WOWWBLOG #68: Finding the Flock: A Pilgrim's Journey to Vic and the Belonging I Didn't Know I Was Seeking

How a 15-year quest for the "Holy Grail of Being" led me to a small Catalan town, 51 kindred spirits, and the truth that we are all starlings

WHAT: The Long Haul Home

It was almost like 2011 all over again.

The long-haul trip was grueling: 8 hours 45 minutes from Manila to Dubai, a 4.5-hour layover, then another 7 hours 10 minutes from Dubai to Barcelona.

Yet there was something markedly different.

I had community.

In 2011, I flew to Minnesota for the HSD certification program. I did not really know what I was getting myself into. I just sensed, in a strange sort of way, that I was being called. Called by the sound and feel of a flock of birds that saw, understood, and flew the world differently.

There was email and the internet then, but virtual HSD training was still a thing of the future. While it was "old school," flying in person from Manila to the US felt like a quest for a "Holy Grail of being." One that changed how I showed up in the world for the last 15 years.

There were failed attempts on my part to join the flock in its various migratory flights. But virtual became the mode of keeping in touch. So many rich containers equipped me in my 4C work—consulting, coaching, capacity creation, and community connection—always mindful of whole, part, and greater whole. And ever tending wHEW- wholistic health and wellbeing.

Royce's Tools for Tomorrow. Participating briefly in the advanced CDE virtual course. The volunteer work when the transition started two years ago. And now, with the emergent opportunities of co-creating an APAC flock, all helped me stretch and fold with vigor and vitality, rest and restoration.

HSD's mission is this: People everywhere thrive because we see patterns clearly, seek to understand, and act with courage to transform turbulence and uncertainty into possibility for all.

Arriving at Seminari Vic made this in-person destination doubly meaningful.

It has become for me a deeply spiritual retreat—no different from the annual 2x a year 10-day Vipassana Meditation retreats I have attended since 2023, and before that, 35 years of contemplative practice and mindfulness.

I felt held and cared for as I saw associates reporting how they were arriving from different parts of the world. Technology can be very useful this way, as I witnessed emails and WhatsApp posts evolve into a rising crescendo of excitement and anticipation.

And then it started.

The small container of van riders finding each other at the BCN El Prat airport. The circling, the fanning, the signal sending. The relief of finding each other in the transfer to Seminari Vic. The joy of finding old friends and new.

The containers of different shapes and sizes made the experience absolutely enriching and humbling.

Learning the difference between Catalan and Spanish. Listening to the amazing lived experiences, theory and praxis interwoven. The resonance of La Diada—the National Day of Catalonia—and celebrating the special ritual-filled day with Catalans, local and global threads of connection. How the sole container of the Plaça Major transformed each hour of the day. How the scenic view of Vic—with its medieval stone, its ancient cathedral, its quiet strength—kept us out, and the heavy summer rains kept us in.

All wove a human tapestry we call an ecosystem.

The exchanges and inquiry sessions were powerful. From a small fishbowl that invited different perspectives to inform the iterative What-So What-Now What, to the energy and resonance that shifts from the bigger container to more intimate ones.

All 51 HSD associates came to enhance adaptive capacity, co-create a stronger sense of community, and discover new ways to open possibilities. We were guided by our simple rules: tending to our individual well-being and collective learning, always assuming positive intent, listening with attention, and speaking with intention.

And the outcomes at multiple scales are mystical and magical, sacrosanct and sacred.

SO WHAT: The Starling and the Migratory Bird

I have always been inspired by the starling murmuration.

No single bird leads, yet the flock moves as one. Thousands of birds, following three simple rules:

· Separation: Avoid crashing into your closest neighbors.

· Alignment: Match the speed and direction of nearby birds.

· Cohesion: Stay close to the group by moving toward nearby flockmates.

And coherence emerges from these 3 rules.

This week in Vic, I saw that in action.

HSD people are starlings. We adjust. We listen. We move together. And the pattern is shifting.

But there is another layer to this metaphor. Birds also know when it is time to migrate—not through a leader's command, but through an internal biological clock triggered by changing daylight, weather, and food supplies.

· Timing cues: Shorter days in the fall and longer days in the spring signal hormonal changes through the pituitary gland.

· Biological clocks: Input from the eyes tracks seasonal light shifts, creating a rhythm that prompts “zugunruhe” — migratory restlessness.

· Weather and food: Dwindling supplies and temperature drops fine-tune the exact day of departure.

· Navigation tools: Birds track the sun and stars. They sense the Earth's magnetic field through special proteins in their eyes. They remember rivers, coastlines, and mountains.

I felt that zugunruhe—that migratory restlessness—for years. The failed attempts to join the flock. The virtual connections that kept me tethered. And now, finally, the journey home.

The outcomes at multiple scales are mystical and magical.

NOW WHAT: Returning with Renewed Energy

So I now embark on my return flight with renewed energy, a grateful heart, and beaming with possibility.

I carry with me:

· The container of Seminari Vic —a place that held our differences safely and enabled rich exchange.

· The memory of Plaça Major —where community felt tangible and real.

· The faces of 51 kindred spirits —who reminded me that I am not alone in this work.

· The simple rules —tending to well-being, assuming positive intent, listening with attention, speaking with intention.

· The starling's wisdom —separation, alignment, coherence.

· The migratory bird's instinct —to know when it is time to move, and to trust the inner compass that guides the way.

Your Call to Action: Find Your Flock

You may not fly to Catalonia. You may not attend an HSD gathering. But you can find your flock—or co-create one—wherever you are.

1. Identify Your "Migratory Restlessness"

· Action: What is calling you? What have you been longing for—a community, a practice, a deeper purpose? Name it. Write it down.

· Why: The first step of any migration is recognizing the restlessness. It is not a flaw. It is a signal.

2. Strengthen Your Container

· Action: Gather 3-5 people who share your longing. Create a simple container—a weekly call, a monthly walk, a shared practice. Keep it small. Keep it safe.

· Why: Strong containers hold differences safely and enable rich exchange. That is where transformation happens.

3. Practice the Simple Rules

· Action: In your next gathering, try these:

· Tending to individual well-being and collective learning.

· Assuming positive intent.

· Listening with attention.

· Speaking with intention.

· Why: Simple rules shape patterns. And patterns shape culture.

4. Trust the Inner Compass

· Action: When uncertainty arises, pause. Feel your feet on the ground. Ask: "What is the next wise step?" Then take it.

· Why: Birds do not have GPS. They have an inner compass—magnetic, celestial, and remembered. You have one too.

I close with the words I posted on social media, which capture the essence of this pilgrimage:

"Five days in Vic. A gathering of minds and hearts. I came with questions and left with a flock. HSD is not just a framework—it's a way of being. Grateful for every conversation, every pattern spotted, every new friend."

"Found my flock in Vic."

"Vic, you were beautiful. Catalonia, you were warm. HSD, you were home. Salamat from the bottom of my heart."

I return to the Philippines with a full heart and a renewed sense of purpose. The work continues. The flock is with me.

And uncertainty? Bring it on.

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

-Susan Grace Rivera

Posted on: September 13, 2026