Conversations with Ute Luppertz, Educator and Established Writer
Ute helps children with special needs, travels widely, meditates, talks to animals, and is deeply into nature.
I also published this interview on Medium and my website for further visibility. Thank you for sharing.
Dear readers and writers, in this episode of my interview series, I want to introduce you to
, who has an interesting and admirable lifestyle. I met Ute when she joined my publications as a writer, and later, we developed an excellent working relationship on Substack thanks to her captivating and authentic stories and uplifting personality. Ute has a unique approach to life, depicting holistic health and wellness principles. Therefore, I believe you will find it easy to connect with her.Meet Ute Luppertz ✨
Hi Ute, let’s start the conversation about your background.
Hi Mehmet, thank you for the invitation. I was born in Germany and could not wait to leave — for no reason other than feeling I did not belong there.
Embarking on the road less traveled, I’ve always been drawn to the unconventional, both in people and animals. From an early age, I knew there was more to life than what I saw and sensed around me.
In my late teens, I immersed myself in psychology and was deeply moved by Carl Jung’s work. I then began meditating and studying Eastern philosophies.
As a young adult, I traveled extensively throughout Europe and visited the Middle East and India. Eventually, I moved to the US and now live in Portland, Oregon.
My professional background is in education. I have a Master’s in Special Education and have worked with children for many years. Eventually, I translated my work to the non-human species, specializing in animal communication and end-of-life support for pets as a pet death doula.
My dogs Gunnar and Pablo and my mystical cat Esme are part of my spiritual team. I have experienced many extraordinary events in my animal work and wanted to share them through writing.
What do health and well-being mean to you?
I love this question!
I strive to integrate body, mind, and spirit, live with hope and joy, and treat my body with healthy, yummy food and wholesome living conditions; for example, I turn off my WiFi at night and have no electronics in my bedroom, which I highly recommend.
Furthermore, gratitude is good for my health. Well-being is a continuous work in progress, a labor of love.
What are your hobbies, or what excites or entertains you?
I love being in nature and romping around with my dogs. I also practice yoga and volunteer at a local soup kitchen.
I enjoy photography and documenting everyday things that stand out to me, and writing is my passion.
My most nourishing practice is meditation, including meditation with my pets. I cannot imagine living without it.
My animals keep reminding me that stillness and joy are our natural states when we listen to our breath and heartbeat.
What are the top three books that affected your life?
That’s a tough one. Here are my top choices, and I picked four.
How we live is how we die by Pema Chödrön, one of my Buddhist teachers. I have studied with her for many years. She teaches about the transition between life and death, including what happens between this life and the next.
Anam Cara, a book of Celtic wisdom by John O’Donohue, is another of my go-to’s. I cherish his wisdom because it provides profound insights into friendship, solitude, love, and death.
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is the essence of timeless wisdom and achingly beautiful. I highly recommend it for the spiritually inclined.
Last but not least: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy. What can I say? It illuminates the deep quest of the soul to belong and find solace, and the message is pure and innocent.
Why do you write on Medium?
Medium was the first platform I discovered that matched my preferences for sharing my writing with a broader audience.
Writing lights me up and is my act of love. It gives the reader a glimpse into my life and work, and it’s deeply gratifying to articulate what moves me and how my life was shaped.
I share poetry, deep dives, reflections, spirituality, stories about life and nature, and essays about my love for animals and how I work with them as an intuitive healer. I focus on two kinds of posts: essays and poetry, primarily stream-of-consciousness. In short, I’m passionate about exploring the mystery of being alive and articulating it through words.
Do you write on other platforms like Substack? If so, how do you find them?
Yes, I write on Substack, too. I have a personal page and a publication, The Wisdom Container.
I am new to Substack, so marketing my writing and publication is a novel endeavor. Substack is unique in that I can engage directly with my community of fellow writers, which I thoroughly enjoy.
I also publish select educational articles on LinkedIn.
What are your values as a writer?
I strive to write authentically and emotively.
I don’t plan ahead of time what I want to say; I pay attention to what moves me internally. In the early days of my writing, I was convinced I would only write essays about animals, but my subconscious surprised me with Poetry — it was healing and freeing. I also don’t shy away from the dark aspects of the human psyche.
Most of my writing emerges when I am in a contemplative state, and my brain’s Alpha Waves are activated.
How do you connect with your readers?
I write my heart out. I am vulnerable and raw, reaching deep into my readers’ emotional bodies. I love dialog and have discovered that reciprocal relationships evolve from my writing, which has an impact. I read every comment and acknowledge it.
Why did you join ILLUMINATION, and how have you found it so far?
I wanted to be part of a big collaborative community of writers, and I love it. Illumination provides many resources, and seeing the broad spectrum of contributors and experts inspires me. I feel lucky to have found it. I also enjoy Illumination as a reader because of the treasure trove of topics by many authentic contributors to the publication.
What top five stories do you want to share with your audience and why?
The stories I have chosen are deeply personal and highlight experiences that profoundly shaped me.
India, My Love is an essay about Mother India. My time there as a young woman changed my life. For me, India is more than a country; it’s part of my heartbeat.
The Blessing of Room Number Nine is one of my boldest, most compassionate essays. It describes the heartbreak of being in the euthanasia room at an animal shelter. I wanted to share the shadowy side of animal husbandry in the US.
I Never Met Her, But She Gave Me A Gift is a memoir about my maternal grandmother. It details her difficult life, the blessings I received from her, and the impact of her legacy.
Love Letter to the Forest is just that—a love letter in poetic prose with photographs I took in Oregon.
Chronicles of a Wanderer is a memoir about my childhood and my yearning to discover new frontiers.
What are the success factors for you as a writer?
It’s straightforward: Success means that my stories are being read, and when they touch a nerve and move the reader, we meet each other with our humanity.
What do you recommend to new writers?
Be bold and fearless. Experiment and read other writers whom you admire. If you choose photos, choose wisely; visuals can make or break your writing.
Ask yourself why you write. For example, do you want to educate, share knowledge, or write personal essays? In other words, find your niche.
Write for yourself first. Don’t focus on the reader; imagine your message as a conversation.
What are your plans as a writer or as a professional?
I am working hard on my first poetry chapbook and continue publishing essays and poetry, mainly on Substack. I plan to build a solid subscriber base.
In my other profession, as a pet death doula and animal communicator, I will continue to educate humans about animals’ gifts and life lessons and work to change the paradigm of the death and dying of our nonhuman friends. It’s my sacred mission to create greater awareness and compassion for all of us.
Many thanks to
for allocating her precious time and giving a glimpse into her interesting life. You can connect with her on 🔹Substack, 🔹Website, 🔹Instagram, 🔹YouTube, 🔹LinkedIn, and she is also available on the ILLUMINATION Slack workspace.Thank you for exploring her stories and sharing them in your network.
Health and well-being are essential to me and my readers. Therefore, I focus on it by writing and curating insights from other writers, practitioners, and thought leaders.
I recently authored a book titled Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life and shared some sample chapters on this platform. You can find them through this introduction story:
Early Access to “Train Your Brain for a Healthier and Happier Life”
Why I wrote this comprehensive book and how readers can benefit from it to improve their cognitive performance and…medium.com
Congratulations, ILLUMINATION Health and Wellness Network 🌟
I am pleased that our Health and Wellness Network was selected as a bestselling publication on Substack. Thank you for your excellent support in growing this network. These funds will go to our Substack Mastery Boost Pilot program to empower writers, readers, and editors of the program who keep the community vibrant. I wrote a story about this on Medium to guide freelance writers yesterday. To celebrate this milestone, I am providing a 50% discount to free subscribers who want to support our work and help this community grow fast.
Thank you for being part of our joyful and exciting journey.
You may check out some sample interviews I conducted in the Interviews section of this publication and also on the Health and Wellness Network. Please consider reviewing their profiles and stories and sharing them in your network. This is an excellent networking opportunity, especially for new writers who want to build their audiences. Collaboration is a key success factor for freelance writers on any platform.
Great interview Ute! Anything by Pema Chodren is on my top list as well! The Prophet has been on my bookshelf for as long as I can remember. You are a gift to the world!