“Presence” as the echo of your silence: A reflection on the 3rd Scenario International Conference

Abstract

I am standing on a mountain, receiving the swirl of a moist and strong wind around me. I let my hand out and touch the soil, reflecting on what brought me here. It is my first time in Ireland, yet the moment I touch the earth, I hear myself saying, "I am back." The words arrive so naturally, revealing a place beyond language, where time breathes in indescribable shapes. I came here for an international conference. After the conference, I left the city and followed the footsteps of a poet philosopher into the mountains. His name is John O'Donohue. Around twenty years ago, this Irish philosopher walked along the trails across these mountains, writing his way into the philosophical wonders of “presence” and “absence.”