So last week we talked about volcanoes, new foundations and personal growth stemming from eruptions. This week I’d like to talk about Santorini wine. If you are not familiar with Santorini, it’s an island in the Aegean sea within the Greek Cyclades. It’s current shape comes from a massive volcanic eruption in the 16th century. Because of its position, Santorini is subject to dramatic salt laced winds all year round.
While it may seem counterintuitive, volcanic ash is actually fantastic for growth. It’s rich & dense in nutrients, further activated with the heat from the sun. It holds air & water insulating plants against temperature change, and it’s naturally anti-insecticidal yet allows healthy bacteria growth. The problem with Santorini for growth is the wind. Any plant that needs to grow vertically, between the strength of the gusts of wind & the acidic properties of the salt in the air, has very little chance to survive.
The Greeks realized that they could actually train the roots of the vine to form a cylinder base that would naturally house the grapes; allowing them full access to the sun & room to grown, while being protected by its own shade. Yet, it would stay low enough to the ground minimizing potentially lethal exposure to the harmful winds. As a result, Santorini has been producing prized Vinsanto, and other varieties, since the 16th century.
I’d like to suggest you apply this kind of disruptive thinking in your own lives about what you’re trying to grow. Where are there actually minerals in what you thought was dead? What kind of heat/pressure – and how much – can be applied for healthy growth? What kind of protection can you adopt that feeds growth, as opposed to protection that simply shuts down? Where is the unexpected solution that can tie all of the elements together? Where can you flip your thinking on its head about how you’ve been approaching the situation? Where have your status quo assumptions been getting in the way of progress? What conclusions would you draw if you looked at things from another point of view? What needs to be addressed to build your Vinsanto?
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