Wild Resiliency Introduction

“There are many pathways in this life and it doesn’t matter which one you take, for they all have a common destination, and that is the grave. But some paths give you energy and some take it away.” — Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Hubble Deep Space Field

“The story of the universe is the story of the emergence of a galactic system in which each new level of expression emerges through the urgency of self-transcendence…. The human emerges not only as an earthling, but also as a worlding. We bear the universe in our beings as the universe bears us in its being. The two have a total presence to each other and to that deeper mystery out of which both the universe and ourselves have emerged.” — Thomas Berry, Creative Energy

‘Bouncing back,’ the resiliency of “returning to original shape and form after being stressed,” is sometimes simply not enough. This Slinky™ model of resilience can at other times be a disservice or even downright dangerous to us and to our organizations. Today’s world requires of us not only new levels of flexibility and of adaptability, but also new ways of both perceiving ourselves and our world and new ways of being who we are in that world.

Wild Resiliency is an integrative living systems model of human change and transformation; it is inspired and informed by the disciplines and perspectives of deep ecology, mythology, cosmology, eco- and resiliency psychology, and the indigenous and western sciences. Wild Resiliency, most simply, is Life’s love of its Self; as such, it is a radical affirmation of Life—embracing our capacity and willingness to be loyal to our deepest joys.

This same loyalty is also the attraction and allurement of our greatest potentiality: being true—to one’s self. It is thus our impulse, inclination and willingness to show up to Life and to transform in the service of Life, shedding and letting go of what no longer serves us while integrating and incorporating that which will.

Why Resiliency? Resiliency—because we love Life, our children, and ourselves. Resiliency because we desire the creation of a tomorrow that is as good as, or better than, today is.

Why Wild? We require wildness because that which is wild is loyal first and foremost to the Wholeness of its own deep Nature. And because it is in her 3.8 billion year old wild aspect that Nature most visibly demonstrates proven and vibrant patterns of renewal, wellness, wholeness, hardiness, and of transformation.

To lose contact with that within us that is wild is to lose contact with the Spirit of Life itself. It is to lose contact with that within which is the vital source of inspiration, vision, and creativity that we require to carry us through the darkening storm clouds of change, fear and terror that, given the chance, would descend upon the planet.

Wild Resiliency is a meta-model that restores humanity to our place of belonging, revealing and making accessible to us the elemental and transcendent nature of our Nature. It thus offers a path into the challenges of the future, a path illuminated by the rhythms of the Breath-of Life and a future of thrivability, of possibilities worth dreaming of.

I dwell in Possibilities— A fairer House than Prose— More numerous of Windows— Superior—for doors. —Emily Dickinson

Wild Resiliency is how Mother Nature does it!