Re-Conectando: Weaving the Mycelium of the Soul for Peace in Colombia

The Mycelium of the Soul: A Guiding Metaphor

The soul’s mycelium is a metaphor that embodies what we in Re-Conectando have experienced with our work in Colombia as the essence of the human spirit—resilient, interconnected, and continually evolving on the journey of healing and self-discovery. 

Like the mycelium in dark soil, it represents the intricate, invisible network of experiences, emotions, beliefs, and spiritual connections within and between us. Just as mycelium extracts nutrients from decomposing matter, the soul’s mycelium extracts meaning and growth from life’s traumas and challenges. It embodies the non-linear journey of healing, where diverse pathways lead to personal and collective transformation, empowering participants to move forward, supported by a shared sense of Active Hope. This metaphor celebrates diversity, fluidity, and adaptability, highlighting our ability as humans to thrive and evolve despite adversity.

From the Ashes of War: Re-Conectando’s Origins

In 2012, the Colombian government under President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC, the world’s oldest and largest guerrilla group, initiated peace negotiations in Cuba, aiming to end a war that had raged for five decades. The four-year peace process that ensued was a period marked by tense calm, imbued with both hope and uncertainty, following numerous failed attempts in the past.

Amidst this backdrop, a Colombo-Dutch team launched workshops in 2014 titled “Deep Ecology and Peace Construction,” rooted in the Work That Reconnects (WTR) methodology. Although relatively unknown in Colombia, this approach resonated deeply with the country’s ancestral wisdom. The team believed that introducing WTR to grassroots leaders could foster resilience, renew alliances, and inspire creative visions in the world’s second most biodiverse nation. Their goal was to support the peace process by bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, including many victims, and creating safe spaces where the pain of human suffering, war, and environmental destruction could be interwoven and transformed. The extractivist model, exacerbated by the armed conflict, was causing significant harm to Colombia’s environment and communities, making it one of the most dangerous places in the world for environmental leaders.

When peace negotiations concluded in 2016, President Santos, feeling optimistic, decided to put the internationally acclaimed peace agreement to a public vote. This agreement aimed to end decades of atrocities committed by paramilitaries, the army, and guerrillas, which had resulted in up to 800,000 deaths (with 80% being civilians), over 120,000 missing persons, the forced displacement of nearly 9 million people, and widespread environmental devastation.

However, the plebiscite held on October 2, 2016, saw 50.21% of voters rejecting the peace agreement. This outcome raised questions: Did Colombians desire to prolong the war indefinitely?

A revised peace agreement was eventually signed in November 2016, but the plebiscite revealed deep polarization within the country. Even among those who supported the peace process, many viewed the agreement merely as a procedure for disarmament, neglecting the beliefs and identities forged during the war and embedded in the collective and individual psyche, including those who had not taken up arms. Recognizing this, it became clear that the peace agreement provided an ideal opportunity to create spaces for what would later be described as regenerating the soul’s mycelium, harnessing its transformative power to transition from a nation perpetually at war to one beginning to imagine peace.

Accompanying the Truth Commission

One of the commitments established by the Peace Agreement was the creation of a Truth Commission (TC) as an entirely autonomous state institution. Formed in 2018, the TC included members from various sectors of civil society and was led by Francisco de Roux, a well-known Jesuit peaceworker. The TC was given a four-year mandate to address three ethical challenges: 1) clarifying the truth, 2) recognizing the victims and the individual and collective responsibilities, and 3) promoting coexistence, “Buen Vivir,” and non-repetition.

By this time, we had conducted twelve workshops, and Francisco de Roux, who had participated in our first workshop in 2014 and was convinced of the transformational power of our work, invited us—among many other allies—to support their challenging mission. To our knowledge, this was the first time the Work That Reconnects (WTR) methodology was implemented and funded at an institutional level. It was also the first time a Truth Commission incorporated a non-anthropocentric approach, recognizing nature as a victim of conflict.

Our team had grown to include several Colombian colleagues from the fields of theater, nature rituals, and peace work. A few months later, our deep ecology initiatives were rebranded as “Re-Conectando: Laboratories of Truth and Reconciliation in the Womb of Mother Earth.” From its inception, Re-Conectando was viewed as a crucial ally in enriching the soil for the Commission’s work in the regions and preparing participants for the process of truth-telling and encounters with their perpetrators in subsequent events organized by the TC.

Given the depths of personal and collective traumas, our intention was to continually alternate WTR, with its collective and transcendental approach, alongside theater, rituals, and more personal, nature-based healing and regenerative soul work. We recognized that these elements were inextricably interwoven, much like the mycelium network, to foster a holistic healing process.

Unlikely Dialogues in the Womb of Mother Earth

During the work of Colombia’s Truth Commission (2018-2022) and in spreading its legacy thereafter, Re-Conectando traveled extensively across the country. It was crucial for our team to find in each region a “womb of Mother Earth” that provided a safe space for our healing work, allowing participants to express long-silenced truths without fear. We sought nature reserves not just as picturesque settings adorned with jungles, caves, waterfalls, and mountains, but as territories that had been stigmatized by violence and were now healing themselves and their communities through meaningful ecological initiatives.

Selecting participants from these polarized and fragmented regions was equally vital to the process’s success. This selection took 6-8 weeks, involving research, patient conversations with potential candidates—often initially suspicious and exhausted from decades of war and peace work—and careful collaboration with civil society and state organizations, particularly the Houses of Truth established in 28 territories. Many participants were direct or indirect victims of unimaginable violence, including forced displacement, massacres, assassinations, kidnappings, torture, and rape. Some were ex-combatants from various sides of the conflict seeking reintegration into society through restorative justice. In our invitations, we acknowledged the violence inflicted on Mother Nature by our lifestyles, driven by a schizophrenic sense of separation from nature, even in Colombia, the most biodiverse country per square meter on the planet.

This approach created ideal scenarios for the “Unlikely Dialogues” the Commission hoped for, inspired by the pioneering work of John Paul Lederach. These dialogues, especially when set amidst the untamed beauty of nature and enriched with “wild conversations” with other-than-human beings, gave deeper significance to the concept of the soul’s mycelium. Colombia’s diversity is reflected not only in its vast ecosystems and species but also in its rich tapestry of ethnic cultural expressions. Just as mycelium thrives on diversity, interactions among individuals from various backgrounds brought a multitude of perspectives, insights, and experiences to the group dynamic. This diversity enhanced our discussions, sparked creativity, and fostered critical thinking, leading to deeper understanding and personal growth for each participant and the communities they represent.

A Rite of Passage: Reweaving the Social Fabric

We understand that a peace process involves much more than laying down arms. The hearts and minds of former combatants—and all participants—need to be disarmed, and these broken individuals must be rewoven into the fabric of the community, primarily through the power of ritual.

Participants begin their journey with Re-Conectando by physically leaving their everyday environments and entering the nature reserve. This departure symbolizes leaving behind former roles, identities, and conflicts. Guided by our activities, they engage in rituals that mark the start of their transformative journey, entering a liminal space—a threshold between their old lives and the potential for new growth and healing. This liminal phase is characterized by uncertainty, vulnerability, and openness to change. Drawing on the concept of sacred time and space and propelled by the Work That Reconnects (WTR) spiral, the rituals conducted in often breathtaking natural settings evoke a sense of sacredness and reverence. These rituals invite participants to transcend their individual concerns and connect with something larger than themselves.

Men and women who previously carried weapons and faced the harsh choices of killing or being killed for their ideology now learn with humility to make offerings of gratitude or ask permission before entering a wild sanctuary. Victims, activists, and ex-combatants see a lush forest with new eyes, a place where they can feel safe and be received without judgment, allowing themselves to be touched by its healing beauty.

In a country where nature has often been the backdrop for hiding enemies, assaults, bombings, torture, detaining hostages, and mass graves, and where gorgeous rivers have carried poisonous mercury or dismembered bodies, these rituals open up a mutual process of healing and care.

One participant, who spent 35 years in the jungle after being kidnapped at age 11 as a child soldier by FARC guerrillas, shared his experience:

“I was kidnapped by the guerrillas when I was 11, but then I decided to stay. I lived in the jungle for 35 years and didn’t come out until the peace agreement. When we arrived and you told us to ask permission to the river before crossing it, I wondered where the hell I was. But now, after this whole experience with Re-Conectando, I realize that even though I lived in the jungle and never cut down a tree or killed an animal unless I needed food or shelter, I never saw nature as I do now. I feel more respect and see it as a living being with the same rights as we humans have.”

Identity Unknown

When participants first arrive at the laboratories, they are unaware of each other’s backgrounds. This is intentional, ensuring that interactions are not influenced by identity positions that could spur enmities or hinder genuine encounters. The initial phase of the WTR spiral, “Coming from Gratitude,” helps create a safe container, what we call “the membrane of trust,” for the new ecosystem we’re building together. Delegates from the House of Truth explain the immense task and opportunity the country faces with the peace agreement.

Theatrical games are introduced to encourage creativity and free expression. Mistakes are celebrated, viewed as sources of growth and learning—nourishing rather than embarrassing experiences.

An essential part of building trust is the “Farmer’s Market of Care for Life.” This activity allows everyone—even those who have committed atrocities—to share how they are working towards peace, restorative justice, and “Buen Vivir” in their communities. We are often astonished by the love, care, courage, and creativity hidden within these individuals. This process gives everyone a dignified place and role in our village. Some participants exemplify the Re-Conectando principle: “the medicine is next to the wound.”

Fostering Trust for Truth-Telling

The Truth Commission has emphasized the importance of fostering trust as a fundamental condition for truth-telling, addressing one of the main losses left by war. This trust is crucial for revealing not just a mechanical truth, often repeated by victimized people or perpetrators who have given testimony countless times, but a healing truth, welling up from the deep waters of their wounded souls.

Francisco de Roux, president of the Truth Commission, states: “We do not want a truth that deepens hatred and feelings of revenge, but a truth that opens us to compassion for what happened to us as a country, with our 9 million victims. We need a truth that can help build a new country together.”

During our laboratory, the mission of the TC comes alive with a 40-minute recording of a personal message from Father Francisco, who recounts the suffering of many victims he witnessed during the peace negotiations in Cuba. His straightforward yet compassionate stories awaken painful memories in most of us.

Following the viewing of the video, we engage in the “Museum of the Unspeakable,” an image theater exercise inspired by Augusto Boal’s Theater of the Oppressed. Statues and frozen scenes represent the horrors of war locked within our bodies. As we “visit” the museum and project our own memories onto the statues, we uncover the many faces of suffering and begin to embrace the complexity of Colombia’s history. The images are polysemic, allowing us all to project our own experiences with the war onto them. This ocean of projections creates a deeply embodied way to enter the Truth Mandala.

Among the various WTR-practices offered, we discover – not surprisingly – that the Truth Mandala takes on essential meaning for the work of the Truth Commission. It begins with the truth of participants’ deep traumas and pain, which have rarely been addressed. To explore this deep suffering, we need to feel safe. The sense of containment produced by the group, the ancestral Mother holding us, and the metaphor of interdependence carefully woven through every moment of the process all contribute to the practice of care as an embodied principle that upholds trust among the group. 

It seems only normal that we put our shields up to protect ourselves from feeling the pain, especially the warriors. Vulnerability is often seen as weakness – or shame holds us back. But then we discover that vulnerability is an extraordinary source of power and strength. Because it shows our heart, our pain or shame. And we accept that rather than hiding it away, we offer it as a gift.

At this moment, participants often learn about the groups to which others were associated. Former guerrilla members, paramilitaries, and soldiers face both their victims’ truths and their own sorrowful and regrettable actions. Likewise, victims learn about and are exposed to the vulnerabilities of their perpetrators, creating a horizontal relational ground and fostering connection. These transformative moments of deep understanding occur because participants feel safe.

From Wounds to Reconciliation

In a laboratory held in the Magdalena Medio region of Colombia, two victims expressed distrust toward a former paramilitary member’s sharing in the Truth Mandala. “I felt that he did not speak the truth. Something stopped him from opening up to us and he just told us what we wanted to hear”, Diana, one of these victims, said after the Truth Mandala had taken place. The facilitators formed a new circle for the two women to speak directly with the ex-combatant. After hearing their fears and concerns, he responded:

“It is very difficult to know that one is sitting here practically as a representative, because at the beginning I said: I come in representation of a group of ex-combatants, but I never said what group it was. Why? Because of fear. Right now you see me as an ordinary person. I was no longer the man with the armband, the rifle, who was looking at you and you had to lower your gaze because uh huh. No, not anymore.” He explained that he felt ashamed, because, as he recalled: “80% of the atrocities that you just narrated has to do with the paramilitary”. 

After being able to explicitly say who he had been, the group showed a renewed willingness to listen to stories of his present life, his processes, and the challenges he faces in reintegrating into civil society.

Although Re-Conectando presents itself as Laboratories for Truth and Reconciliation in the womb of Mother Earth, we do not offer any incentives for asking forgiveness or working toward reconciliation. We understand that these actions are meaningful only when they come from the heart and are born out of the empathy created through deep listening in a non-judgmental and safe space, free from pressure or expectations.

Laura Cifuentes, a participant from one of the Houses of Truth in our Sumapaz laboratory, noted in an interview:

“What struck me about Re-Conectando is that participants are not told what to do or what to believe. They aren’t given instructions on what is good or bad, what should be, or the only way to do things. Instead, they are presented with doors that open and pathways to explore. This approach sparked a significant reflection on the possibility of choice and responsibility, which I believe is fundamental to the spiritual dimension of peacebuilding.”

In our Uraba laboratory, several high-level ex-combatants from opposing sides of the conflict – guerrilla and paramilitary – participate, creating a space for deep listening and “unlikely dialogues” amidst the nurturing embrace of nature. Through shared experiences of awe, wonder, play, and interconnectedness, participants develop a greater sense of empathy for each other’s suffering and a deeper appreciation for the sanctity of all life. This environment naturally fosters the need for sincere forgiveness, as seen between ex-paramilitary commander Dario and ex-guerrillero soldier Eduardo:

“Eduardo, my words are not going to give you back the parents and family that you lost as a child and that those same circumstances led you to make mistakes in life; but, today I want to ask for your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart and invite you to be that light for those who do not have light, because who else than you and I can tell the world that we can, Eduardo? And I will say it again, forgive me, forgive me a thousand times for the damage we caused.” 

(Dario – Harvest circle September 4, 2019).

After several days the former high level Farc commander Francisco is taken by surprise by what unfolds in the village between “us and them”: “I think this village, what we call Re-Conectando, is what I needed to heal my wounds. I never imagined I would be able to hug a paramilitary, someone from a group that killed my family. But look, where is the revenge? It’s in smiles, in eating together, like brothers. I wish for all of us to reconnect, for all of us to belong to this village, to all of Colombia.”

At the end of the gathering, Francisco invites Dario to join forces for peace:

“With this PEACE that we will achieve, with these rifles we consign to oblivion – rifles that took away mothers and children – with this peace and harmony, we will help the communities that have suffered and heal their wounds. Let’s join forces and build this peace together!”

Dario responds while lifting Francisco in his arms:

“That’s how it is, brother. God bless us, and I will visit you soon!”

Dario concluded in an interview afterwards: 

 “I do not believe in the kind of forgiveness that a judge orders you to do: “Go ask the victim for forgiveness”, because that is a mechanical forgiveness, people are not even prepared for that. Real forgiveness is what we did this week, that came from the heart, that is the true reconciliation that this country needs.” (Dario, interview in labo – September 2019).

The Soul’s Mycelium: A Source of Collective Healing

At Re-Conectando, we understand collective trauma as the psychological and emotional impact experienced by a group of people who have undergone shared traumatic events. This trauma profoundly affects the collective identity and memory of the group, often manifesting as widespread grief, loss, fear, and mistrust. The communities we work with have been directly and indirectly affected by war, extreme violence, environmental disasters, and systemic oppression.

In our laboratories, we have observed that the scars of collective trauma can persist for generations, influencing cultural narratives and social behaviors. Our goal is to contribute to collective healing, which involves processes and practices that help a community come together to address and recover from shared trauma. We focus on creating safe spaces for dialogue, acknowledging and validating the experiences and emotions of the group, and fostering unity and support.

We employ rituals, storytelling, communal activities, and eco-psychosocial interventions to facilitate healing. Collective healing transforms pain and suffering into resilience and strength, ultimately rebuilding the social fabric and promoting reconciliation and hope within the community.

Just as mycelium extracts nutrients from decomposing matter to aid in the growth and regeneration of ecosystems, individuals can experience post-traumatic growth, drawing meaning and growth from difficult experiences. This nourishment supports spiritual and emotional well-being. By engaging in this process collectively, we cultivate the possibility of collective healing.

This healing process of the soul inspired Diana Forero, former FARC-combatant and poetess, to write these words in the crystalline waters of the Jüegar river in Lejanias, after having honored her pain:

RECONECTANDO

You know you’re dying

you feel burst

your insides

You bleed

lost in delirium

and the memory

Life

at the end of the day

always achieves

break through

And you end up vomiting

thank heaven

the corpse

that you were dragging

stubborn

in the deepest

of your tired belly

You stop clinging to the void

and that’s how you manage to find yourself

In the boiling bed

of a sulfur river

Like the caterpillar that bursts

giving birth to colored wings

You break the shell

that clung to fear

and you start groping

but with sure step

around the world

Without more light

May the light of your soul

Your old scabby skin

finally comes off

to pieces of your face

You will never be again

the terrified girl

that hides

Of her self

behind the mask

of her own hatred

Seeing with New Eyes: Re-Connecting with Nature

Proposing care for our shared natural world and ancestral Mother transforms into a powerful source of inspiration on the path to peace and reconciliation, not only among humans but also with the living body of Earth, as many ancestral communities in Colombia have long practiced.

In the same laboratory in Uraba, beside the Caribbean Sea with its unique and healing energy, the group – after cleansing their “inner beaches” in the Truth Mandala – was spontaneously drawn to a collective act of material and symbolic restoration, gathering all kinds of debris from the beach. Standing proudly behind many filled garbage bags, facing the sea turning orange with the setting sun, the participants burst into singing Re-Conectando’s jingle: “Está pasando, nos estamos Re-Conectando!”

The Game of the Elastics: Experiencing Interbeing

An impactful practice we have developed to experience interbeing and the theory of living systems is what we currently call the Game of the Elastics. Each participant receives a closed elastic band, long enough to form various shapes by stretching it with different body postures. The elastic represents qualities or “medicines” that each of us carries within. Gradually, participants are invited to join their bands with others to create increasingly complex shapes until all the bands are intertwined into a single network. At this point, we ask them to describe what they see. Common responses include words like “brain,” “community,” “entanglement,” “spider web,” “ecosystem,” and “mycelium.” This sets the stage for a reflection on what might happen to the human and natural ecosystem if current trends continue.

Then the facilitator begins to separate parts, unlinking the participants one by one. At this point, they no longer represent themselves but are seen as parts of an ecosystem being devastated. Having researched the specific socio-environmental conflicts of the territory beforehand, the facilitator makes cynical, harsh comments during the disconnection process:

“This is a river contaminated with mercury from gold mining, now lifeless, but who cares!” “This is a mountain being decapitated for its mineral wealth, but who cares! There are thousands of mountains in this country!” “This is an indigenous community driven to extinction, taking with it a unique cosmogony, language, and art, but who cares? They’re just obstacles to progress!” “These are orchids no one has ever seen, now vanished, but it doesn’t matter.” “And you, the social leader making a fuss about all this, we’ll disappear you too. You’re just a troublemaker, always arguing and complaining, doing nothing useful… and nothing happens, because we are all afraid.”

As the “unraveling” progresses, some participants start to resist the dismemberment, reflecting the real-life struggles in Colombia. The facilitator responds with increased determination to make them disappear, cruelly mirroring the harsh reality they face. Eventually, the network is almost completely unraveled, leaving only a few participants loosely connected by their elastics, while the rest lie disconnected on the floor.

At that point, we ask the participants how they feel about what has happened. They usually express feelings of desolation, hopelessness, and pain for everything that has been lost, realizing the deep impact it has on them. We sometimes comment on what remains, sharing facts such as only 17% of animals left on Earth are wild, 75% of birds are chickens, and almost 60% of mammals are cows. This prompts reflection on what these changes mean for the planet and humanity.

Next, we invite participants to consider what they can do or contribute to prevent the remaining parts from disappearing and to regenerate life. As they name the qualities they bring to the ecosystem (e.g., “protect the rivers,” “reforest,” “raise awareness through art”, they reconnect their elastics with the surviving network. This process continues until the network is fully restored, giving rise to a new, interconnected system.

Widening Circles: Re-Connecting with Causes

This dynamic is rather painful yet clarifying, serving as a perfect introduction to seeing our interconnectedness in the web of life through new (or ancestral) eyes, regardless of the role or place you occupy in this web. Often, we proceed by reconnecting participants to the causes they defend through the beautiful Work That Reconnects (WTR) practice: Widening Circles. This involves working on their ecological self, cultivating passion and compassion, and opening up to new identities.

We invite participants to create small theater scenes in evocative natural settings, which themselves become actors in the performance. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscle of imagination and allows participants to fully embody the experience. Amidst liberating laughter or while holding their breath, the audience witnesses scenes where a victim takes the place of a perpetrator, a former combatant embodies a child of the future, or an indigenous leader represents the CEO of the mining company destroying his land. This approach creates a transformative space for participants to confront past traumas, articulate emotions, and reconnect with their inner selves and a larger, collective purpose. Through forum theater, participants also practice agency by intervening as “spect-actors,” exploring new, alternative approaches to these complex issues.

Acuerdo de Paz: A Walk Towards Peace

Throughout all our activities – whether in heartfelt conversations amidst nature, during moments of playful interaction, or in the profound silence of our Gaia refuge – we recognize that the soul’s mycelium is weaving together our past experiences, emotions, and beliefs. This intricate process shapes our present and future selves, integrating these elements to foster a sense of wholeness across our life journey. To deepen our experience of integration and interbeing, both personally and collectively, we are now preparing for another ritual within Re-Conectando. This ritual is inspired by the Peace Agreement, “el Acuerdo de Paz” in Spanish. “Acuerdo” comes from the latín verb “accordare, meaning “to unite hearts.” It symbolizes for us the “cuerda,” the cord that can guide us along the arduous path toward peace.

The Peace Walk has emerged as a pivotal activity, symbolizing various facets of our national journey from conflict to harmony with ourselves and the natural world. Participants are guided to a rugged, untamed natural environment, brimming with challenging terrain – rivers to cross, towering rocks to scale, dense bushes, precipices, dark caves, mountains, diverse vegetation, and fallen trees. In silence and blindfolded, participants traverse this terrain, one hand resting on the shoulder of the person ahead, the other holding a soft wool thread symbolizing the “Acuerdo de Paz” concluded in 2016. Intuitively, each person decides where to grip the cord – leading the way upfront, amidst the group, or following behind, sensing the movement of the thread guided by those ahead. Guides assist when paths grow too perilous, facilitating a journey into the unknown.

This collective trek serves to bring the unconscious into consciousness and reveal the unseen barriers within our spirit, heart, and body. It navigates uncertainty toward the horizon of peace and reconciliation—with oneself, others, and the Earth. Questions arise: What do I need for healing? What must I release? Can I trust those beside me?

The Misak people of northern Cauca have imparted a profound teaching: we move forward by tracing the footsteps of our ancestors. Moving forward does not mean forgetting the past or the ongoing challenges, but rather, learning from those experiences to prevent their repetition and honoring the pain endured by humanity and all living beings. Moving forward entails reconnecting with the ancestral wisdom of indigenous peoples, listening to the Elders who have always understood the deep interconnection among all beings on Earth. As we walk, one hand rests on the shoulder of the Elder before us, while on our other shoulder, we feel the hand of a child from the future. Together, we hold onto the delicate cord of peace, which at times breaks when someone stumbles or when the tension becomes overwhelming – prompting us to pause, reconnect, and then continue our journey towards peace.

We often utilize traditional tales as rich forests of symbols, embedding ourselves in collective rites of passage. The Borneo story of “The Half Boy” has been a guiding narrative for us on many occasions. This traditional initiation tale illustrates the journey from childhood (incompleteness) to adulthood (wholeness), culminating in the community’s joyous celebration upon the return of the fully initiated boy to the village. During our peace walks, we immerse ourselves in the boy’s trials of initiation from this timeless story. Each participant confronts their fears, pains, feelings of abandonment, vulnerability, fear, and the necessity to trust others for survival. At one point, we invite participants to pick up heavy rocks symbolizing the emotions or narratives that hinder their personal growth. Uphill, we carry our traumas, pain, resentment, desires for revenge, fears of authenticity, and more.

On other occasions, we pause by the river, using colored clay to mark our bodies with the stories and wounds life has inflicted upon us: feelings of inadequacy, shame, regret, fear, violence, illness, and destructive addictions. Each person engages in a self-generated ceremony, adorning their body with these marks. Then, with this marked skin, we proceed towards a waterfall or flowing river. When ready, we immerse ourselves, asking the waters to wash away the old skin we wish to shed, allowing us to emerge renewed, cleansed, and ready for a fresh start—a rebirth of self.

Emerging from the waters purified and rejuvenated, as if reborn, we are welcomed into a new village where we sing and celebrate one another. We commit to embracing a new life and nurturing a country at peace with itself and in harmony with nature.

In our laboratory in Sumapaz, something extraordinary unfolded. Former FARC combatants and individuals who had suffered violence at the hands of the FARC and the national army, notorious for their atrocities, came together. Among them was Mario Calle, a retired member of the Armed Forces, now wheelchair-bound due to an anti-personnel mine planted by the FARC.

Initially, over the first two days, many harbored resistance, distrust, and even anger toward Mario, symbolizing what many considered “the enemy.” However, as they listened to his profound suffering and learned how he now dedicated himself to making wheelchairs for victims of anti-personnel mines regardless of their affiliation, a process of humanization began to unfold.

As we prepared as a team for the Peace Walk, the challenge arose of how Mario could participate, given the wheelchair-accessibility issues on the path. To everyone’s surprise, three participants—among them a victim of the army and a former FARC commander—stepped forward. They took turns carrying Mario on their shoulders, becoming his legs and enabling him to partake in this symbolic gesture of peace.

This act became a powerful manifestation of mutual care that naturally emerged, fostering healing not only for Mario and his “carriers” but for the entire group.

Laura Cifuentes, a participant from one of the Truth Commissions’ Houses who took part in our Sumapaz laboratory, expressed in a subsequent interview:

“If we had established a Ministry of Re-Conectando in our country and given every Colombian the opportunity to undergo this transformational experience, we would all be much better equipped to collectively build peace—and it would have cost significantly less!”

One of the significant contributions Re-Conectando has made to the Truth Commission is the recognition of our deep ecological connection, our innate belonging to Earth’s living body. As Miguel, a member of a local Truth Commission House in Norte Santander, shared after his experience in 2019: “We were really touched by Re-Conectando’s ability to reconnect us with Earth as a living, suffering, sentient, wise, and healing entity.” According to Miguel, the Commission needs to include nature as an active participant capable of narrating the war’s effects, the pain it has inflicted, and pathways to collective healing inspired by nature’s resilience.

Thus, Mother Earth is acknowledged as a central source for understanding the human tragedies experienced by different regions. This understanding is interwoven into several chapters of the Commission’s final report, notably in “When the birds did not sing”, “Nature wounded by violence” and the Ethnic chapter focusing on Colombia’s indigenous peoples’ resilience: ”Resistance does not mean mere endurance.”  It is gratifying to know that Re-Conectando has been able to contribute, albeit modestly yet profoundly, to fostering this awareness. 

In the Final Declaration of the Commission titled “Convocatoria a la Paz Grande“, the metaphor of Colombia’s wounded body is employed, emphasizing that to heal this body, all its parts must be healed. This shows how the Commission has integrated the principles of interdependence and interconnectedness in all of her analysis.

“We call for the healing
of the physical and symbolic body,

pluricultural and multiethnic,
that we form as citizens of this nation.

A body that cannot survive

with a heart infarcted in Chocó,

arms gangrenous in Arauca,

legs destroyed in Mapiripán,

a head severed in El Salado,

a violated vagina in Tierralta,

empty eye sockets in Cauca,

a ruptured stomach in Tumaco,

crushed vertebrae in Guaviare,

shredded shoulders in Urabá,

a neck slit in Catatumbo,

a face burned in Machuca,

lungs pierced in the mountains of Antioquia

and the indigenous soul ravaged in Vaupés.”

Navigating Colonial Legacies

Re-Conectando acknowledges the complexities of operating in a nation with a colonial past, particularly in terms of respecting indigenous knowledge and traditions within The Work That Reconnects. Upholding indigenous sovereignty, advocating for self-determination, and fostering ethical partnerships are foundational to our approach.

Creating inclusive ritual spaces in a predominantly Catholic and evolving Christian society, especially in rural areas, poses significant challenges. Sensitivity is paramount to prevent practices from being perceived as disrespectful or disruptive to established traditions.

Our pancultural approach integrates diverse traditions and symbolic content through self-generated ceremonies, allowing participants to craft rituals tailored to their life transitions and spiritual beliefs. This fosters self-awareness and personal growth through practices like fasting, solitude, meditation, and prayer, aligning with individual paths and intentions. These ceremonies offer opportunities to confront shadows, fears, and weaknesses, gaining clarity on life paths free from judgment or conformity.

Colombia’s diverse cultural landscape, including numerous indigenous groups and Afro-Colombian communities, presents both opportunities and obstacles. These communities maintain strong cultural identities and rituals that have been pivotal in their resistance against historical marginalization. Introducing new practices may face resistance if perceived as undermining cherished traditions.

Despite these challenges, they have spurred meaningful dialogue on the enduring impact of colonialism and the imperative of integrating local wisdom and ancestral practices into Re-Conectando’s work. Participants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to share and learn, fostering mutual respect and enrichment in our collective journey.

We recognize that not everyone may fully engage due to personal beliefs or challenges in connecting with the ritual’s energy. Rather than criticize non-participation or resistance, we validate these experiences as meaningful explorations of self-awareness and personal boundaries. Integration post-ritual encourages participants to reflect independently and evolve their meanings over time, supported by community resonance and personal storytelling.

The Soul’s Mycelium: A Legacy Beyond Truth

Years of collaboration with the Truth Commission have yielded an unexpected, yet potent, harvest: the Seeds of Re-Conectando. These community leaders, once participants in our laboratories, have become enthusiastic stewards of our methodology. They are cultivating the mycelium of empathy and understanding within their own organizations and territories.

This grassroots movement extends beyond physical borders. Our online community of practice, and our “methodological laboratories,” have fostered a vibrant space for knowledge sharing and leadership development. Seeds of Re-Conectando are not only interested in learning but some are now facilitators themselves, offering laboratories in their regions with the help of more experienced Re-Conectando facilitators acting as mentors.

Fundación Re-Conectando, as we are formally establishedstablished, is now transitioning leadership to some of these very individuals. We are actively seeking funding to ensure our work continues beyond the Truth Commission’s mandate.

Our vision is clear: a flourishing network of “souls” embodying empathy, compassion, and interconnectedness. We identify and empower these leaders, equipping them with practices that cultivate these values. They then become catalysts for change within their communities, inspiring others through their actions and creating a tapestry of like-minded individuals.

As these networks expand, they weave the fabric of a more soulful society. Workshops, discussions, and collaborative initiatives become the threads of transformation, leading to a visible shift in social cohesion, environmental stewardship, and overall well-being.

Finally, just as mycelium adapts and thrives in diverse environments, so too will our approach. Continuous learning and collaboration between leaders and communities will ensure sustained growth and impact, mirroring the resilient and expansive nature of its namesake in the natural world. The soul’s mycelium, once planted, holds the potential to transform Colombia’s future, one connection at a time.

Helena ter Ellen

Liliana Moreno

Hector Aristizábal