HÅKON RIAN UELAND

POWERHOUSE GLOBAL MAGAZINE (PGMAG)INTERVIEW WITH:

HÅKON RIAN UELAND (HR)

PGMAG: Håkon, so good to have you on today's interview with Lady Anita.

HR: I am deeply honoured to be given the opportunity, Lady Anita. Thank you very much!

PGMAG: Please introduce yourself to our audience.

HR: My most important role is being the protector of children and others who don’t have a voice. I do that by being a spiritual and corporate coach, a healer, and an optimizer of systems and organizations. I am a pilgrim, a Dr. of Divinity and an artist. I have worked in social services for 20-something years, since 2008 as a Child Welfare Worker. Though I am a monk of my own denomination now, I was married for 25 years, and I have three children who are the motivation of my life. “Darkness” became too much of a force in my life. So, in 2018 I left my job, and started travelling where the wind took me. I am certified in Tsa Lung (Tibetan energy healing) and Holistic Healing, and I knew where I was needed. Right now, I live in the small town of Ed in Sweden, where I have rented a small house for my dog and me.

PGMAG: Being a 'Monk' must be a higher level of Spiritual Awakening. What are some of the steps needed to reconnect with one's higher self?

HR: I don’t perceive myself as being spiritually “awakened”. I am just doing my thing. But I have had some moments when I have felt connected with my Truth.

We are all on our own paths. In general, I think reconnecting is about listening to the silence. Your own, integral truth. Not the one you find in the words of some pastor, guru – or monk, for that matter – but the one we all own a piece of. The core of the greeting “namaste” – “The Divine bows to the Divine in You”.

I guess I should expand a bit on that. Because “silence” seems to imply sitting in a cave for years, eating rice and meditating constantly. To me personally, silence can be found in tiny moments. Looking deep into the eyes of a new-born baby. Fight-training with my dog (I have a Malinois, Trollheads Nessi, who was trained as a K9 with her previous family). If I don’t find my zone of silence when training her, she may hurt me. And … when singing. When I reach my true voice and sing without thought. What I think has been most powerful for my own development, is to constantly ask “why”. I have written some articles on LinkedIn where I explore this from various angles.

PGMAG: There are reports of an increase in the number of people who are struggling to cope with the current global challenge (covid-19). As a healer, what is your message for those in the above-mentioned situation?

HR: Yes. Many are struggling. Suicide is on the rise. I predict that the pressure on mental healthcare will continue to rise, and likewise, child welfare and social welfare offices will feel the pressure. Unless we start making decisions based on love, not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Its consequences are more lethal than Covid-19. And fear sells, so mass-media uses this to get clicks and views. What I believe is most important is to accept all your feelings. If you feel fearful or sad or happy or ecstatic – embrace it. Cherish it. Enter the feeling. At the same time – reject whatever emotions others are trying to project onto you. Such as fear. You can’t “feel wrong”. You can act with wrong intent, though. If you hate someone, being honest about it may be good. Especially to yourself. But hurting them intentionally, unless you are defending a “weak party”, that is something to avoid. I am not only talking about acceptance, but also releasing your emotions. If you feel sad at the state of the world – cry. Tears wash your soul. If you feel love – express it. Unrequited love? Sing it out. Write a poem. Hug your dog or cat. And if you feel suicidal – wait one minute. Then repeat. And reach out for help. If you search for “mAncient” on YouTube, you will find some videos that expand on this. You can also reach out for me if you need support. One final thing … sing. Sing your pain, sing your love, sing your dreams, sing your joy.

PGMAG: Please tell us about ‘mAncient’.

HR: I needed an artist name in 2017. And so, I decided that combining Man and Ancient would work. I have a motto, supposedly said by Seneca; “Homo sum humani a me nihil alienum puto” - “I am human. Nothing human is strange to me.” So, the Ancient part of my name came naturally, as did “man”.

PGMAG: If you knew what you know now, what would you do differently?

HR: I could’ve lightened up a little bit. Been a little less rigid and bombastic. But … I have walked the path that was laid out before me, and sometimes, it has been quite narrow and steep. I have made seasoned therapists cry by sharing moments from my life. I rarely do that anymore. Share, that is.

PGMAG: Please tell us about your music.

HR: My first album, Livet er (Norwegian for “Life Is”), is a singer-songwriter album. Each of the songs have a story behind them. Currently, I work with electronica in my own, personal style. “Earth House”, inspired by “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson. I would like to share the story behind “MK I”. I was working in an institution, which was considered the most challenging institution in the field. It was like a bootcamp – when a child welfare-office somewhere in Norway didn’t know what to do with a child, they were sent there, for a stay of three months, and then they travelled on to other institutions or foster-homes. I met a young boy. We spent 15 hours together on his first day, where he shared pieces of his life. Our meeting started with him screaming “I will kill you” to my face. The experiences he shared were so horrible, the darkness he had faced, both in himself and in others, so encompassing, that when I went to bed, I knew I could not sleep. I felt as if I had swallowed a black hole. I sat down with my Mac and made a song. MK I. Now, I create healing music. And I sing, often worship, on the karaoke apps Smule and StarMaker. My current favourite is “The Blessing” by Kari Jobe.

PGMAG: What is your message for world leaders?

HR: I realise that the current situation is scary. You are facing a new situation, where it seems that changes happen every day. And you know that history will judge you based on your decisions. Commonly, we speak of two reactions when faced with fear. Fight or flight. But there is a third option. “Love”. Embrace the possibilities for change that this situation is giving us. The compassion that is sweeping the globe. The potential for creating a new normal that will bring forth the best of mankind. If you need a consult – reach out to me. Don’t play on fear. Our world has never been better. Less wars, more humanitarian work, more compassion. Accentuate the good. Allow all churches, synagogues, temples and mosques – all places of worship – to be open 24/7. Give people a place to be quiet with their faith, staffed with people to talk with if they wish. And, most important: Start asking “Who, What, Why?”. The systems we have set up – are they meant to serve the people? Or the system itself? Your work – does it serve your own needs? Or the people? And religious leaders… Please stop turning sexuality into something ugly. It is a sacred gift from God. Don’t forget that we are all equal under the eyes of our Lord. And there is nothing more sacred than the union of two people in a symbiotic, balanced relationship.

PGMAG: What are some steps to conquering fear?

HR: In Norway, we have a lot of trolls. They live in our history. And, the fascinating thing about trolls is that they turn to stone if hit by the sun. Same with fear. If you face your fear honestly, it tends to dissolve. Accept it. And ask it the three questions, because some fears are beneficial. Avoiding a rattle snake is a survival tactic, not cowardice.

PGMAG: Finally, what would you say to your younger self?

HR: Questions are the key to understanding. Though I would not change one single step on the long and winding road I have followed, I would have started asking myself three questions earlier in life. Summarised in “Who, what, why?”. • Who am I? • What am I doing with my life? • Why am I doing it?

PGMAG: Thank you once again for your time. We wish you well on your journey.

HR: It was a true pleasure. Thank you again for inviting me, and may love caress your path, Lady Anita.

PGMAG: Please share your links with us.

HR: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mancient https://www.mancient.one https://www.surroundtherapy.com