"Rebuilding through Regenerative Relationships" with Mansi Kakkar
In this episode I talk with Mansi Kakkar. Mansi is a Pattern transcriber, mindset weaver, warrior goddess and she is human fireweed. She is also the creator of Regenerative Innovation.
Mansi is a convener in complexity for regeneration. She is also a performing artist for the revolution and social transformation.
In this conversation we talk about the power of ritual to help us mark transitions and call in forces that are beyond us. We talk about the process of integrating history and letting go so that we can consciously step into the process of evolution. We talk about the value of listening to desire and intuition as essential driving forces. And we talk about relationships as the elemental feature of the superorganism that is humanity. And that opens the door to an exploration of powerful strategies for healing, transforming and rebuilding the world that we are in.
Mansi Kakkar Resources
Mansi's personal website and blog: www.mansikakkar.com
Main Project Site: www.regenerativeinnovation.com
Email me@mansikakkar.com
Sign up for Mansi's Museletter (A new project to bring heart centered inspiration in a time of toxic mind overwhelm)
Instagram: @iamfireweed
Facebook: @mansikakkar
Medium: @mansikakkar
LinkedIn: Mansi Kakkar
YouTube: Mansi Kakkar
Regenerative Innovation
“The planet does not need saving, humanity does. Regenerative Innovation teaches us how to save us where we are, with what we have, in the uncertain now.”
Regenerative Innovation is an inquiry that I have been living with is ‘Can we use uncertainty and a crisis of wicked problems as a trampoline to leap humanity into a regenerative paradigm? The answer has gestated over the last six years to be a - hell yeah! Regenerative Innovation is about how we can do just that.
This piece of organic, divinely inspired synthesis is my offering to humanity in service to regenerating ourselves and our beautiful pale blue dot. It aims audaciously for human, ecological and economic equity. No compromise, nothing less is acceptable. Read about Regenerative Innovation here.
Mansi Kakkar - Visionary, Poet, Facilitator, and Fireweed
Check out Duncan’s work as a Conflict Transformation Catalyst
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Mansi's Metaphors:
Fireweed
Mansi applies the metaphors of Fireweed and Way Finding to inform how she lives her life and to inspire humanity in these times when we are both lost and looking to how we can rebuild after the metaphorical (and real) fire raging through the world.
Read more about how Mansi thinks about this metaphor in this article: “The Fireweed Expedition: A brave and humble attempt to way find in lost times”
Here is an excerpt:
I am fireweed. And I am seeking the people who resonate with this metaphor. We are stringing a fellowship of human fireweed to do our work of stabilizing and creating the conditions for our planet and humans to regenerate itself. We believe humanity can and will learn from nature and live in harmony with her.
Lean more below about these subject and consider how these powerful metaphors can inform your and our choices in these times:
Fireweed and Serotiny
Serotiny is an ecological adaptation exhibited by some seed plants, in which seed release occurs in response to an environmental trigger [such as fire], rather than spontaneously at seed maturation.
Read this article from the Conservation of Change Lab: “Fireweed: a symbol of potential for transformation”
Wayfinding
Below is an excerpt from “What is Wayfinding?" From the Society for Experiential Graphic Design
Principles for effective wayfinding include:
Create an identity at each location, different from all others.
Use landmarks to provide orientation cues and memorable locations.
Create well-structured paths.
Create regions of differing visual character.
Don't give the user too many choices in navigation
Here is an excerpt from “So you're lost in the wilderness – these tips could save your life” by Mark Jenkins (The Guardian).
There is a useful acronym for what to do when you’re lost: STOP.
S is to simply stop. Frantically moving faster will only get you more lost. Sit, and breathe from your belly (short quick breaths only increase the symptoms of anxiety – lightheadedness, trembling, confusion). Drink and eat. With any luck, your amygdala (the almond-size flight-or-fight controller in your head) will calm down and your cerebral cortex (responsible for rational thinking) will take over again.
T stands for think. Ask yourself some basic questions. Which direction were you going? What was the last landmark you recognized? How long ago was that? How far have you come since? Hiking on a trail with a pack, most people travel only about two miles per hour. Where was the last time you knew where you were?
O is for observe. Look around you: can you see any landmarks? Can you recognize a craggy mountain top or arcing valley? Try to find what you see around you on the map. Get out your camera, go back through the pictures and do the same thing. Think about time. How long have you been hiking? How do you feel? How long before sunset? What is the weather doing? What is the weather predicted to do? Is there natural shelter nearby? Is there dry fuel for a fire?
P means plan. Don’t move until you have a plan. (If and when you do move, do so methodically and observantly.) If you whistle, might someone hear you? Do you have enough daylight to try to retrace your route? Should you consider building a fire because it is almost dark?
SuperOrganism Love
At the time of this episode's release the superorganism.love website is under construction. Stay tuned.
In the meantime the best way to get a taste of what's coming is to read her article about Regenerative Innovation. Here's an excerpt:
Regenerative Innovation is an approach to fulfill our evolutionary drive while designing with human, economic, and ecological equity. No compromise. We audaciously attempt to explore a thus far untapped possibility.
Regenerative Innovation is grounded in people and the planet. Not just profit and products. Networks and relationships have a higher currency than efficiency and economies of scale. RI is the result of thus far quietly gestating feminine rising to balance the colonizing masculine. The atrophied cyclical rising to balance the dominant linear. The nutritive rising to balance the directive. The descriptive rising to balance the prescriptive.
Here are some other resources inspired by the conversation with Mansi
Evolution of Trust
Mansi and I talk about the “Evolution of Trust” in this episode. Check out the interactive game for learning about Game Theory, created by Nicky Case.
Nicky Case is a Canadian indie game developer with an amazing world for exploring and learning. Check her out.
I especially recommend this interactive game: “What Happens Next? COVID-19 Futures, Explained With Playable Simulations”
The Story of Us
Once again I am encouraging you to check out the The Story of Us by Tim Urban. It is a deep exploration about the root of the divisions in our culture.
Here are some creations of mine inspired by Tim Urban’s work and conversations facilitated by Mansi:
Here's an Essay: "‘The Story of Us’ and Finding the Root of The Problem” and here is a video. Check out the full Problem/Solution video series.
Related Fractal Friends episodes:
Check out the collection of Fractal Friends episodes about Social Change and Cultural Transformation
Music
The music in this episode was “Aasman Se” by The Snake Charmer
Thanks to Archy Jay for giving me permission to share this song with you. Check out their music. Follow and support The Snake Charmer:
Facebook @Thesnakecharmer03
Instagram @thesnakecharmerbagpiper
Twitter @Thsnakecharmer
“Aasman Se” Lyrics:
Verse 1:
No matter what they say,
We blend in different ways,
We come from and return to the same eternal placeShine on don't be afraid
Embrace your different shade
Always remember,
Even ember can light up our wayAasman Se, laake saare
Rangeen taare, paas tumhare
Phir kaho kis,
Mitti ke hai,
Rang tumhare, Rang humare!
Verse 2:
You're like a shooting star
Fearless with inner powers
Yet to give it your all,
Just when they think you’re about to fallDon’t shrink your dreams too small
To their reality
Just power through it all
And you’ll match what’s in your destinyAasman Se, laake saare
Rangeen taare, paas tumhare
Phir kaho kis,
Mitti ke hai,
Rang tumhare, Rang humare!