Journeys of Regeneration @Kernel

You may have noticed the term ‘regeneration’ used frequently within these posts.
I cannot recall when the term came to be embedded within my mental lexicon, but at the moment I find it to be the one that best captures the essence of Light Forest.

According to the American Heritage and Cambridge dictionaries definitions of ‘regeneration’ include:

a change or improving through renewal, spiritual revival, rebirth, and retaining a sense of balance with nature.

The etymology of the term has its roots in biology, but the concept has been extended to encompass a range of disciplines, and often used around improving the health of systems. Unlike the term ‘sustainability’ which implies sustaining the equilibrium or status quo paradigm, ‘regeneration’ hits closer to both the scale and form of paradigm shifts we’re interested in:

1. It involves a recognition and remembrance of ancient wisdom and practices forgotten.

It also allows for radical imagination for new perspectives, technologies, and ways of being that fosters a coming together on our planet in new ways.

The term ‘regeneration’ has yet to be captured as a mainstream buzzword (so far🤞🏼) so there’s that! If you have any thoughts about this i’d love to hear from you.

Our quest as explorers is to regenerate our connection with the forest, and allow this connection to guide the regeneration of the planet.

Last week Light Forest hosted a conversation within the Kernel community to bring some attention to regeneration, with a particular focus on regeneration within or inner journeys of evolution and transformation.

Each of us shared an artifact and a personal story that symbolizes inner regeneration and journeys. It was beautiful and fascinating to see the many pathways through which we approached the concept. The spine and the body that mediates regeneration sometimes often painfully demand it; quartz crystals and Palo Santo (an ancient wood used by Indigenous cultures in South and Central America as an incense); specific places on the earth that help us stay grounded, and writing as a tool for expression and searching, through poems and journaling.

We spent a little time reflecting on the Light Forest (working) Protocol: Unlearning & Open Minds, Grounding in the Now, Living Fearlessly, Play, and Agape love. There was some resonance around ‘Unlearning’, such as releasing the fear that sits in the body and our approach to learning itself, moving away from objective driven to passion driven learning, and new ways we for peer learning. Living more from a place without regret of the past and fears of the future, and putting the heart at the center of all decisions.

I’m grateful to everyone that participated. It was very Play, especially to co-host this jam with Maya Dentzel, who has been researching Regenerative Finance (ReFi) as a movement, as well as exploring her own path of personal transformation through Yoga and mindful practices. Maya and I, both KB8 Fellows, found ourselves in a similar area of the forest.

Over the last few weeks several people have asked me, “what do you mean when you say Light Forest is a ‘space’?” My honest answer is I don’t know. I find the ambiguity of ‘space’ allows for a certain freedom to experiment with different directions and forms. Conversations and dialogue like this is definitely a fun and interesting way to expand the space.

In nature's embrace, renewal unfolds,
As Earth's cycles weave stories untold.
Within, souls remember their authentic truth,
Correcting the perception gap between real and unreal.
Regeneration, a dance of inner and outer,
Harmony found in life's constant encounter.
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