How do we arrive at a whole systems perspective for the greater good of communities? One way I believe is to develop more balance between the working parts of the whole. How do we do this? Here are some pointers:
Vision - emphasizes what is possible in the future. Therefore the focus is on creativity, innovation and design in relation to sustainability. Identity also comes into play here in that understanding who I am and what's important to me contributes to the direction in which I'm going.
Place - relates to preserving traditional ecological environments that have subsequently been threatened by industrial growth and development systems. This is especially important in how humanities history and values have impacted the land on which we live and sustain ourselves.
Relationship - refers to the feminine and humans in communion. How do we relate and communicate with each other? The health and vibrancy of humanity depends on how adequately we're fed, sheltered and cared for. In other words, we are not separate from each other but we are instead intricately connected to each other and the planet which we inhabit.
Action - refers to the masculine and agency. What are the strategies and tactics we use to asses obstacles and costs to our community's resources? For example, in the industrial food system, we now have an unhealthy masculine version of how food is grown, transported, consumed and wasted because there's no balance in understanding the connection between all these moving parts.
As soon as there's a disconnection in any one of these parts, the system experiences imbalances that disrupt the well being of all. So our current dilemma is striking the right balance between all these connections which are part of a greater whole.
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