Regeneration: A Core Principle of Intentional Living

Regenerative living is at the heart of being in a reciprocal relationship with nature.  A term often used in agriculture to describe farming practices that feed the land and create a thriving ecosystem, regeneration is a natural part of our relationship with the world that has been interrupted by the extractive patterns of mainstream over culture.

re·gen·er·ation (noun)

1. the action or process of regenerating or being regenerated:

   "the regeneration of inner cities"

2. Spiritual renewal or revival

3. Renewal or restoration of a body, bodily part, or biological system (such as a forest) after injury or as a normal process

   
   

At its core, regeneration means to return to a state of renewal, to arrive again at a state even after change has happened. Small biodynamic farms and permaculture initiatives, like the farm I grew up on as a kid, focus on leaving the land and ecosystem better than we found it, which is a far cry from the depleting monocropping practices that overtake much of America and the world. When we isolate one crop, for example corn or wheat, and ask mother nature to grow that crop year after year after year, the soil is slowly broken down into a fallow, hollow material devoid of nutrients and living organisms. This can be seen in the bare open landscapes of dry, empty fields common in agricultural swaths along the continent.

On the other hand, regenerative farming often boasts luscious, rich, diverse crops that thrive in a collaborative ecosystem. Think of the raspberries that produce year after year alongside a field of wildflowers that host pollinators, which make honey from the land while ensuring that the berries and nearby apple trees bare fruit.

When we isolate for one outcome, we eventually kill off the whole rest of the system, because nature has always meant to thrive in relationship with all other living things.

Taking this concept into the creative world and the tapestry of our lives, we find that building a regenerative ecosystem within the core of our beings leads to a rich abundance that is our natural birthright, and yet has sadly become so foreign to many of us.

Two Choices: Regenerative vs. Depleating Spirals

There two directions that we can take with our minds, bodies, and actions in the world - either to exist within the depleating spiral that exists with so much of the overculture, or to choose to participate in a more reciprocol, growth oriented way of living.

I see in so many people that we are so normalized to the extractive patterns in our society that we hardly notice when we apply that same framework to ourselves. Corporate jobs and infrastructure are constantly asking for our time, money, attention, health, while simultaneously drawing from earth's resources, all with little regard for return.

We're fed just enough of continually degrading fuel sources that we stay, but don't notice the wearing impact on our health and wellbeing until it is almost too late. The game seems to always be trying to reach some level of "enough", so we can keep going, while meanwhile there is a widening chasm of nourishment and meaning.

Regeneration, on the other hand, represents an opposite spiral: one that trends upwards towards growth, connection, and a sense of thriving. Regenerative means tending to something so it can tend us back, of creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem with our environment so when we are depleted we have something to lean on, and when we are feeling abundant we have extra energy to give back.

This is the practice of showing up to tend an apple tree, year after year, and in return getting to recieve the abundance of fruit to share with ourselves and our community. It is showing up to a creative practice or a home with aligned intention, and getting to see the fruits of your labor come back to you tenfold as the years pass by.

I notice in a lot of the conversations with the people I work with that the actual lived reality of regeneration beyond a concept is foreign. For those not raised within the abundance of nature, it is hard to imagine what a world that keeps on giving might be like, much less how we might go about being engaged as a part of it.

So how do we begin to re-integrate this foundational aspect of being?

Practices for Cultivating Reciprocity & Abundance

First of all, it's a practice. Regenerative systems aren't built in a day - they're something that are cultivated and maintained over lifetimes. That means the results aren't as quick as our sometimes dopamine loving culture would like, and that requires consistancy and commitment to keep showing up to that practice over long periods of time.

The benefit, however, is getting to be a part of something so much larger, more expansive, and powerful than many of us have imagined, and yet somehow still sense is possible.

Even at the beginning of my journey, I am astounded and grateful daily for the way abundance has continued to show up in my life. Here are some of the practices or focus points that might help you cultivate an awareness around regeneration:

1. Notice what abundance you already have. It's so easy to get lost in what you're looking for, wanting, or needing that we can forget to appreciate what is already in our worlds. If I'm noticing a mentality of lack or scarcity in my being, I like to go on a walk and notice all of the abundance in nature. This can be especially fun during winter seasons, when we have to attune our lens a bit more finely to notice the growth.

2. Tend things that are important to you. This could be relationships, dreams, creative ideas, your home. The extra five minutes to send someone a message you've been thinking about or practice sketching will nurture the seeds of what you'd like to cultivate in your life. Over time, these small moments culminate, eventually leading to more robust connections or development of artistic skills and ideas

3. Discover how you like to give back to the world. We all have gifts. I firmly believe that given the space and support we need, our key interests and strengths can be developed into the most important service we can offer the world. It can start small, but notice when you truly give from your heart. Taking note helps us see the good we bring to the world and attune our awareness to the positive ripples in life

4. Get curious about the connections in your life. How do the things that inspire you relate to the ways you love to have fun? How does your work connect to your health connect to your dreams for your life? How we do one thing is how we do everything, and starting to uncover the patterns that drive our beliefs and actions can help us release degenerative spirals and develop more nourishing patterns and habits.

5. Prioritize things that feel nourishing. This could be activities, food, people, projects. If it makes you feel good and alive, that means it is actively feeding some part of your system. As you prioritize these elements in your life (and perhaps even discover new things that nurture you), your life begins to become a more thriving ecosystem that supports you, which means you get to also show up more fully to the world.

If these thoughts and ideas are resonating, I'd love to hear about what it's stirring up for you. Send me a message at niikahwylde@gmail.com or reach out via WhatsApp +1 (906) 960 - 4453.

May these thoughts give you something to ponder as you move through your days.

niikah is an interdisciplinary artist and spaceholder based in Marquette, Michigan. She works with people to build a relationship with themselves, their work, and the world so they can thrive in their lives with a sense aliveness and purpose. She also owns Niik Creative Co., a handcrafted living & ceramics boutique.

If you’re interested in exploring work together, book a discovery call and we’ll see if we’re a good fit!