Thoughts On Thrivability
From Cows to Capital to Cultivation
cap·i·tal (etymology): Borrowed from Latin capitālis (“of the head”) (in sense “head of cattle”). Use in trade and finance originated in Medieval economies when a common but expensive transaction involved trading heads of cattle. Compare chattel, which also uses “cow”...
Context and Complexity as Fertile Ground for Thrivability
[A version of this post originally appeared in April 2018 at www.realityseeker.org. It is my responses to a series of interview questions about complexity science, living systems, and the Age of Thrivability.] How would you describe the “context” that filters into and...
Using a Shovel to Build a Bridge: Truth and Reconciliation in Quebec Archaeology
[Originally published May 31, 2013] “I thought archaeology would be simple,” said one young woman. “I mean, I’m working with the dead. What could be complicated?” The roomful of Quebec archaeologists – and even the handful of representatives from various Indigenous...
Beyond Best Practices: How to Listen for Generative Threads of Aliveness in Stories of What Works
How many conferences have you been to that were loaded with dynamic speakers expounding on their latest success stories? This is what sells tickets. And so it should — we all love an inspiring story. More than that, we want to learn from other people’s experience. We...
When Warriors Try to Weave
Living Systems, Jung’s Archetypes, and the Fullness of What’s Needed to Cultivate Regenerative Community I recently participated in a nourishing 3½-day gathering of people dedicated to regenerative, life-aligned ways of living. Presentations and conversations swirled...
A Living Systems Lens on Blockchain: The Promise and the Peril
I recently had my first encounter with an honest-to-goodness “blockchain bro” — a young white man enamored of blockchain and cryptocurrencies and eager to evangelize their potential to transform society. This was my chance to get a personalized tutorial in the...
In Search of Sacred Ground: Regenerative Agriculture’s Lessons for the Whole of our Lives
Recently, I had the privilege of participating in the first Annual General Meeting of Regeneration Canada, an organization dedicated to growing the regenerative agriculture movement. It was a joy to be with such warm, passionate people and to learn about this...
Embodying the Archetypes of Thrivability
[Excerpted from The Age of Thrivability: Vital Perspectives and Practices for a Better World] As we explore the concept of thrivability and the practice of stewardship, it becomes clear that what we are really talking about is embodying all four of the living...
The Necessary Work of This Moment
It may feel that we are being divided and conquered — men against women, black against white, rich against poor, Muslim against Christian, and on and on. And that is certainly the intention of some in positions of power. But as we witness each other’s woundedness with...
