Soul and Soil
Supporting conscientious people in shifting from overwhelm, hopelessness and dissociation related to the societal and ecological state of the world to a more engaged, creative and purposeful way of living, grounded in hope and optimism.
This is achieved by cultivating a clear and compelling vision of a brighter, sustainable future for ourselves and our communities, learning the knowledge and skills necessary for realizing that vision, and navigating both the internal and external obstacles that stand in the way.
It’s little surprise that so many of us feel overwhelmed by despair at the many enormous crises confronting us in the modern age. Between the environmental devastation unfolding around us, the rise of fascism, growing wealth inequality, the unchecked proliferation of AI and war and the many other existential predicaments we currently face, it can all feel like too much - a hopeless descent into dystopia.
But this project is founded upon a deep belief in the creativity and resilience of the human species, and the belief that while we are certainly capable of cruelty and destruction, we are not inherently a plague upon this planet. Countless times throughout history, humans have proven what we are capable of achieving when we are motivated by hope, love, and the vision of a better future, and despite the incredible odds against us, we are more powerful now than ever. We must hold space for our grief, our anger and despair, but we cannot let these emotions be our end-point, and must instead heed the message they exist to communicate:
Things are not okay, and it’s time for change!
Do you feel like there has to be more to life? That you could make a difference, but are stuck in a pattern of grinding to survive and numbing out in your free time, miserable and lonely? Do you wish for more purpose, more connection, meaning and joy in your life, but are unsure of how to get there?
Well, you’re in the right place!
Soul and Soil is not a miracle cure for all of the issues that face us, but is rather a practical set of resources and support services that people can use to:
Learn knowledge and skills needed to thrive in an unstable and uncertain world
Find new and meaningful ways to engage in community and build resilience
Create an inspiring and realistic vision of a brighter, flourishing, regenerative future
Address inner obstacles such as trauma and limiting beliefs, as well as external barriers such as limited access to land and other resources
To move forward in a grounded and effective way, we need to come to terms with the likelihood that our environmental and sociocultural conditions will continue to worsen over the coming decades. It is scary to confront the thought that we are entering an age of collapse and calamity, but it is only by confronting this reality that we will learn to not only survive, but thrive in these dire circumstances. While recognizing that the world will never be perfect and that we will always have problems, we can certainly do better, and that is the goal here - incremental change, one person and one community at a time, one day at a time.
With Soul and Soil, I have integrated my years of education and practical experience in permaculture and regenerative land-care, off-grid living, activism and trauma counselling into a unique set of offerings designed to address the multi-dimensional crises we’re collectively living through. I firmly believe that we cannot heal ourselves as individuals without simultaneously healing our communities and the ecosystems we inhabit. All parts of this world are inextricably interconnected, and we as individual people are no exception.
You can read more of my story here!
In practice, the ends of Soul and Soil are achieved through education, coaching, consultation and facilitation. A great deal of informative and inspirational material is provided for free through the YouTube channel and blog, and in time I will be offering both online courses and in-person workshops exploring many relevant themes and lessons, as well as one-on-one coaching and consultation services for those wanting to engage in more focused transformations of their own lives and the world. A further goal of this project is to build a community of empowered and like-minded people who can support one another, sharing knowledge, resources and encouragement to create the brighter future we all long for and which is our birthright.