Ottilie Keppler.
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// A day and a half at POC 21 //
The final exhibition of all the Open Source Hardware projects of www.poc21.cc in the Castle of Millemont, 50km away from Paris.
Read MoreCrossing the States by Train, bus, bike and thumb – July & August 2015
Photographs of my bike travels through unspeakably beautiful places. Enjoy.
Read MoreEXPLAINING THE COLLABORATIVE DESIGN PROCESS.
Designing collaboratively can pose a great challenge, if you don't do it right. From my experience it works really well, when files are passed on chronologically between designers. That way we get our own space and time to work on it in our secret chamber. After some chamber time...
Read MoreSetting out Travel-DVDs of "VOICES OF TRANSITION"
Sharing VOICES OF TRANSITION along the way // USA, July & August 2015 // As I'm the kind of person, that feels guilty about leaving a giant CO2-print in the air by crossing the ocean, I do try to make up for that as much as I can by sharing inspiration and goodness as well as absorbing and receiving inspiration as much as I can, just like a sponge, wringing myself out when back home to share new ideas and what I've seen.
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