To support Eurowood, Ben Waalwijk and Rob Schrama are becoming initiated in the Technique of the Transcendental Meditation for free. This takes place in Lelystad, were the disciples of the Maharishi form a meditation community. Since that time both artists employ meditation as a method of action. In 1999 the Kosovo war shakes up Europe. If nations on this continent keep on fighting each other, there will never be a mini-Europe in Lake Marken. Therefore Eurowood dedicates itself actively for peace and for a better world. Silence becomes the weapon against increasing violence.
The team of Eurowood is meditating, en plein public. The meditations sessions take place on unexpected locations, everywhere throughout the Netherlands. On the beach near “Camperduin” the eyes are being closed for peace in Kosovo; at the Flevoland Radio Channel, to introduce the “Rush Hour Meditation” (1999.) With the “Debiels Meditation” Eurowood is fighting on the track of the “IJzeren Rijn” (Iron Rijnriver) against the arrival of the Betuwe line for industrial railroad transport (2000.) The “Bio-Meditation” in front of the statue of the Friesian Pedigree Cow, to commemorate the suffering of all cattle’s souls during the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. Eurowood introduces a day without meat for Holland, with the “Snack Meditation” in front of the snack bar of the business guru Emile Ratelband and the “Brown Beans Meditation”, in front of the statue of ‘Bartje’ in Assen (2001.)
At all sessions the press is represented in numbers. Often the presence of a photographer of the Dutch National Press Agency alone is already sufficient, to be guaranteed of an article in most national and regional newspapers.
Usually it concerns colour pictures, which are portrayed page wide and make clear the meaning of the meditation at a single glance. The accompanying text is mostly matching well too. In fact the artistic products of Eurowood are just brought to live in the media for our public, as short items and beautiful pictures, which do affect hearts and make people to think about.
BIO-MEDITATION
At Easter Monday 2001, during the foot-and-mouth-disease crisis, a “Bio-Meditation” is hold in Leeuwarden, around the statue of the Friesian Pedigree Cow “Us Mem.” Ben Waalwijk and Rob Schrama meditate on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of animal souls that are the victim of an agricultural policy that reduces living souls to products, which may be destroyed just like that out of economical interest.
The “Volkskrant”, May 24 2001
Janneke van Bergen
In front of fast food restaurant “De Haphoek” in Arnhem two men are sitting motionless on the street; they look like being in trance and have some stuffed animal toy clasped in their arms. The shopping public is passing somewhat amazed.
At the very moment, the owner of “De Haphoek”, Emile Ratelband, shows his face, and the spectators come swarming.
The meditating Ben Waalwijk and Rob Schrama of the Foundation Eurowood campaign against the suffering of animals. “The last day of the month has to become a day without meat,” Rob Schrama explains, “by means of this Snack Meditation we give positive energy that has to make the snack bar owners realize.”
To the public it is a mystery what the activists want to achieve with the meditation. The two are sitting motionless, with closed eyes, and say “not a word.” “This is a new way of campaigning,” Schrama tells afterwards. “We do not use any banners and rotten tomatoes but spirituality. ”Waalwijk: “This crazy picture of two men who are sitting in front of a snack bar sticks in the memory of the audience. They are going to wonder why we are sitting here and that often works out the best way.”
Snack bar owner Ratelband, who sells each day about fifteen hundred minced-meat hot dogs and three thousand croquettes, seems not to intend to introduce a day without meat each month. “People are creatures of habit,” he says. “If they feel like having a croquette or a minced-meat hot dog they should be able to eat from a vending machine. And if you sell them only croquettes without meat, you do not give customers what they want.”
But according to the guru, Schrama and Waalwijk do not sit motionless for twenty minutes for nothing. “Each action is all right,” Ratelband clarifies. “One never knows to which this may lead. A butterfly that ascends in Tokyo may cause a storm in Russia.”
After the snack meditation Ratelband is ready to meet the wishes of the Eurowood team. If Foundation Eurowood finds a good supplier of vegetarian snacks, he wants to sell them in “De Haphoek” each month.
The profits are for a good cause. Even though the veggie burgers lie besides the meat burgers, Schrama and Waalwijk are satisfied with the deal. “Each step is a step towards the right direction,” Waalwijk explains.