grounding | belonging | formation
About Roots to Rise
Roots to Rise is dedicated to reconnecting leadership and personal development with ecological principles. By working with nature as kin, individuals and teams are invited to strengthen their foundations, restore balance between giving and receiving, and act from alignment rather than fragmentation.​
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In 1999, a defining insight emerged from Suzanne's research into Tropical Rainforests ecology with a Mayan community in Belize. The same word is used for “tree” and “human being,” reflecting a cosmology in which humans are understood as part of, rather than separate from, the living ecosystem. As expressed by a community elder:
“We are the same beings, just in a different form and quality.”
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This ecological and relational understanding of life was later deepened through the study of Sufism, deep ecology and contemplative traditions. Together, these influences form the philosophical foundation of Roots to Rise.​​​​
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"When we mirror ourselves in a tree, as the Ke'kchi Mayas do, we see how important our foundation is and we learn to restore the natural order so that we can give and take in a healthy balance. Roots to Rise is about connecting with where we come from, our roots, nature and the earth so that we can stand up for who we really are from that strong foundation and give the best of ourselves from abundance for ourselves, our loved ones and the earth.​
About me
Suzanne Valkman (48) is a biologist, leadership coach, teacher, writer, visionary and deep ecology practitioner whose core passion it is to power Ecological Leadership based on restoring Earth-centered Wisdom and concurrently healing our inner and outer landscapes. She has co-founded the Deep Ecology Network, chairs the Association of Nature Therapists and leads programmes on the Art of Deep Ecology and ecological leadership. Rooted in a Sufi tradition she has studied transformation through the lens of mysticism and kincentric ecology. Her mission is to (re)awaken ecological consciousness in every human being to remember our relationship with the sacred, living earth and to inspire leadership that is authentic and meaningful.
From a young age I experience a deep connection with the earth. I went to study Tropical Land Use and Biology at Wageningen University and Research Centre and worked as a researcher in the (tropical) rainforests of Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Latin America with indigenous peoples. Fascinated by change in nature, I started to specialise in transformation processes in people and organisations. To this end, I studied traditional ecological practices and deep ecology (Stephan Harding). I concluded a 3-year training in Sufism and transformational leadership (Pulsar Academy), systemic processes (Siebke Kaat) and several training courses on leadership and talent development (Nyenrode BU). In addition, I am trained as a certified executive coach (ICM) and nature guide (IVN).
My mission is that everyone finds his or her place in the web of life and - as Rilke puts it so nicely - rises up rooted to shine and live a meaningful life in harmony with our beautiful planet and abundance of life.