“The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, and gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire.”
After 40 odd years in the IT industry in sales, marketing, consulting and most recently as an IT industry analyst, I changed tack to do something more purposeful.
In February 2023 I was inspired by a ten-day trip to India, courtesy of the Zoho Corporation, at their HQ in Chennai, and their village school and organic farm in Tenkasi, rural Southern India. Since then, I've spent my time researching the field of Regenerative Business.
This opened a multi-dimensional Pandora's Box covering a host of interrelated topics. Regenerative Business is a vital component, but my fundamental belief is that we can overcome our extractive Anthropocene present if we treat the planet and all that is on it and in it as sacred. Stewards of the Earth, not its masters.
An accurate portrayal of civilisation today
''At present the domain – our civilisation – finds itself in the hands of the vizier, who, however gifted, is effectively an ambitious regional bureaucrat with his own interests at heart. Meanwhile the Master, the one whose wisdom gave the people peace and security, is led away in chains. The Master is betrayed by his emissary.''
McGilchrist, Iain. The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World (p. 14). Kindle Edition.
The nature of economic energy
''Economic energy, like flood waters, can both create and destroy. It is up to us to channel that economic dynamism and energy to nurture the life force of our civilization.''
Our imperative.....
“To make the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or the disadvantage of anyone.”
Beyond profits........
Patient capital focuses not simply on maximizing profits but also on holding the tension of both social impact and financial returns.
Manifesto For a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World
A Regenerative Business by Design
Absurdity of infinite growth....
''Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever on a finite planet is either a madman or an economist.''
Quoted in: A Finer Future - Creating An Economy In Service To Life
L. Huner Lovins, Stewart Wallis, Anders Wijkman, John Fullerton
Interdependence......
''The fundamental definition of fitness in such an interdependent world is to act in ways that serve the long-term health of the whole.''
John Fullerton Founder- Capital Institute
Sacred World
Without a sense of the inherent sacredness of the world—of every tiny bit of life and death—we struggle to see God in our own reality, let alone to respect reality, protect it, or love it.
Source: The Universal Christ
Everything is connected
Theft of the Commons
The law locks up the man or woman Who steals the goose from off the commonBut leaves the greater villain loose Who steals the common from off the goose.The law demands that we atoneWhen we take things we do not ownBut leaves the lords and ladies fineWho take things that are yours and mine.The poor and wretched don’t escape If they conspire the law to break;This must be so but they endureThose who conspire to make the law.The law locks up the man or womanWho steals the goose from off the commonAnd geese will still a common lackTill they go and steal it back — Anonymous, "The Goose and the Common"
See also this fascinating article: Theft of the Commons by Eula Biss
Jimmy Carter's philosophy
“My faith demands – this is not optional – my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference.''
God bless him
The nature of thoughts....
'The nature of thoughts in our heads determine the nature of our actions. If our thoughts are dominated by negative emotions like anger,
jealousy, sorrow, pain, revenge, violence,
pleasure-seeking or prestige-seeking, our actions will inevitably reflect those thoughts. In Tamil, there is a pithy saying "நல்லதே நினை, நல்லதே செய்" which means "Think good (thoughts), do good (deeds)". The fundamental insight of Hindu/Buddhist spirituality is that we can change the thoughts in our heads, we can
redirect them, shape them, and over time we can achieve mastery over them. Spirituality provides a pathway to achieve "think good, act good" in our daily lives.''
(source: X 22nd September 2024)
Sridhar Vembu, CEO and Co-founder, Zoho Corporation - A Regenerative Business by Design
Reflections on regenerative change and regenerative education
Regenerative change^1
Social movements are built on the power of certain compelling ideas. But regenerative change is built on the power of taking conscious charge of our thinking processes and helping others to do the same.
Regenerative education^2
To educate someone is to draw out of them their inner potential for intelligence and wisdom. True educators don’t teach people what to think. Rather, they teach them how to think. Education is a process of disruption and liberation that enables students to develop the critical thinking necessary for forming thoughts and judgments independently.
Source:s 1.THE REGENERATIVE LIFE A NON-HEROIC APPROACH TO CHANGE. 2.The Regenerative Life: Transform any organization, our society, and your destiny (p. 191). John Murray Press. Kindle Edition.
Apposite!
"Minds, like parachutes, only function when they are open." ~ Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar
Thomas Dewar, 1st Baron Dewar. (n.d.). AZQuotes.com. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from AZQuotes.com Web site: https://www.azquotes.com/author/20950-Thomas_Dewar_1st_Baron_Dewar
