The new way is the old way

It was a bold move that I thought would open up a new way of life. But in reality I’ve been following an ancient path. And there is no shortage of timeless wisdom to be found along the way for the modern day.

It has been a year since I packed up my family to move from South Australia to Northern California, against the tide of lockdowns and border crackdowns. As expected, life has been turned on its head (I wrote about the move here).

Of all the change that has occurred, the biggest shift has come in my mindset. The process has been nothing less than a purge; the flushing up of fears, anxieties and fixed thinking, the release of the comforts, practicalities and ‘things’ of home, and the testing and refining of relationships.

This mental shift, though, had been brewing in recent years. It was already clear to me that the ‘normal’ life (at least as most of the world lives it) isn’t necessarily best, but like many people, I had no idea how to snap out of the system.

But stepping out and coming through to the other side (of the world), it’s like a veil gets lifted. The move broke psychological barriers and brought the revelation that life really can be designed around your purpose, values and passions. And these can be more than token, aspirational words on a wall. It really is possible to truly live your mission, without having to be a slave to a wage and debt.

So while navigating the extreme highs and lows of the last 12 months, it has felt like having a blank sheet of paper to re-write the script, where the only threat has been slipping back into old thinking and habits. So much time has been spent re-thinking and re-imagining what is really needed to thrive in all aspects of life; spiritual, psychological and physical health, family, education, business and work, and community.

While exploring seemingly new ideas about these pillars of life, aspects of digital nomadism have resonated with me, where entrepreneurs live in any location they like, with the lifestyle of their choosing, funded by their online businesses. Being able to run my Australian companies from Northern California, entirely online, has given my family the freedom to follow our ‘big picture’ purpose, to put our kids in the best school in the world according to our values, and for my wife to pursue the education of her choice.

Being a ‘digital nomad’ comes with an identity, sub-culture and community, and feels like an emerging trend (even though it has been around for decades — here’s a great piece on digital nomad history) further accelerated by the pandemic’s impact on remote work.

But it was digging deeper into the broader history of nomadism, long before it was ever associated with anything ‘digital’, that revealed timeless, ancient wisdom for life.

While technology continues its takeover, these historic truths hold firm.

We have much to learn from the many nomadic groups that have and continue to walk the earth, and as I looked at the principles of one culture, the ancient Hebrews, there were many parallels that I want to carry forward in my life today.

Deep purpose.

Unlike the glamorised folklore of digital nomadism and lifestyle entrepreneurship, where movement is apparently dictated by low cost of living, beautiful beaches and Mai Tais, the ancient Hebrews were pastoral nomads who followed rain, water sources and green pastures. While this was based on needs for their livestock and community, the symbolism is also important; pursuing these things also meant pursuing a life of fruitfulness and abundance.

And the purpose ran even deeper than that. For Abraham, the ultimate Hebrew nomad, there was the pursuit of the Promised Land, “the land flowing with milk and honey” given to him and his descendants by God as outlined in the book of Genesis.

The Lord said to Abram (Abraham), “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gen. 12:1)

It’s important to note that these nomads didn’t just have a chosen religion, their life was a full expression of their faith. They saw their life as being entirely in God’s hands.

Home.

For the ancient Hebrew nomads, the wilderness was home. It’s a scary concept for the western world, particularly Australians, where we have had it so good on our safe island for so long. It is also counter culture in a world locked down in response to the pandemic.

But to the Hebrews, the wilderness represented surrender. It was about being yielded to their purpose and to God, and was the environment for their journey. They were far from homeless vagabonds, and there was always a purpose and destination in mind.

Wilderness also provided solitude. It’s a time of separation, where all distractions are removed, allowing for deep personal discovery and refinement. There’s no noise, opening up the ability to hear. Today, I need this more than ever.

However, the Hebrews were not meant to stay in the wilderness forever. In what was supposed to be a 40 day journey to the Promised Land, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, because of their lack of faith.

There is a lesson there. Faith is guaranteed to be tested on a journey like this (and this has been true for me, too). But how much do we believe in what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and who we’re doing it for?

Minimal possessions.

As a Hebrew nomad, packing heavy was not an option. They carried minimal possessions, mostly tools of the trade relating to their pastoral work, accomodation, cooking and other essential equipment. They were also supplied from their flocks, with animal skins and hair for clothing and tents.

When you move a family overseas, you quickly realise how little you really need. This was one of the most powerful aspects of our move. Packing light makes you nimble, responsive and brings freedom that you didn’t know you needed until you have it.

Today, the reality is we don’t need most of our stuff. It is weighing us down and holding us back from living in the freedom we’re meant to have.

Wealth and legacy.

While the Hebrew nomads lived simply, they amassed wealth through their businesses (based on the size and health of their flocks) and land ownership.

Abraham and his nephew Lot became so wealthy, with so many possessions, flocks and land, that they had to split up their businesses (Genesis 13:11).

The ancient Hebrews were also generationally motivated and driven by legacy. Wealth was amassed not just for personal gain, but for their community, children and their children’s children.

This is one point that sits in stark contrast to the modern day ‘sharing economy’, associated with the digital nomad movement, where the growth of the likes of Airbnb, Uber and similar companies have seen some predict that we’ll no longer own houses and cars, and this is somehow a good thing. While the sharing economy offers great efficiencies conveniences, giving up ownership of assets that could be used for investment is not something to be embraced.

Community.

Anthropological studies show that Hebrew nomadic groups were typically 25 to 50 people, balanced to prevent isolation but also to avoid becoming too big where the community became hard to organise, move and manage.

Today, maintaining community while making a geographical shift is a challenge that isn’t easily solved. It would appear that technology and social media makes this far easier, and it does, but only to an extent. Online relationships are not as deep or as personal as you’d get if you gathered around the camp fire every night.

This is why digital nomads have fought to build communities all over the world, gathering in coworking spaces, cafes and online platforms. Others find community in churches, schools and sport. But movement is always disruptive for communities, unless you’re moving together.

The power of storytelling.

Storytelling was key for the Hebrews to share knowledge, and remains so today, through our various media channels and formats. And this is something I am challenging myself with, aiming to continue to write content such as this, to share our family story and what I am learning on our own journey.

Without storytelling, there would be no access to the ancient and traditional wisdom to help us navigate the future. And as the world becomes more uncertain and volatile, we need it more than ever.

What’s next

If you’ve got to the bottom of the story, thanks for sticking with me while I externally process! I hope to keep sharing our journey and what I learn along the way, so feel free to follow along here on Medium, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram.

Find out more about The Montesi Company and Apiro Marketing.