Regenerative Cultures Reminders / Intention Statements
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Regenerative Cultures Reminders
This collection of intention statements / regen reminders can be helpful for the start or end of sessions. Please continue to add additional ideas at the end of the document
Choose an invitation: pause, breathe, close eyes and share:
The Vision Reminder (also known as the Solemn Intention Statement), is often read out at the end of an XR meeting/event.
1) Transitioning towards regenerative cultures
We are transitioning towards regenerative cultures. These are cultures of respect and listening, in which people deal with conflicts when they arise, using short feedback loops to talk about disagreements and issues without blaming and shaming. They are cultures in which we cultivate healthy boundaries by slowing down our yes’ and returning tasks when we are unable to follow through. They are healthy resilient cultures built on care and support, where people arrive on time for commitments. We are all crew.
2) Online sessions
Let us take a moment to be present with each other, despite the physical distance we have to maintain. Let’s remember that we are transitioning to regenerative cultures. These are cultures of respect, understanding, inclusivity and listening where we arrive on time for commitments, slow down our yes, return tasks we cannot complete, where we do not blame and shame. We deal with issues and conflicts as they arise, using short feedback loops to talk about disagreements and issues without blaming and shaming. These are also cultures where we understand and celebrate that we are all deeply connected to the natural systems that sustain us, and that what affects us in one time and place will come to affect all of us. We are a part of nature, a part of each other, never apart. Let us embrace this time of isolation and reflection as an opportunity to revisit our principles and values. Let’s use the time and space as a cocoon in which we transform, ready to continue our rebellion in new beautiful and creative ways when we reemerge. We are all crew.
3) Howard Zinn (1997)
Howard Zinn (1997)‘“You can’t be neutral on a moving train… the world is already moving in certain directions – many of them are horrifying. Children are going hungry, people are dying in wars. To be neutral in such a situation is to collaborate with what is going on.”’ We will not collaborate and choose instead to rebel.
4) Arundhati Roy
“Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness – and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we’re being brainwashed to believe.
The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling – their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons, their notion of inevitability.
Remember this: We are many, and there are few. They need us more than we need them.
Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” ― Arundhati Roy
5) We come from a world which makes us weary
If you would like to close your eyes or lower your gaze….. We come from a world which makes us weary. And we have volunteered to be wearier. We know that by fighting for this planet we will be poorer, more tired, and more stressed than the versions of ourselves who did not do this. Thank you all. We have put ourselves at risk for others. But whilst we fight for a different world, let us each take a moment now to decide a way that we will enjoy a glimpse of that world. Decide now how you might take a day, or an afternoon, or even an hour. To enjoy the qualitative over the quantitative, the odd over the one-size-fits-all, the joyful over the productive, the community over the individualist. In some small way which is meaningful to you, commit to it, to keep you going, through all the amazing work that you do.
6) XR Youth grounding
We have the right to self sooth, To take care of ourselves throughout the day,
We have the right to self care, To make our lives ones in which we can find enjoyment,
We have the right to community care, To be a part of networks who look after one another,
We have the right to structural change, To live lives in which we are not exploited and are not required to exploit others
We have the right to a planet all life is able to thrive on
Let us make this meeting one which is understanding of the need for each of these things,
That they look different to each to us,
That we don’t always get it right,
And that we need each other to make it happen.
7) Think from the gut
Think from the gut
Follow from the heart
Act with the brain
Do what's right for the self
The planet will not thank you for worrying about it, unless the self is at peace.
XR is an intra capitalist organisation.
It needs warriors at peace within, not burnt out individuals. Nothing is worth that.
Especially not extinction.
It's not going away. Step back: take time to observe the self especially when quiet!
Now is all you have. Get peace now and the future will take care of itself.
And enjoy lots of clever, interesting books on how.
Liam Geary Baulch
8) A poem by Becky Hemsley
“She sat at the back and they said she was shy.
She led from the front and they hated her pride.
They asked her advice and then questioned her guidance.
They branded her loud, then were shocked by her silence.
So she told them her dreams and they said she was mad.
They told her they'd listen, then covered their ears,
And gave her a hug while they laughed at her fears,
And she listened to all of it thinking she should,
Be the girl they told her to be best as she could.
But one day she asked what was best for herself,
Instead of trying to please everyone else,
So she walked to the forest and stood with the trees,
She heard the wind whisper and dance with the leaves.
She spoke to the willow, the elm and the pine,
And she told them what she'd been told time after time.
She told them she felt she was never enough,
She was either too little or far far too much,
Too loud or too quiet, too fierce or too weak,
Too wise or too foolish, too bold or too meek,
Then she found a small clearing surrounded by firs,
And she stopped...and she heard what the trees said to her.
And she sat there for hours not wanting to leave. For the forest said nothing, it just let her breathe.”
Becky Hemsley
9) Quick Quotes
“Go where the energy is.” – Kate Rayworth
“Let this radicalise you, rather than lead you to despair” - Mariame Kaba
“In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess.” – Dalai Lama
“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare”- Angela Duckworth
“Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you”. – Maori proverb
“Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” ― Dalai Lama
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying 'I will try again tomorrow.” - Mary Anne Radmacher
“Compassion is the radicalism of our time.” ― Dalai Lama
“What surprises me most is “Man”, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn’t enjoy the present; The result being he doesn’t live in the present or the future; He lives as if he’s never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.” – Dalai Lama
“Whether one is rich or poor, educated or illiterate, religious or non-believing, man or woman, black, white, or brown, we are all the same. Physically, emotionally, and mentally, we are all equal. We all share basic needs for food, shelter, safety, and love. We all aspire to happiness and we all shun suffering. Each of us has hopes, worries, fears, and dreams. Each of us wants the best for our family and loved ones. We all experience pain when we suffer loss and joy when we achieve what we seek. On this fundamental level, religion, ethnicity, culture, and language make no difference.” – Dalai Lama
10) Rediscovering Our Belonging (Joanna Macy).
We belong to the living body of Earth and nothing can ever separate us.
Being fully present to fear, to gratitude, to all that is, we rediscover that we belong. We can develop a practice of mutual belonging and find ways to remember, celebrate, and affirm this deep knowing of our inter-existence. We belong to each other. We belong to the living body of Earth and nothing can ever separate us. We are already home. The practice of mutual belonging is the medicine for the sickness of the self-isolated ego and will accompany us through the hard times upon us. The field of belonging is rooted in the living body of Earth, in the flows of time and relationship that form our bodies and communities, our land and climate.
11) We hear history calling
“We hear history calling to us from the future. We catch glimpses of a new world of love, respect and regeneration, where we have restored the intricate web of all life.
It’s a future that’s inside us all – located in the fierce love we carry for our children, in our urge to help a stranger in distress, in our wish to forgive, even when that seems too much to ask. And so we rebel for this, calling in joy, creativity and beauty.
We rise in the name of truth and withdraw our consent for ecocide, oppression and patriarchy.
We rise up for a world where power is shared for regeneration, repair and reconciliation.
We rise for love in its ultimate wisdom.
Our vision stretches beyond our own lifespan, to a horizon dedicated to future generations and the restoration of our planet’s integrity.”
12) Anti-Regen Reminder?
We refuse to wait any longer
We have been chosen by time
When we see injustice
We must speak out
There is no room for silence
When we feel defeated
We must stand tall
There is no time for despair
No place for self pity
No time to grieve
No time to rest
When confronted
We must challenge
We must push as hard as they push
And then push harder
When we feel anger
ACT!
Act with audacity
Relentless audacity
We are a movement
An unstoppable movement
The need for protest will never end
Either we all live in a decent world or nobody does!
When the history of our time is written
We will be the heroes
13) From Joanna Macy
Out of this darkness a new world can arise, not to be constructed by our minds so much as to emerge from our dreams. Even though we cannot see clearly how it's going to turn out, we are still called to let the future into our imagination. We will never be able to build what we have not first cherished in our hearts."
"The biggest gift you can give is to be absolutely present, and when you're worrying about whether you're hopeful or hopeless or pessimistic or optimistic, who cares? The main thing is that you're showing up, that you're here and that you're finding ever more capacity to love this world because it will not be healed without that. That is what is going to unleash our intelligence and our ingenuity and our solidarity for the healing of our world.”
14) Active Hope is not wishful thinking
“Active Hope is not wishful thinking.
Active Hope is not waiting to be rescued . . . .by some saviour.
Active Hope is waking up to the beauty of life on whose behalf we can act.
We belong to this world.
The web of life is calling us forth at this time.
We’ve come a long way and are here to play our part.
With Active Hope we realise that there are adventures in store, strengths to discover, and comrades to link arms with.
Active Hope is a readiness to discover the strengths in ourselves and in others; a readiness to discover the reasons for hope and the occasions for love.
A readiness to discover the size and strength of our hearts,our quickness of mind, our steadiness of purpose, our own authority, our love for life, the liveliness of our curiosity, the unsuspected deep well of patience and diligence, the keenness of our senses, and our capacity to lead.
None of these can be discovered in an armchair or without risk.”
15) The Three Beings
The Three Beings
"We call first on the beings of the past: Be with us now, all you who have gone before. You, our ancestors and teachers, who walked and loved and faithfully tended this Earth, be present to us now so that we may carry on the legacy you bequeathed us. Aloud and silently in our hearts we say your names and see your faces...
"We call also on the beings of the present: All you with whom we live and work on this endangered planet, all you with whom we share this brink of time, be with us now. Fellow humans and brothers and sisters of other species, help us open to our collective will and wisdom. Aloud and silently we say your names and picture your faces...
"Lastly we call on the beings of the future: All you who will come after us on this Earth, be with us now. All you who are waiting to be born in the ages to come, it is for your sakes too that we work to heal our world. We cannot picture your faces or say your names — you have none yet — but we feel the reality of your claim on life. It helps us to be faithful in the task that must be done, so that there will be for you, as there was for our ancestors: blue sky, fruitful land, clear waters."
— World as Lover, World as Self
16) Roots by Steve Turner
It’s a quiet job being a root No one hugs you, climbs you or praises your intricate ways. Roots work in the dark. And it’s hard work tunnelling, travelling, finding nutrition. But when the storms come it’s our fingers which cling. When the drought comes it’s our lips that drink. Without us the ground would crumble. Without us life would fall. Everyone needs roots.
17) standing on a precipice
Facing the reality that we're standing on a precipice right now, as a species and as a whole planet, is sobering, to say the least. But facing what is real opens the heart to grief, which somehow opens the heart to love even more deeply... When you reconnect with the alive world in a more compassionate way, and when you realise that the whole world is a living system that can only thrive when death makes room for new life, you may feel a calm settle inside you. You may find yourself with the energy that comes from love to embrace the whole story including the necessary emptiness and loss... When we look toward what has been lost with the climate crisis or other ecological damage that our species has inflicted, we do still need to strive toward repair, but the cure is in our own mentality. The mentality that love really is as strong as death compels us to regard those of us who remain - forests, polar bears, wilderness, people - with fierce love, looking toward how we can all live our highest quality of life together as a beloved community, no matter what We don't need to minimise or overlook the pain and tragedy we encounter as we live in this time of interwoven crises. Eventually, when we recognise that the pain is directly connected with our love, we can embrace it. We can move into actions of restoration that are firmly planted in love. From"Church of the Wild: How Nature invites Us into the Sacred" Broadleaf Books 2021
18) The Peace of Wild Things
By Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me and I wake in the night at the least sound in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be, I go and lie down where the wood drake rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds. I come into the peace of wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief. I come into the presence of still water. And I feel above me the day-blind stars waiting with their light. For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
19) The emancipation of the proletariat
"The emancipation of the proletariat is not a labour of small account and of little people; only they who can keep their heart strong and their will as sharp as a sword when the general disillusionment is at its worst can be regarded as fighters for the working class or called revolutionaries."
(Antonio Gramsci, Selections from Political Writings 1910-20, p.349)
20) Thankful to our Mother, the Earth
“We are thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us everything that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk upon her. It gives us joy that she still continues to care for us, just as she has from the beginning of time. To our Mother, we send thanksgiving, love and respect. Now our minds are oneIntention Setting Statement At a foundational level, regeneration requires us to RESIST. We are in resistance. We ARE the resistance. Resistance against a failing government Resistance against corporate greed Resistance against a system that is killing us
In resistance we need to reframe how to fully show up in our humanity, at this, the most critical point in human history. We refuse to wait any longer We have been chosen by time And we must do what is necessary
The task at hand, our great calling is to ACT When we feel anger ACT When we feel love ACT When we are alone ACT
We cannot treat social injustices and ecological crises as separate. When we see injustice We must speak out There is no room for silence
The need for protest will never end Either we all live in a decent world or nobody does!
When we feel defeated We must stand tall When confronted We must challenge We must push as hard as they push And then push harder
There is no time to waste on projects that make us feel good but lack deeper impact There is no time for despair or distraction There is no time for infighting or division There is no time for navel gazing, self pity and E-GO
There is no time… There is. NO. TIME. All we have is now!
21) The Seasons
May you all enjoy the beautiful colours of spring, the fragrant Summer breeze and glowing sun, the gold and crimson leaves of autumn, and the cool, beautiful light of winter. May you remember also that every being with whom we share this beautiful planet is also a precious gem. May you enjoy everyone around you and not wait until it is too late, until everything is nothing more than a dream. Sister Chân Không (Cao Ngọc Phượng)
22) XR Intention
“If you would like to close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Let us take a moment to consider why we are here. We are all here out of a sincere love for the Earth, who is still sustaining us and nourishing us after all the hurt that has been inflicted on her. Even as she burns, she is still feeding us. Sometimes this feels like too much to bear.
We are all here because something deep inside each of us compels us to action. Call it conscience or courage, maybe even fear, or just love. We are all propelled by the same wish to protect our Mother and all our fellow beings who she gives life.
Today, let's take a little extra time to show love and compassion to ourselves and to each other as we walk this difficult path together. Choose the generous word over the snarky one, choose the act of self care over the act of self criticism. Remember that, different as we all are, we are all joined in the most important work that has ever been. Let’s take a moment to cherish each other.
We are XR, and you are us."
23) Blaming Never Helps
Blaming Never Helps (Thich Nhat Hanh)
When you plant a lettuce, if it doesn’t grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look into the reasons it is not doing well. It may need more nutrients, more water or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or our family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce.
Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and arguments. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no arguments, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.
One day in Paris, I had a lecture about not blaming the lettuce. After the talk, I was doing walking meditation by myself and when I turned the corner of the building, I overheard an eight year old girl telling her mother, “Mommy remember to water me. I am your lettuce.” I was so pleased that she had understood my point completely. The I heard her mother reply, “Yes my daughter, and I am your lettuce also. So please don’t forget to water me too.” Mother and daughter practising together, it was very beautiful.
24) The Fragrance of the I am She
The Fragrance of the I am She
When the Fragrance of the I am She is upon the Wind The Bee of the Heart Finds the Flower of it’s choice And nestles there, caring for no other thing
Kabir - 17th Century Sufi
25) Starhawk from The Earth Path
“We give thanks for all those who are moved, in their lives, to heal and protect the earth, in small ways and large. Blessings on the composters, the gardeners, the breeders of worms and mushrooms, the soil builders, those who cleanse the waters and purify the air, all those who clean up the messes others have made. “Blessings on those who defend trees and who plant trees, who guard the forests and who renew the forests. Blessings on those who heal the grasslands and renew the streams, on those who prevent erosion, who restore the salmon and the fisheries, who guard the healing herbs and who know the lore of the wild plants. “Blessings on those who heal the cities and bring them alive again with excitement and creativity and love. Gratitude and blessings to all who stand against greed, who risk themselves, to those who have bled and been wounded, and to those who have given their lives in service of the earth. “May all the healers of the earth find their own healing. May they be fueled by passionate love for the earth. May they know their fear but not be stopped by fear. May they feel their anger and yet not be ruled by rage. May they honor their grief but not be paralyzed by sorrow. May they transform fear, rage, and grief into compassion and the inspiration to act in service of what they love. “May they find the help, the resources, the courage, the luck, the strength, the love, the health, the joy that they need to do the work. May they all be on the right place, at the right time, in the right way. “May they bring alive a great awakening, open a listening ear to hear the earth’s voice, transform imbalance to balance, hate and greed to love. Blessed be the healers of the earth.”
~Starhawk from The Earth Path
26) Just show up, as you are.
"Just show up, as you are. You don't have to look or feel great. You don't have to be prepared for each challenge or know all the hows of every situation. You don't have to be fearless, or have all the answers, or be 100% ready. Nobody is any of those things. Nobody ever was. It's not about being perfect, at all. You just have to show up, as you are, despite all the objections and insecurities in your mind, despite each and every fear that threatens to hold you back, despite the limitations and criticisms others will place in you. To hell with it all. This is your life, your journey, your adventure, and all it's asking is to show up for it, as you are. That's enough, That's more than enough. That's everything."
Unknown of Facebook
27) All we can do in a crisis is try
The human spirit is an unwavering force that shines brightest in the face of adversity. When crisis strikes, it is our innate resilience that propels us forward. Despite the overwhelming challenges that may surround us, we find the strength within ourselves to persevere and adapt. It's in these moments that we discover the extent of our capabilities, fueled by an unyielding determination to overcome. Though the road ahead may seem uncertain, the human spirit reminds us that all we can do is try. In the midst of chaos, we rise above, forging connections, offering support, and demonstrating the remarkable power of our collective will to endure and emerge stronger on the other side.
Ned Evans
28) Hold onto Hope
Amidst the challenges of the climate and ecological crisis, let's hold onto hope. Humanity has a remarkable history of overcoming adversity and finding solutions. By working together, embracing innovation, and fostering a deep connection with nature, we can forge a path toward a more harmonious and sustainable world. Every step we take today, no matter how small, brings us closer to a future where nature thrives, and generations to come will be grateful for our unwavering determination.
Ned Evans
29) Gratitude
Looking into mental health and wellness this week, I found out more about Gratitude as a practice. I found out that by expressing Gratitude, it allows us to recognise something which we shouldn't take for granted. (It helps us build resilience and not feel bad when something is taken from us, as it wasn't ours by right.) I also found out that Gratitude is best done in detail, really saying what I'm grateful for, so not just "the flowers, my latest book, the sunset ...".
So here is what I'm grateful for today: I'm grateful for the space we make when we come together in XR communities. I'm grateful for the way we build and make bridges in our work, carrying out a purpose, and strengthening our bonds. I'm grateful that working together helps me overcome "I might do this wrong, I'm afraid to start". I'm grateful for the love and respect I am encouraged to show, and that I receive.
Mariah Huff
30) Fear Nothing
You're a ghost driving a meat-coated skeleton made from stardust, riding a rock, hurtling through space.
Fear Nothing
Boaty Jim
31) Pessimistic or Optimistic
When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.
Paul Hawken
32) A love like that…lights the whole sky (poem by Hafiz)
Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
“You owe Me.”
Look what happens with
A love like that,
It lights the Whole Sky.
33) Why Rebel?
The human conscience needs to be corroborate with the natural world and aligned to it’s ethic, furthering a politics of kindness. But a political stance that is the opposite to kindness is on the rise: libertarian fascism with it’s triumphal brutalism; it’s racism and misogyny; the politics that loathes the living world.
Here then, the causes for rebellion: survival and awe; beauty and necessity; grace and grief. There is an uprising of life in rebellion for life, those who are grief struck and furious for the tawny ones, the creatures of feather and fur, demanding that media and governments tell the truth about the emergency we are in, fighting for life in this shared wild home. Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars, and they are lining up now to write rebellion across the skies. Why rebel? Because nature is not a hobby, it is the life on which we depend.
From the book Why Rebel by Jay Griffiths (that got Pickle into XR)
34) "Hope" is the thing with feathers
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all -
And sweetest -
in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm -
I’ve heard it in the chillest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity,
It asked a crumb - of me.
By Emily Dickinson
35) Justice as a verb
Justice is:
. . . the actions we take
. . . the choices we make
. . . the standards we hold ourselves to
. . . the way we treat people
. . . the things we care about
. . . the difference we make for people.
. . . the opportunities we accept (and turn down)
. . . doing the right thing, right now.
By reclaiming justice as something that we do, instead of something done to us, it becomes a stronghold in the storm, a guiding light out of the dark. By committing to doing the right thing, here and now, we create for ourselves an internal compass that guides and directs us home.
Ryan Holiday