Ep 7: Ecovillage Living (with Gregory Pettys)
In this part of the conversation we turn to life in Ecovillages and how they help people makes shifts in life towards living in right relation.
This is the 2nd part of my conversation with Gregory Pettys. You can check back to episode 6 to tune in to Part 1 on Seed and Living in Right Relation.
In this part of the conversation we turn to life in Ecovillages and how they help people makes shifts in life towards living in right relation.
Greg has been a resident of Pun-Pun Ecovillage in Northern Thailand, operating as a education center for self-reliance and a Seed bank. Pun Pun has played an significant role in my Light Forest journey and is also where I first met Greg and got inspired to learn more about seed.
In this episode, we yarn on:
• Eco Villages as Spaces of Initiation: The role of eco villages in helping people reconnect with land, community, and ancestral wisdom. (00:05:47)
• The Necessity of Soil Interaction: Why direct, daily interaction with soil is fundamental to right relation and human well-being. (00:08:56)
• Mutual Indebtedness & the Gift Economy: The concept of mutual indebtedness and how gift economies sustain resilient communities. (00:18:39)
• Cross-Pollination & Global Networks: How ecovillages around the world are learning from each other, creating a web of shared wisdom. (00:21:15)
• Rethinking Currency & Financial Sustainability: How alternative economic models within ecovillages challenge mainstream financial anxieties. (00:32:35)
•The Story Behind Naming His Substack Hiraeth: Post Activism in the Anthropocene: Greg shares the meaning behind the name Hiraeth and its connection to longing, grief, and ancestral roots and the concept of 'Post-Activism' from Bayo Akomolafe’s ideas on moving beyond traditional activism and embracing new ways of being.
• Parenting, Ancestral Continuity & the Role of Future Generations: How Greg’s perspective on having children shifted through his journey with land and seeds. (00:42:18)
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Recommendations from Greg:
• Authors and Teachers:
◦ Bayo Akomolafe: Philosopher and thinker on post-activism and decoloniality.
◦ Martín Prechtel: Teacher and writer on indigenous wisdom, grief, and storytelling.
◦ Masanobu Fukuoka: Pioneer of natural farming (One Straw Revolution). •
◦ Tamara (Portugal): An eco village exploring radical love and intimacy.
◦ Plum Village: A mindfulness practice center founded by Thích Nhất Hạnh.
◦ Auroville (India): A long-standing experimental township focused on sustainable living
Connect with Gregory Pettys:
• Hiraeth: Post-Activism in the Anthropocene Substack
• Pun Pun Center for Self-Reliance
Instagram: @gregorypettys
🎶 The music for this episode was produced by me using Bandlab and original recordings of a Hapi drum
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this piece channel your inner bee and share this with 1 friend that you think would resonate with the Light Forest movement.
