#MCCOTVoices {6}

Kirsten Kjaer Weis

Countryside North of NYC

USA

Back to the roots. Enjoying a slow, genuine, essential and mindful life in the countryside in total harmony with Mother Earth. Preserving, cherishing and being grateful for her natural Beauty.

I grew up immersed in nature, on a working farm in rural Denmark. My family initiated me into

a humble way of life that involved day-to-day “mindfulness” and “minimalism” before these

newfangled trends had names and hashtags. Our lives, it seems in retrospect, were pared down

with purpose, whether we were tending the garden, our animals or the food we ate. I learned

early on about the true magic of this world: that every living thing is equipped to take care of

itself with proper nourishment and patience. Two things our modern society is increasingly

moving away from.

At 19, I wanted nothing more than to escape my small farm life. Working in New York City as a

makeup artist for many years, I was happy, but yearned for the way of life I’d grown up with.

Nature turned out to be so deeply ingrained in who I am. It became a muse for my brand, Kjaer

Weis, with the aim to make beauty life affirming, effortless and sustainable.

Many years later, I’ve returned to mindful living with a pace that allows me to feel the flow of

the seasons. My conclusion is that nature is ingenious: a living, breathing, bona fide miracle

deserving of the capital I will use henceforth.

Earlier this year, I parted from my brand (though it carries on my name and will always be in my

heart). For the moment, this has brought a windfall of free time and additional purpose into my

life. A key part of the past 6 months has been getting used to a state of “not constantly doing.”

Having sovereignty over your own calendar is strange at first. There are no long checklists and

to-dos waiting to receive attention. No reason to be checking emails over dinner.

I’m profoundly grateful for this extra time and what I do next will have a newfound balance at

the center.

Slowing down or being “allowed” to just be and take pleasure in the mundane, feels like

healing. Healing from an incessant state of alert and often, misguided speed.

Everything from folding clothes to experimenting with recipes or pruning flowers, now has my

full attention. Life is more colorful. Everything tastes sweeter. I feel present in every moment,

in a way that I was as a curious youth. I take morning walks feeling a growing closeness to

Nature, which reveals more to me each day. Truly being in her presence, up close, reminds me

of who I am. I am a farm girl rolling at the speed of lightness.

Slow, steady, joy.

And then, for a moment, I feel sad that somewhere someone is crossing a street with their nose

glued to their screen. Humanity is being hijacked by technology. AI cannot compete with

nature’s intelligence.

But rather than let the speed take us over a cliff, I am confident it will force us back to “the slow

life,” a movement that is only just beginning. Small and slow will be huge. Nowhere is this more

apparent, than when visiting the local farmers where I live in the countryside north of NYC.

We are blessed to be part of a splendor-loving group of people supporting independent local business, pinching the freshest organic produce, and prioritizing home cooked meals. Here we

are trusted to put cash in a mason jar. This honor system feels like luxury to me.

Nature provides a natural order and deep truth that transcends human understanding. The

quiet provides answers to questions and a deep sense of calm to our nervous system. The

natural order of things is proof there is something larger than ourselves at work. Our bodies

recognize the calling, the oneness – it starts to feel relaxed and relieved, like coming home. Let

this be your reminder to partake of the many gifts she provides: aesthetic magnificence, crops,

raw materials, cycles, seasons, the list is endless. All of these things have a natural resonance

with the body. Our cells literally cherish them.

All the pictures are Courtesy of Mrs Kirsten Kjaer Weis. All rights reserved

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