We can also experience the economy at smaller scales national, regional or local. And if we actually look at the etymological meaning of economy, from its ancient Greek origin “oikos” and “nomos”, we find it means “house” and “law or custom”. This leads us to an idea which roughly translates as "rules of the house”. We need an alternative vision of the economy based on people, whose wellbeing is the main purpose. At the same time, such an economy must be respectful of nature, … Read more
Personal Resilience Maintaining and Developing Personal Vitality and Wellbeing
It can help to see ourselves as composed of four different elements: earth, air, fire, water. These can be taken to correspond to different aspects of ourselves: Earth: The Physical Self – voice, position, tone, fitness Air: The Mental Self – mind, thinking, logic, strategy Water: The Emotional Self – feelings, rapport, empathy Fire: The Spiritual Self – vision, purpose, inspiration Building a daily or weekly practice that activates and exercises each of these four elements will go a … Read more
Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development A 5 Level Model for Planning in Complex Systems.
This five level model helps us to plan for success. By understanding the system within which we are working we can more clearly define what success looks like within that system. This allows us to be strategic, to develop tactics, tools and metrics. To rephrase: it allows us to understand the tools and metrics we need to carry out the actions required to be strategic, to achieve success within the system. References: The Natural Step, Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, … Read more
Feminist Economics & Economy of Care Putting care in the center of economy
A different way to look at the economy, in which the sustainability of life is at the center, and we think what jobs are necessary for lives of both people and other living things. An economy in which other welfare indicators exists that allows to decouple these from economic growth, and considers necessary a social transformation in which there is a redistribution of care tasks among all people and a consideration of the biophysical limits of the … Read more
Dragon Dreaming A living systems approach to building successful organisations and projects based upon three principles of personal growth, community building and service to the Earth
Dragon Dreaming is an inspiring, encouraging and meaningful opensource method for assisting individuals and groups who seek to make their dreams come true. It offers simple and playful holistic tools for visionary initiation processes, planning, implementation, evaluation and celebration. Through different theories, tools, tips and techniques it supports the improvement of the effectiveness in the everyday work and life. Dragon Dreaming, first developed by John Croft and Vivienne … Read more
People and Permaculture To facilitate change and turn our ideas into reality.
It can be used for a wide variety of designs, from our own personal health to our family life, from community groups to schools, from healthcare systems to international development projects. The web has 12 anchor points, each focusing on a different are to build up a detailed, holistic picture of where we want to go and how we are going to get there. References: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability; David Holmgren; Permanent Publications, 2002 People & Permaculture; Looby … Read more
The Work that Reconnects A map for personal empowerment and transformation
Drawing from deep ecology, systems theory and spiritual traditions, the Work That Reconnects (WTR) builds motivation, creativity, courage and solidarity for the transition to a sustainable human culture. First emerging in 1978, this pioneering, opensource body of work has its roots in the teachings and experiential methods of Joanna Macy. The methods are widely used in environmental and civil rights campaigns, classrooms, faith communities and grassroots organisations. The activist’s … Read more
Theory U How to lead and cocreate from the emerging yet unknown future
Successful leadership depends on the quality of attention and intention that the leader brings to any situation. The nature of the inner place in leaders is something of a mystery to us. At its core, leadership is about shaping and shifting how individuals and groups attend to and subsequently respond to a situation. Learning to recognize the habits of attention in a business culture requires, among other things, a particular kind of listening. Theory U, initiated by Otto Scharmer, speaks … Read more
Spiral Dynamics A way of mapping the evolution of consciousness.
From his research, Dr Graves formulated a model of human development which was then developed by Don Beck, Christopher Cowan and others into Spiral Dynamics. Graves classified a total of eight levels of increasingly complex human value systems consisting of a hierarchically ordered, alwaysopentochange set of identifiable worldviews, preferences, and purposes. Individuals, groups and even nation states move up and down the spiral in response to changes in life conditions and … Read more
Social Currencies A currency that stimulates local economy and strengthens organizations within a solidarity economy.
Social currency is used as a tool to develop the local and solidarity economy in an area. It helps to generate exchanges between individuals possible where a lack of “official currency” is a limiting factor. Social currency is created and destroyed based on real economic activity that occurs between entities and individuals. It is a local currency, which produces no interest and no motivation to accumulate it. This eliminates the possibility of speculation with it and this helps … Read more
