SUNBEINGS EQUINOX INTERVIEW
with Josephine Seeger ( Crown Yourself )
& Ronny Wollmann ( Naturwandel )
in collaboration with Kate Priestley
7 Years, 6 Places, and our Unvarnished Truth
of Off-Grid Living as Artists
Ronny:
My journey toward an alternative lifestyle and woodworking actually began when I was a child.
As a Waldorf child who was influenced by anthroposophy through my aunt, I was always building things outdoors, like treehouses, dens, and fire pits. My first home address was even called “Baumstraße” (Tree Street).
I was drawn to natural materials and wanted to understand how things actually work.
Later, after experiencing severe burnout, I made a radical change and converted my first circus wagon around 2017.
Living in a small mobile home brought me back to the basics: space, warmth, water, fire, food, and human connections. When these elements are stable, they can give rise to an enormous amount of creativity and freedom.
Instead of constantly rushing around, I finally had time to breathe again.
From then on, I continued to develop my practical and artistic skills - building, repairing, and working with wood, metal, stone, and clay. Over the years, I came into contact with many people who were exploring alternative ways of life - tiny house projects, rural initiatives, and communities. Some were inspiring; others, less so.
What became clear to me early on is that living off the grid is not some romantic escape.
It’s infrastructure. Water, electricity, sewage systems, heating - if these aren’t reliable, everything else quickly becomes a struggle.
People imagine sitting by the fire with a cup of tea and yes, I love that, but often it’s exactly the opposite. It’s a lot of work. Basically a full-time job.
But my desire for authentic projects and meaningful encounters has never faded.
.
Josephine:
My “off-grid era” began when I met Ronny in a bouncy castle.
At that time, I was still fully immersed in Berlin’s underground culture, organizing performance events, and had just started building a huge, 11-meter-long dragon puppet.
Before I moved into his circus wagons in the countryside, I had spent nearly two decades running shared art studios, living in a community with my Kalypso Big Band, working as a costume designer, and occasionally restoring historical textiles and armor. I was a busy city girl.
When I met Ronny in 2018 and soon after moved into his world of wagons, it felt like coming home to a completely different rhythm of life. Chopping wood, fetching water, living more in tune with nature’s cycles. His way of being has grounded me deeply. I’ve never met anyone who celebrates a hot cup of tea by the fire quite like he does. Because for him, it’s so much more than that.
But what really led us both on this journey together was also the question that many people are asking themselves right now:
What kind of life truly feels authentic and fulfilling to a person?
Not only environmentally, but also emotionally, creatively, and economically
There’s no point in working yourself to the bone just to satisfy your basic human desires and needs. That’s a form of slavery and means settling for crumbs.
Ironically, however, especially in the early days, there was neither electricity nor running water. For many years, there was no running water. Even in winter, laundry was done by hand.
But we needed time and space to slow down, to gain clarity to reorganize our inner landscape and develop our true life’s work - even if that meant less money and fewer comforts for a while.
We chose to make some compromises in our daily lives and stay true to what felt right for us. The reactions from friends and family were actually quite positive, but most of them said they could never live that way.
Ronny:
Since we met, we’ve moved seven times over the course of eight years. And in 2024, we returned to our home country, Germany. Each place offered a different way of life in the countryside, with a focus on collaboration and community. Some were farms, others were hubs, and some involved living in a motorhome. We also spent time on an island and in various nature reserves.
For me, the creative influence of this way of life lay in its practicality.
When you live far from the city or lead a semi-self-sufficient life, you’re forced to be resourceful with the materials you have. You develop a deep respect for resources. Nothing is taken for granted. And that changes the way you create things.
You constantly ask yourself: What do we already have here? What can be repaired instead of replaced?
What can be made with what's available?
These questions always influence my work as a craftsman, sculptor, and architect.
Josephine:
My artistic work followed a completely different rhythm than Ronny's.
While he continued to build, create, and gather what he loves from the forest, I entered a long period during which my own “creativity” came to a standstill. My body simply had to rest and let go, even though my mind struggled to accept this change. When we left Germany, I parted with about 90% of my costume collections and materials. It wasn’t easy—but it was necessary. You wouldn’t believe how much I had accumulated, but in the end, our entire life had to fit into a single van.
That’s when I realized that my work isn’t just about creating beautiful objects or organizing art events. It’s about cultivating intimacy with oneself and creating the conditions that allow something new to emerge from within.
These years of slowing down have changed everything. Crossing that threshold was a liberation that opened me up to who I am without the “constant doing,” even though I know I’m here to do so much. Making room for this paradox was part of the art.
Ronny:
The power of self-reliance. If something breaks, you fix it.
If something is missing, you build it. This instills a deep sense of competence and self-confidence.
And the incredible coincidences and encounters with people. Who and what shows up when you really need help. Special thanks go to one person who selflessly paved the way for us: through him, we got our van and the confidence we needed to even set out on the road. When we moved abroad and our plans for life in a campervan turned out very differently than we had imagined, friends invited us to visit their country and stay with them. Or when our van’s drive shaft broke on those rocky roads, literally in the middle of nowhere on the island, a highly specialized mechanic appeared out of nowhere, took the van apart, shipped the parts across the country, and repaired it as if it were nothing. There were also several wonderful women who stood by us, provided us with lodging, and even lent us their cars so that we could, among other things, return home after we had to sell our van to raise money. Experiences like these always stay with you and remind you that the universe has your back. You are supported.
One of my biggest challenges, however, was something that everyone in alternative communities has to grapple with: the relationship between ideals, free sharing, and economic reality.
We experienced noble intentions surrounding bartering, gift-giving, and communal living. But when economic structures were unclear, I often gave too much or unconsciously relied on others in an unbalanced way.
We learned how easily good intentions can be misdirected or undermined when personalities, priorities, artistic direction, or financial sustainability within the group are not fully aligned.
Especially if you have a wide range of skills and aren't “in it for the money.”
Josephine:
Developing emotional awareness and setting boundaries has been one of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the years. I’ve learned to listen to my body again. Nature is an incredible teacher when it comes to truth, trust, and change.
Everything begins as a seed, going through phases of maturation, pressure, decay, and rebirth. The same process is reflected in human relationships.
My nature and my creativity can certainly be confrontational. I have a keen sense of imbalances and hidden power dynamics, both positive and negative. These usually reveal themselves quickly as soon as I enter a space. It took me some time to recognize this as a strength in my work and my design. As a designer, I am also very practice-oriented, but not in the way one might expect.
Ronny:
It was pretty funny how we tried to set up an art market in the village. All those grandmas who wanted to buy our floating sculptures and crowns! (Laughter)
Of course, nobody bought anything. Aside from all the funny moments, living off the grid definitely made us realize where we constantly had to make do with less.
Josephine:
It was really frustrating. But now it’s actually hilarious.
That feeling of, “What on earth are we doing here?”
For many people, art is just a nice hobby, but for us it’s basically who we are.
I don’t have time for hobbies. We’re creating a new reality.
It was pretty funny how we tried to set up an art market in the village. All those grandmas who wanted to buy our floating sculptures and crowns! (Laughter)
Of course, nobody bought anything. Aside from all the funny moments, living off the grid definitely made us realize where we constantly had to make do with less.
Josephine:
It was really frustrating. But now it’s actually hilarious.
That feeling of, “What on earth are we doing here?”
For many people, art is just a nice hobby, but for us it’s basically who we are.
I don’t have time for hobbies. We’re creating a new reality.
These experiences have made one thing very clear:
If you don’t know who you are or what you really need and want, life becomes a huge challenge. This is true everywhere, but especially when you’re an artist living in a community far from civilization - there, you have to face yourself. Without distractions.
A question turned into a giant dragon:
“What is my true purpose?” People are very close to my heart, but I’ve learned that my role in serving the community isn’t about being constantly available, but about staying true to my own rhythm and shedding light on what actually works in the long run.
Ronny:
For me, these experiences have shown how important it is to respect my own abilities and needs.
Money has never been my main motivation, but I’ve learned that projects aren’t sustainable without fair compensation. When people do their work When people truly value their work - with or without money -they can make a much greater contribution to the world. Undermining one’s own basic needs does no one any good.
At the same time, I use constraints as a tool to achieve the best possible result through upcycling. This is the ability to recognize the rich potential inherent in materials and places, and it guides all of my work.
Josephine:
Freedom isn't simply about leaving the system behind, and living in survival mode is no virtue.
The goal is to become the version of yourself that can create new systems.
How do we bring nature’s intelligence back into culture?
How do we build structures within society that foster beauty, creativity, economic well-being, and meaningful contributions?
After all, a group dynamic without a clear structure or defined agreements simply leads to burnout, unintended codependencies, or a “hippie ideology” even if everyone involved has good intentions. The body senses this very quickly.
There was a time when I even questioned every brushstroke and every material, wondering whether the chemicals in the paint were harmful to nature. But I quickly realized that rigid “eco-moralism” is far more toxic.
Ronny:
Yes, but in a completely different way. If the infrastructure is well thought out and the roles within the community are clearly defined, life off the grid can be wonderful. But it requires maturity, a fundamental understanding of the mechanics of teamwork, equal partnerships, good planning, and shared responsibility for resources. Otherwise, the dream quickly turns into a nightmare, or important relationships suffer.
Josephine:
I think it’s always a good idea to live as self-sufficiently as possible.
In a state of cozy abundance, not in a state of shock.
Josephine:
Trial and error are not failure. Every experience - especially the difficult ones - becomes a form of wisdom. We need to experiment with new ways of living and interacting. And sometimes this process is chaotic, but also incredibly valuable.
I don't think our deeper initiation was really about finding the perfect place and the perfect people,
but rather about becoming more honest with ourselves.
We are creators of hubs, designers of spaces, and here to foster new culture and bring different worlds together.
We are creators of hubs, designers of spaces, and here to foster new culture and bring different worlds together.
In recent years, we have also received active support from three women:
Oracle Girl
Oracle Girl’s Purification Space.
Die Pionierin der "Währung der Fürsorge" für eine Zukunft in eigener Regie und im Einklang mit der Natur.
Die Pionierin der "Währung der Fürsorge" für eine Zukunft in eigener Regie und im Einklang mit der Natur.
Oracle Girl – https://www.oraclegirl.org/event/apr-2026-silent-immersion-retreat
Elairaflow
In Elaira’s “Rise Voice” space, I underwent a profound recalibration of my nervous system. I expanded my capacity to receive and blossomed once again into greater visibility and expression. A life-changing scholarship, made possible by one of her generous community members.
Elairaflow – Rise Voice - https://www.elairaflow.com/the-rise-voice
Karina Apolonia Trip
And with Karina Apolonia Trip’s BG5 project, we are now turning our visions for the future into new community initiatives and sustainable models. Here, our dreams are once again being brought to life in a concrete and practical way.
Karina BG5 - Free training (until end of march:)
Karina BG5 - Free training (until end of march:)
https://www.karinaapoloniatrip.com/human-design-for-marketing
Unicorn By Design https://www.karinaapoloniatrip.com/unicorn-by-design
The new event spaces are opening RIGHT NOW.
If you like what we've shown you today, now is the perfect time to check out these special offers.
Final words:
Ronny:
Experience is worth more than theory.
You can read many books and attend many seminars, but true understanding comes only through hands-on experience. That’s how new paths are forged.
I’d like to share another moment with you that I’ll never forget:
An einem wahnsinnig heißen Sommertag duschten wir mit Regenwasser aus der einzigen verfügbaren Zisterne. In ihr schwamm ein toter Gecko. Wir mussten das Wasser mit einem Eimer am Seil hochziehen und erneut filtern, weil sich darin hunderte winzige rote Larven befanden.
Living off-grid means finding solutions to unexpected challenges every day. In the process, you learn a lot about life in general: cycles and patterns.
Creating value with your own hands. Successfully turning compost into usable new topsoil.
Thankfully, money isn't everything in life. You learn how much energy you generate and need every day. You realize just how powerful, resilient, and yet fragile and sometimes naive we really are.
It’s a life full of contrasts. Because that’s exactly what we’ve basically forgotten. We’ve already tied ourselves down to too many things and taken them for granted. In my opinion, the key lies in a healthy mix of “off-grid” living and so-called “middle-class” life. Balancing out the extremes.
But in general, it’s more about reconnecting with nature and regaining a sense of self-empowerment. It’s about taking responsibility for oneself, one’s surroundings, and others, and building a life of harmony and mutual respect. These are the essential ingredients for something greater.
Josephine:
Never lose your sense of humor. Life is meant to be an adventure.
Let’s make sure we all keep our feet on the ground and stay relaxed enough to enjoy the flight.