Listening, Learning, and Letting Go: Reflections from Nepal

A second dialogue blog between Peter and Rachael using Paulo Freire's ideas of dialogue stimulated by codes.

Rachael: Peter, love, what a journey it’s been—six weeks in Nepal working with Sahakarmi Samaj NGO, culminating in a field trip with 11 Australian community development practitioners. We came to learn from their work, and we are leaving deeply inspired. (And for those interested, we’re returning in November 2026 for another field trip, book launch, and learning symposium—mark your calendars!)

At the heart of Sahakarmi Samaj’s approach is a simple yet profound truth that we witnessed time and again across dozens of community meetings. And that is:

People and communities are best placed to lead their own transformation.

Not governments (though they may play a supportive role), not outside experts, and not even community development workers! The people themselves, who directly experience their own unique challenges, are the real experts in finding their own unique solutions. And yet, what is sometimes needed is a process of support—one that involves deep listening, powerful questioning, and creative ways to stimulate dialogue and action. This might look like games, dance, and shared storytelling—methods we saw firsthand in more than a dozen community meetings.

I know this truth intuitively. In my own life, I don’t want to be told what my issues are or ‘fixed’ by an expert (or even a well-meaning friend). And let’s be honest, love—I know all my yoga recommendations probably feel the same for you! My suggestion of 'yoga will fix everything' doesn't seem to land well :)

One of my favourite parts of this process is the creative way that community conversations around particular issues are facilitated using pictures or community theatre followed by lots of very good questions (what Paulo Freire, the great literacy education expert, called ‘codes’). Take this image (below), which was created after a Community Educator spent months listening to local stories and hearing a shared concern.

During a meeting this picture was presented and the group was asked:

• What do you see?

• Does this happen in your life or community?

• What might have caused this situation?

• Why do you think this happens?

• What can be done about it?

Of significance, the Community Educator guides the conversation but doesn't offer any suggestions or input. They simply elicit the knowledge of the people, which is powerful to watch.

So, love—and readers—what do you see in this picture?

Peter: I see rubbish. Lots of it. And it was inspiring to watch communities engage in a lively discussion about this shared concern—its causes, and what could be done about it. In just two hours, they developed an action plan together. This process would take months (or years!) where we come from!

Now, let’s look at some other images—of us celebrating Holi with our friends and colleagues.

Rachael, what do you see here? A friend of mine, quite cynically, questioned why we were painting each other's faces while the world is in crisis. It got me thinking: what is the role of celebration, ritual, play, and joy in community life? Aren’t these also essential for the change we want to see?

We came together, across differences, to celebrate life. And I reckon this also matters for a world in crisis.

But again—what do you see?

Before you answer, I have to admit—I had to fully surrender to this wild, colourful day. You know I don’t like mess. I’m sensitive to noise. I loathe people touching my hair.

And yet, Holi was messy, noisy, and filled with people (mostly you!) gleefully rubbing colour into my hair. It was a full day of surrender.

Rachael: Yes! The theme of surrender—something we contemplated in our first blog—has continued to invite us deeper during our time here. It’s a profound, sometimes uncomfortable, spiritual practice, but I’m so glad you could embrace it (even though your hair suffered as a result!).

But coming back to your 'code', in these pictures, mostly I see joy. I see humanity. I see Australians, Tharu Indigenous people, Community Educators, and Sahakarmi Samaj staff—people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders—connecting beyond language and cultural barriers. I see a feeling of welcome and belonging. And I see something deeper: real relationships forged through shared celebrations, deep dialogue, and the willingness to truly listen to each other’s stories.

Peter: What I see resonates with what you saw. Deep joy and humanity. It certainly was a day to remember. So I am wondering, let's leave a code for our readers to respond to.

Dear readers, what do you see here?