Episodes
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In this episode, I had a chat with a long-time friend, Santiago Moringa, from Molinos Verdes de Moringa. Santi is a leader in social permaculture and has over a decade of experience building community gardens and other socially regenerative projects across Costa Rica and internationally.
In our conversation, Santi shares his journey from discovering permaculture through the lens of agriculture to embracing the broader social aspects that foster community and connection. We delve into his passion for integrating diverse communities into the permaculture movement, including elders and marginalized groups. Santi also opens up about his personal transformation and the pivotal moments that shaped his commitment to the social permaculture movement.
From his early experiences with factory farm methods to his life-changing reflections on the importance of love and empathy in all human interactions, Santi's stories are heartfelt calls to action for us all.
I’m grateful for Santi’s emphasis on integrating social elements into permaculture, focusing not just on physical structures but on fostering genuine human connections and community resilience. We really need to expand our perspectives on permaculture and how it can be applied beyond food forests and water management.Santi also highlighted the need to embrace diversity beyond appearances. Instead, seek functional diversity in viewpoints and interactions that honor each individual's unique contributions, leading to more innovative and inclusive solutions.
With this comes a need to understand and embrace our emotions, which leads to personal growth and stronger community bonds. It's crucial to channel these emotions constructively to create a safe container for that diversity to be expressed. At the same time, always remember that growth is a process, and it’s crucial to be patient with ourselves and others as we navigate the human experience together.
If Santi's work inspires you, consider putting effort toward making a difference in your local community. Support those already doing incredible work so you can build a more regenerative future together.
Thank you for joining us today. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review. Your support helps us reach more listeners and spread the message of regenerative living.
To follow more of Saniti’s contributions toward a regenerative world, check out:
Website - www.mvmoringa.com
YT - https://www.youtube.com/@mvmoringa/
IG - https://www.instagram.com/mvmoringa/This episode is brought to you by, well, YOU! I haven’t built up my audience enough to have attracted sponsors, so instead of buying an organic cotton shirt or an online course, maybe you can just buy me a coffee!
Go to https://ko-fi.com/regenerationnationcr to drop a few dollars in the bucket and let me know you care.
You can now also visit our website’s Resources page to find lots of great information and products that many have found to make their lives better. Visit: https://regenerationnationcr.com/resources
Special thanks to Patrick Fuentes for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4291-rite-of-passage
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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In this interview, I visited Itai Hauben at his lovely home and permaculture education center called Adama.
Adama is nestled in the mountains of the Chirripo River Valley, where Itai and his wife Melina teach permaculture design courses to lucky students every year. It’s also the headquarters of Symbiosis Eco Design, their permaculture design and implementation business, serving land projects nationwide. Symbiosis is a powerful change agent in this country ecologically, socially, and educationally.We got together to chat about why creating a permaculture design is such a highly recommended investment BEFORE making any significant investments into any land-based endeavor. Itai gives several examples illustrating the importance of hiring a professional who can read the landscape and avoid potential pitfalls.
In addition, Itai emphasizes the need to conduct proper due diligence before purchasing a property and hiring specialists to ensure the security of your investment. There are some things that just can’t be undone!
Understanding and integrating local knowledge into permaculture design can’t be overstated. We've delved into the critical aspects of water management, soil stability, and the creation of food forests, illustrating the importance of thoughtful, well-planned permaculture designs.
Learning from our mistakes is ordinary, meaningful, and part of the journey. Learning from other people’s mistakes through research or hiring the assistance of someone further along the path is wisdom, and an integral part of the permaculture design process.
The episode wraps up with talks on preventing burnout and pacing a project according to the client's needs.
Let's carry forward the wisdom and inspiration from Itai's journey. Remember, the path to successful, sustainable living and professional growth in permaculture is paved with patience, planning, and a profound respect for the surprises that can be found amidst the natural world.May we all embrace these principles in our own endeavors, nurturing a future where both our environment and our businesses can flourish in harmony.
To follow more of Itai’s contributions toward a regenerative world, check out:
Website - https://symbiosiscr.com/FB - https://www.facebook.com/SymbiosisEcoDesign
IG - https://www.instagram.com/adama_permaculture/
Email - [email protected]
Other recommendations:
Regeneration of desert into forests in Jordan https://www.greeningthedesertproject.org/To support the show, go to https://ko-fi.com/regenerationnationcr.
You can now also visit our website’s Resources page to find lots of great information and products that many have found to make their lives better. Visit: https://regenerationnationcr.com/resources
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Episodes manquant?
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Welcome to an enlightening conversation with Marcus Merlin, steward of MoZen Temple in the Diamante Valley. We delve deep into personal growth, environmental sustainability, and the much-needed impact of regenerative entrepreneurship.
Merlin shares his insights into the power of forgiveness as a personal practice and a foundation for creating meaningful connections and building communities.
Forgiveness has the power to transform not just individual lives but entire communities. The transformative power of forgiveness can unlock our spiritual beliefs and lead us to rewrite our personal narratives in ways that propel us forward. Marcus’s story reminds us of the profound impact forgiveness can have on our lives, offering us freedom and a new perspective on our purpose.
Together, we explore the concept of 'Finding Your Why,' as Merlin discusses the significance of discovering one's purpose to facilitate freedom from the past and a clear direction forward. This idea serves as a gateway to passion-driven work, where doing what you love transforms the traditional notion of work and productivity. It is also the theme of his annual retreat in Costa Rica.
The significance of finding our 'why,' creating passion-driven work, and the magic of vulnerability within dream teams are all worth reflecting deeper on. These elements are crucial for anyone looking to lead a fulfilling life while making a positive impact on the world. They provide us with tools and philosophies to embrace a more holistic and purpose-driven approach to life.
The conversation also highlights the essence of building 'dream teams'—individuals who share a passion for what they do and support one another in achieving common goals. We discuss the importance of vulnerability and authenticity within these teams, revealing how these qualities can be superpowers in personal and professional development.
We also touch on the role of shamanic and spiritual practices in personal transformation, the importance of selective commitment to stay true to one's values, and the power of community and forgiveness in action. The role of shamanic and spiritual practices in personal transformation might be a new concept for some, but it’s thankfully becoming more commonplace in our modern-day culture.
The lessons from this episode have the potential to catalyze change in every aspect of our lives. If you’d like to dive deeper into these concepts, visit www.findyourwhy.info and register for Merlin’s upcoming retreat.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter at https://regenerationnationcr.com to hear more about cultural bridge-building, regenerative-minded events, and future podcast releases.
To follow more of Merlin’s contributions toward a regenerative world, check out:
Website - www.findyourwhy.infoFB - https://www.facebook.com/marcushinds1
IG - https://www.instagram.com/marcusmerlinpowerguide/
Go to https://ko-fi.com/regenerationnationcr to drop a few dollars in the bucket and let me know you care.
You can now also visit our website’s Resources page to find lots of great information and products that many have found to improve their lives. Visit: https://regenerationnationcr.com/resources
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In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of dementia care with our guest, Katya Deluisa, of The Infinite Mind. Katya shares her journey and how she became involved in working with individuals with dementia after observing the loneliness and lack of connection experienced by individuals with dementia, even when surrounded by family. Katya’s grown a passion for educating families on how to better understand and communicate with their loved ones.
The conversation delves into the nature of dementia and the physiological changes that occur in the brain. Katya explains that dementia is a symptom rather than a specific disease, encompassing a range of conditions that affect cognitive function. She discusses how dementia impacts memory, imagination, and the ability to plan for the future.
She also highlights the importance of understanding altered perception in individuals with dementia and the challenges they face in perceiving and navigating the world around them.
The role of caregivers in providing support and care for those with dementia is a significant focus of the conversation. Katya emphasizes the need for caregivers to focus on their own self-care. It’s vital to maintain balance while caring for a loved one with this debilitating condition. She shares personal stories of caregivers she’s worked with, highlighting the transformation that can occur when they shift their perception and approach.
Throughout the conversation, we discuss regenerative approaches to dementia care and how individuals with dementia can still experience moments of joy, love, and connection. Katya brings focus to the unconditional love and purity of spirit that individuals with dementia possess, even as their cognitive abilities decline. She emphasizes the importance of empowering families through knowledge and shifting their perception to recognize the changing capabilities and needs of their loved ones.
Katya's approach to dementia education and caregiving goes beyond the conventional methods. Through her collage communication technique and other innovative approaches, Katya has helped individuals with dementia express themselves and regain a sense of identity.
Katya's work in educating and supporting families affected by dementia is a valuable resource for those seeking guidance and understanding in caring for their loved ones. If you’re a caregiver, have a family member whose mind is fading, or just want to better understand this condition that grips a growing percentage of our global population each year, this episode is for you.
One big takeaway is the importance of perception and understanding when caring for someone with dementia. Katya emphasized the need for caregivers to shift their perception of their loved ones as they navigate the cognitive changes brought on by the condition.
By seeing individuals with dementia as beings in the process of releasing their ego and becoming their unique essence, caregivers can foster a deeper connection and provide better support. This shift in perception can lead to a more profound and meaningful relationship between caregivers and their loved ones.
Another important insight is the power of communication and connection. While individuals with dementia may lose cognitive abilities over time, their ability to love and be loved remains strong. Katya helps us remember that even in the midst of cognitive decline, people with dementia can still express and receive love, creating moments of profound connection.
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In this episode, we speak with Ian-Michael Hébert, one of the founders of Holos, a private retreat center and community specializing in holistic living and transformational experiences.
In our conversation, he discusses the genesis of Holos, their vision for a sustainable and resilient community, and the importance of focusing on reciprocity and honoring the indigenous people of the land. Ian-Michael also emphasizes the importance of preserving the natural beauty of the Diamante Valley and their commitment to stewardship.
Among other details of the community’s infrastructure, he describes their design for conserving a quarter of the property while reforesting most of the already denatured zones. They also have plans for a macaw reintroduction initiative.
Ian-Michael reflects on challenges they’ve faced in getting set up with elements such as water management, communication breakdowns with the municipality, and bridging the gap between foreigners and locals.
As we discuss the importance of supporting the local community, paying fair wages, and engaging with local service providers, Ian-Michael affirms Holos’s goal to continue reassessing their programming to focus more on community relations and neighborhood development.
Other topics we touched on include developing a clear vision, team building, project financing, and embracing the wisdom of not knowing.
I appreciate the degree to which Holos works to cultivate reciprocity with surrounding humans and the natural world. As important as it is, it can be challenging to keep such delicate subtleties at the forefront while in the development phase and when juggling the needs of investors and push-back from the municipality, but it’s the path worth walking.
Setting space aside to develop housing and other infrastructure for the Costa Rican and indigenous Boruca people, who compile much of their labor force, is a significant investment. I’ve been happy to see this practice implemented among some of the other ecovillage projects I’ve been investigating, as well. It’s a valuable step in honoring the needs of their workforce while holding space for the local culture and providing stability for the project.
Another element I’ve found attractive among the ecovillages I’ve been looking into is the effort to lay out a portion of the community infrastructure kept open for the use of the regional community, which is also represented in Holos’s design.
Something that echoed strongly for me in this interview is that it can be difficult to handle people’s projections when operating a project of this size. Gossip can be plentiful, and the most altruistically intending projects are often the easiest targets for it by those who are doing less, feeling like a project of that size should be able to do it all. I’m glad that Ian-Miachael plans to hold more events to bring the local community in to see more of what’s happening there.
Another detail that stuck out for me was Ian-Michael’s share of finding the right team. This topic often comes up with other landowners and entrepreneurs I work with. When looking for your team, it’s essential to identify your strengths, clearly describe your needs, make a humble ask out to your community, and have patience as it comes together.
Before letting you go, I’d like to address a housekeeping detail regarding working with a team. About 2/3rds into the interview, there's a moment where I desc
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In today’s episode, we hear from Sarah Wu, a highly respected permaculturist & herbalist living and teaching in Costa Rica. I sat down with Sarah at the Envision Festival earlier this year to learn about some of the regenerative initiatives the festival has implemented as part of its mission.
Envision is a multi-day music festival with several stages and thousands of participants. By day, the focus is characterized by consciousness-raising workshops and presentations on permaculture, community-building, yoga, wellness, the embodiment of the divine masculine and feminine, and honor of indigenous ways. All this is presented with an overall theme of mindfulness and play.
By night, the arena becomes flooded by a secondary population of party-goers enjoying the many talented DJs and musicians playing on Envision’s many stages. You can find everything from electronic music to jam bands and local folk artists to ecstatic dance on the padded yoga stage. The experience can be overwhelming for some, and advice should be heeded to pace yourself, hydrate, and wash your hands frequently.
The festival brings with it a significant impact on the local town of Uvita, both in the ways of a boosted economy as well as occasional exhausts of some of its more limited resources. Like with all things in life, there exists a dichotomy that the festival producers have worked to bring balance to over the years.
In our interview, beyond sharing details about the thousands of trees they’ve planted onsite, their extensive composting system, the no-single-use-dishware policy, and the education programs that Sarah has initiated through the Village Witches program, we touch on the reasons why Envision isn’t using compost toilets anymore and what a future solution might look like.
One of my favorite parts of the interview is when we reflect on valuing each of our different niches in humanity’s ecosystem.
Festivals of this size are here to stay, and they can prove to be a life-changing experience for many people. At the same time, many festivals can get a bad rap for the negative impact of so many people converging on an area for a short time. While the convergence has a temporary impact on the wildlife, for instance, it is worth recognizing that the food forest of this festival site was previously nothing more than a cattle pasture.
Their internally organized dishwashing system diverts hundreds of thousands of plastic waste products from the landfill each year. The Village Witches program has cultivated a culture of well-being amidst a party scene, bringing herbalism to the mainstream.
The festival has also done a lot to bring hundreds of jobs to the local economy before, during, and after the event. They’ve also done a lot of work over the years to harmonize the ecosystem of the festival production, staff, artists, attendees, volunteers, and other influences.
In the interview, we didn’t cover what Envision’s non-profit foundation Somos el Cambio continues to do for the neighboring region.
With the leadership of Federico Gutierez, Somos el Cambio
Has planted over 17,000 trees directly by Envision staff and volunteers,
And over 80,000 more trees with Envision’s support.
They’ve donated $18,000 of medical equipment to
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In this episode, we meet with Scott Gallant, a permaculture consultant at Porvenir Design. I took advantage of the pragmatism he’s developed through his many years here to explore some of the pitfalls he’s seen with foreigners building large-scale developments. We also explore ways he guides his clients toward transmuting those potential problems into solutions.
Through his design and consultation work, Scott often finds himself inviting his clients to slow down and simplify their visions. Scott practices what he preaches, and we get into some of the ways he applies the Holistic Context approach to his own business. He also describes his experiences starting and operating a business in Costa Rica, along with the advantages and disadvantages of doing things by the books.
The second half of the interview gets really interesting as we discuss ways he trains new landowners how to be mindful of the context they’re building in. This includes setting reasonable expectations for your laborers and investing in appropriate education for them, especially if you want them to do things in a way they aren’t familiar with. Setting your work team up with unreasonable expectations is a hasty and unhealthy practice.
Investing into adequately training your workers in the techniques you want them to implement is a far more efficient use of your time, money, and relationships than telling them to do something they only know how to do from a conventional lens and expecting it to meet your end goals.
You’ll want to check out Scott’s blog. He’s an excellent writer who touches on many interesting topics.
I’d like to thank you for caring enough about what you’re doing to listen to this podcast as part of your personal development journey. If you know someone developing land in Latin America that would benefit from what Scott shared with us in this episode, consider passing it along to them. If they don’t often listen to podcasts, we host all of our episodes and more on our YouTube channel.
Keep in mind that the show has a profile on a donation platform called ko-fi.com. There’s a donate button on most pages of the website. It always makes my day when I get an email announcing that someone cared enough to support the show.
If sending in cash to help cover editing costs isn’t accessible to you, send me a message and let me know what you like about the show. I love hearing from you.
You can send an email to [email protected], and I’ll get back to you personally.
Until next time, have a holistic day!
To follow more of Scott’s contributions toward a regenerative world, check out:
Website - Porvenirdesign.comIG - https://www.instagram.com/scottplantstrees/
Other recommendations from Scott:
Holistic Context: Holistic Decision Making - Dan Palmer Making Permaculture Stronger Podcast interview with Scott Holistic Management eBook by Alan Saveries Toby Hemingway’s Gaia’s Garde The Resilient Farm and HomesteadSupport the Show.
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This episode is with a dedicated community organizer living in the Osa Peninsula, Tricia Stapleton. Tricia shares her embodied wisdom with each question she answers. Relistening to this episode to prepare it for publication was a treat! I had a hard time selecting which portions of this interview to use for the 3-4 highlight reels I produce with every episode because there was SO MUCH amazing content.
You’re lucky to be listening to this episode right now.
One of the many things that Tricia and I have in common is the responsibility we share as regenerative projects of not ignoring the socio-economic context we find ourselves in. Socio-cultural diversity as a vehicle for mutual aid, and the bridging of analog and digital solutions to community building are other topics that I enjoyed exploring with her.
We cover a few programs Tricia has co-founded in the Osa Peninsula. Cooperativa Los Higuerones is a bioregional learning center in the southern zone of the Osa Peninsula, Gulfo Dulce watershed. Its focus is on promoting alternative economic, social, and environmental opportunities.
From “stone soup socials”, to mutual aid work, emergency food boxes, a CSA program, a recycling program, and a locally operated farmers market… this multi-cultural local resilience organization, Higuerones, is doing it all!
Through that cooperative has been born Manos Cambiatas, a community work-party initiative that you’ll hear more about. Here’s a video that they created highlighting the work of Manos Cambiatas.
Be sure to listen to the end of the interview, where Trisha shares what they’re birthing with the ReGenerOsa collective. Regenerosa has developed a tithing program to fund regenerative projects in local communities.
Could you contribute 2.5% of something you’re doing to support a community actively caring for 2.5% of the earth’s biodiversity? This interview might just motivate you in that direction.
If you got some value from this episode, share it with a friend, say something nice about the podcast on your favorite social media channel, or drop a donation off at ko-fi.com.
I have more wonderful interviews like this waiting for the editors, and every little bit helps cover the production expenses. Thanks for sharing your time with us.
Now, go and give that 2.5%...To follow more of Tricia’s contributions toward a regenerative world, check out:
Cooperativa Higuerones - http://www.higueronescoop.org/The Regenerosa Collective- https://regenerosa.wixsite.com/regenerosacollective
FB - https://www.facebook.com/loshiguerones.coope
IG - https://www.instagram.com/higuerones.coop
Email [email protected]
Other mentions from Tricia include:
ASCONA - https://www.facebook.com/asconacr/
This episode is brought to you by, well, YOU! I haven’t built up my audience enough to have attracted sponsors, so instead of buying an organic cotton shirt or an online course, maybe you can just buy me a coffee!
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Rodo is a master natural building teacher from Costa Rica who’s been studying & teaching bamboo construction around the world for over 40 years.
I’ve released Rodo’s full-length interview on YouTube, complete with a visual tour of his handmade tools and a demonstration of a few bamboo building techniques he shows us. Still, I decided to release this shortened version of it for my podcast listeners, cutting out the parts that were primarily visual.
We start this interview in front of one of his most recent compost toilet & shower installments he’d made. We talk a bit about the bamboo and cob techniques that he used, as well as the series of week-long workshops that he taught, using these structures as the workstation.
From there, we move into his bamboo workshop, where he gives an overview of his handmade tools - several of them have traveled with him for over 40 years!
You’ll have to see the video to get the close-up tour! In that video, he also demonstrates a few of his furniture-building techniques.
The last segment of our interview takes us inside his tool shed for a discourse on building with cob and other natural materials. This is the part that made me want to release an audio version. I was particularly impressed to hear about his use of hydraulic lime as a substitute for cement!
Rodo has since moved on from EcoMaste and is now teaching natural building at a new location in La Florida, further back in the Diamante Valley. To learn more about his upcoming workshops, you can follow him on Facebook at “Bamboo School Costa Rica.” I also have his email address listed below.
If you found these tips useful, share them with a friend or on social media.
If you want to send the show some love, follow Regeneration Nation CR on your favorite social media channels and throw us a Comment or a Like every now and again to let us know you care.
I’m grateful to be building a better world with you!Remember,
When the world around you seems to be falling apart,
The most regenerative thing you can do is lift your head up and create something.
To learn more about Rodo’s workshops and how you can learn from him, check out:
FB - https://www.facebook.com/BambooSchoolCostaRica
Email - [email protected]
If you enjoy this video, hit the Like button and Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to stay informed of future releases.
Special thanks to Olalekan Ayodabo for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4291-rite-of-passage
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Follow Regeneration Nation Costa Rica: https://regenerationnationcr.com
Facebook:
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In today’s episode, we get the privilege of visiting with not one but two leaders in the regenerative space, Jean Pullen & Alan Cacao. Through their project Regenerate Your Reality, Jean & Alan have been tirelessly promoting permaculture education, seed propagation, food sovereignty, & community-building projects throughout the country.
Regenerate Your Reality is a permaculture, agroforestry, and education project working to bring sovereignty and happiness to our communities. It’s their mission to restore the relationship between humans and the earth to build a regenerative present.
They start the conversation by describing their work educating people at their biodiversity sanctuary in the mountains, near Platanillo, up the hill from Dominical. If you schedule a visit to their 1-hectare food forest, you’ll be welcomed to a tour of more than 300 species of food they have planted there. All of which is a living seed bank.
We discuss their partnerships with Kiss the Ground & Jungle Project and how they’ve been empowering local farmers with a regenerative livelihood, growing syntropic food forests with a focus on the abundantly producing breadfruit tree.With the help of Earth University, INA (Costa Rica’s National Institute for Learning), and Kiss the Ground, these two life advocates and the rest of their friends at The Jungle Project provide ongoing, multi-year technical assistance to small-scale farmers on a variety of organic regenerative practices.
The organization’s mission is Trees, Training & Trade. The farming families learn to restore and maintain the ecological health of their farmland in ways that improve their nutrition and their income.This crew is actively seeding a regenerative nation.
As Alan put it, connecting with the earth is our first medicine and one worth practicing daily. Participating in a world where the color green is ever out your window, and the sounds of birds and insects are perpetually punctuating the periphery of your awareness - for me, that’s a life I want to live. It’s the one I want to participate in preserving and passing on to my grandchildren.
I loved the moment when all three of us were relating to the transformative power we’re gifted with when we embody the experience of volunteering or interning at a permaculture center. You become a product of that project. It changes your life forever.
I was impressed to learn that the Jungle Project is rewarding partner farms by buying 80% of the fruit they produce.
Their mission is to substitute grains in people’s diets with breadfruit. Changing people's habits can be a long road, but it doesn’t stop them from walking it. After the inte
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In today’s episode, I meet with Jonathon Conant, a seasoned performer, and coach of the aerial arts. He teaches trapeze and aerial silk skills in one of the most enriching environments a student could hope to learn them in.
We talk at length about Jonathan's practice of guiding students to explore flow state as a tool for unlocking unrealized potentials and enriched self-awareness.
We also talk about a number of the small touches that Jonathon places along his guests’ experience, from his first contacts with them by email down to getting them involved in cleaning up each other’s dishes after sharing a meal.
Jonathan uses the word Milieu several times in the interview. Milieu refers to the way we create and keep our space and what a significant effect that has on our guests' experiences. This applies even to their ability to assimilate what we have to offer them.
I’ll have to say that this was probably one of the most fun interview visits I’ve been on so far. I made sure to arrive at Jonathon’s place early in the day to get in on his morning trapeze class. I filmed a little video of the class while I was there. Make sure to check it out on our YouTube Channel on the Farm Tour Playlist when you get a chance. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/Y5wRjg3_A70
See more of what Jonathon is up to at www.airbornearts.com/
This episode is brought to you by, well, YOU! I haven’t built up my audience enough to have attracted sponsors and all that, so instead of buying an organic cotton shirt or an online course, maybe you can just buy me a coffee!
Go to https://ko-fi.com/regenerationnationcr/ to drop a few dollars in the bucket and let me know you care.
You can now also visit our website’s Resources page to find lots of great information and products that many have found to make their lives better. Visit: https://regenerationnationcr.com/resources
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping to spread the word about our mission to others looking to improve their own projects.
Special thanks to Peter Mukuru and Ariel Poltronieri for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4291-rite-of-passage
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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The episode you’re about to hear is with Norman Brooks,
Norman Brooks is a veteran pioneer in community development here in Costa Rica. Norman found his way to the jungle in a different manner than most of our guests. He followed and supported his children's passions. He’s commonly known by many around these parts as the father of Stephen Brooks, a well-known permaculturist and community leader in the country.
While his backstory gives an impression that Norman has been following in the footsteps of his son’s relentless passion and inspiration, the rest of the interview, as well as most of the other conversations I’ve had with Norman before setting a date to record, reveal him to actually be one of the pillars of practicality and fountains of wisdom that have been instrumental in his co-creators’ dreams coming true.
In this interview, you’ll hear the story of how their three projects, Punta Mona, Alegria, and Ecovilla, have evolved one out of the other. You’ll hear lessons learned and descriptions of adjustments made in response.
We also get into some of the legal and logistical details of building a community in Costa Rica and how Alegría was designed to make residential lots accessible to locals. His experience working with the local community has taught Norman that cultural regeneration is a first step on the path toward agricultural and even financial regeneration.
One of my favorite takeaways from the interview is Norman’s reflection that “If your dreams aren't scaring you, you may not be dreaming big enough.”
Links:
https://Puntamona.org
https://Alegría.com
https://Ecovillage.com
Alegria Home Owners Association Condominium Bylaws
Casa Sula (The school at Ecovilla)
This episode is brought to you by, well, YOU! I haven’t built up my audience enough to have attracted sponsors and all that, so instead of buying an organic cotton shirt or an online course, maybe you can just buy me a coffee!
Go to https://ko-fi.com/regenerationnationcr/ to drop a few dollars in the bucket and let me know you care.
You can now also visit our website’s Resources page to find lots of great information and products that many have found to make their lives better. Visit: https://regenerationnationcr.com/resources
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping to spread the word about our mission to others looking to improve their own projects.
Special thanks to Peter Mukuru and Ariel Poltronieri for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link:
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The episode you’re about to hear is with Edward Zaydelman, founder of Live the Possibilities, providing guidance for those looking to take the leap into regenerative communities, sustainable neighborhoods, and revolutionary towns that are shaping the way we now live in the world.
While Edward’s story of developing his first land project, Vida, is one that was riddled with challenges and an ending that was very different than what was hoped for, upon inception, the interview is speckled with silver linings and an evolution of approaches that’s brought Edward to be the respected consultant that he is today.
Edward shares how he's taken what he learned from his years creating space at Burning Man and how he's applied that to his retreats in the tropics.
Edward advises us, before investing in expensive or permanent infrastructure, to consider producing some small events to develop a more practical perspective for the land’s, as well as your own, limitations.
In his adventures in creating low-budget and temporary spaces for events, he’s learned quite a bit about glamping options, and he shares with us the good, the bad, and the potential ugly in taking that approach. Glamping tents are a wonderful way to host people on a budget to get your program off the ground. It also helps to gather data before investing the capital needed to build more permanent structures. They also happen to look nice.
We also get into topics like creating sacred space, renting temporary infrastructure, developing strategic partnerships, and the importance of self-care. If you're not taking care of yourself, what you have to offer others won't be of the quality they deserve.
I’m embarrassed to say that this episode was recorded almost a year ago. At the same time, I’m proud to say that I’ve finally gotten it published.
I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I have.
Links:
Vida - http://www.puertavida.com/
Live the possibility https://www.livethepossibility.co/
Stout Glamping Tents - https://stouttent.com/
Lotus bell Glamping Tents - https://lotusbelle.com/
Cloud Seven Tents - https://www.facebook.com/cloud7tents
Retreat Guru - https://RetreatGuru.com/
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Hello, and welcome to the first official episode of Regeneration Nation Costa Rica: Regenerative Agriculture, Business, and Community for Change. We’re exploring the A, B, C’s of co-creating a regenerative culture.
The A's, B's, & C’s of Agriculture, Business, & Community are three of the pillars that we build our societies around. In these fields, some of the most potent innovators are working to create new living paradigms - in harmony with the planet, its inhabitants, and the well-being of future generations.
Costa Rica is recognized as a hot spot for regenerative innovations and attracts millions of visitors each year. While many are simply traveling to soak up a season of pura vida living, a growing number are looking to contribute to and be part of an idealized movement for change.
My name is Jason Thomas. I first arrived to Costa Rica in 2009, bought a farm, raised a family, produced events, hosted hundreds of guests, learned a lot, taught a little, ate some humble pie, took a break, and came back for more.
When the pandemic hit and the flow of Airbnb guests that my permaculture project had depended on plummeted, I decided to use podcasting as a way of exploring better ways to manage my land project, build community, and keep it all financially sustainable.
Ironically, over the course of that journey, I ended up leaving my land project, expanding my sense of community to a more regional focus, and have begun experimenting with new ways to meet my needs by learning how to support the needs of others more effectively.
Along with the many changes I’ve encountered these last couple of years, I’ve decided to change the focus and name of the Sharing Insights Podcast that I’d begun at the dawn of it all. If you’d like to learn more about my background, I’ll invite you to visit Episodes #000 & #013 or check out the About page on our website https://regenerationnationcr.com.
While I still have a passion for serving landowners who invite guests in to have transformative experiences, I’ve come to realize that to serve that audience; we’d all benefit by opening the conversations up to include others who’ve found success in other regenerative fields.
For us to arrive at the future that we’re all working toward, I believe that it’s essential for us to learn from a broader range of change-makers across various fields of influence. As a growing human population living on a warming planet, our needs can only be met, in the time required, if we join forces and expand our awareness beyond our individual pieces of the puzzle.
This podcast is designed to support business owners who dream of using their efforts for ecological and social benefit. This might include new business owners, people actively preparing to begin their entrepreneurial journey or veterans who want to expand their own perspectives on who's doing what and how they might improve on what they’re already doing.
While we’ll continue to share insights from seasoned landowners and communitarians throughout Costa Rica, we’ll also hear from leaders in the green energy and ecotourism movements, crusaders for social equality, cultural bridge-builders
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Cultivating an Impactful Belief System
WelcomeHello, and welcome to the 6th and final episode of the Season 1 Recap of the Sharing Insights Podcast! I think it’s fair to say that it’s been a value-rich experiment for me. All the same, I hope you, my friends, have gotten some value out of it as well.
As it is, this is also going to be the final episode of the Sharing Insights Podcast.Yes, this is the grand finale of the podcast as we’ve known it. Since I began producing this podcast and learned more about the power of the mic and what we can do with it, I decided to open the conversation up to other regenerative-focused programs that aren’t exclusively land-based. From here on, the podcast will be known as ‘Regeneration Nation Costa Rica’.
The urgency for humanity to get behind regenerative practices in any and all aspects of its existence has begun to grow on me. While I’ll continue to provide content directed at helping land-based projects gain exposure and learn from each other’s insights, we’ll hear more about who’s doing what to help Costa Rica reach carbon neutrality and social equity.
I believe that to help this movement of regenerative-focused landowners further discover their potential, make the impact they intended, and thrive, it’ll do us well to see what other players are doing in the regenerative field. There are a multitude of empowering projects all around Costa Rica, offering products, services, education, and community-building opportunities that our current audience can benefit from hearing about, and I want to get them on the mic!
The time to make the efforts needed to hand our grandchildren a world worth having children in, is NOW. The maverick landowners who’ve been the focus of the podcast so far will continue to be an important focus for upcoming content. I already have several interviews with land stewards recorded and ready to go.
At the end of this episode, I’ll share more of what I’ve been getting into these past months and what you can expect from the podcast in the months to come.
Let’s get into this theme of cultivating an impactful belief system and some of the insights that our guests have shared with us so far.
None of this show’s guests could be where they are, doing what they do, if they didn’t embody an impactful belief system. It’s been a great pleasure to get to know these leaders better and witness their brilliance.
So, what is an impactful belief system?
The world is full of people trying to make ends meet. The struggle keeps most folks hyper-focused on the details of what many call the “hamster wheel” or “the rat race” of life. From this place, it’s difficult to see what one can do to create a positive impact in the world around them beyond being a “responsible consumer.”There are others, however, who find the grace to break free from reactionary living long enough to discover what their passions are and how they can apply them to serve the needs of others in a regenerative way. In a world with headlines as disconcerting as the one
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This episode is part 2 of my interview with Brandy Montague from her podcast, For Animals For Earth. In this half of the interview, I shared a bit of advice for travelers looking to visit impact centers as guests, volunteers, digital nomads, or students. In the end, we’re all really students!
Brandy asked me to share a description of what it might be like to visit a place like mine. I freely shared some of the comforts along with several of the discomforts that one might expect as part of the package, from composting toilets, harvesting food, being in close proximity to many people for an extended period, and even some thoughts around our conditioned fears around bugs and snakes.
When asked, “What’s the one thing that people can do to make a positive impact on the world?” I get into the importance of being a conscious consumer and supporting businesses that approach their products and services with social and environmentally ethical practices as a priority.
If you get anything out of this conversation, you get a peek at me speaking a bit more raw and uncensored than you will in most of my interviews with others. I strongly believe that we need to take personal responsibility for our daily decisions and the effect they have on the whole. I also believe that we’ll do well to take the permaculture principles beyond land management and apply them as tools to examine ourselves, our business practices, and our connection to the human condition.
If you appreciate Brandy’s sense of curiosity and enthusiasm for learning about change makers and what they’re doing. Consider adding her podcast to your subscription list to learn more about what other humans are doing to be a benefit for animals and for the earth.Resources I mentioned:
My free eBook: Permaculture Lifestyle Explained: The Eco-Enthusiast's Guide to Efficient Living Directory of Impact Centers: https://numundo.org Directory of Intentional Communities: https://ic.org Directory of Ecovillages: https://ecovillage.org/Besides leaving a rating and review, or sharing the show with someone who’d like it, you can support the show and yourself by visiting our Resources page. I’ve collected an array of helpful information, links, and products that I thought you might find useful. Check it out!
Special thanks to Peter Mukuru for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://inco
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Listen in on this conversation that was recorded by Brandy Heyde Montague interviewing me for her podcast “For Animals For Earth”. She was intrigued by the term Ecological Impact Center and asked if I’d be a guest on her show https://foranimalsforearth.com/.
I met Brandy thanks to her offer to read through and give feedback on what’s become my first eBook, exploring permaculture and how we can apply it to our lifestyles. You can download the book for free at https://sharinginsights.net/permaculture-lifestyle-ebook/.
I’ve decided to rebroadcast this two-part interview, to help you get a better feel for me and why this podcast has come into being. I’m also buying myself time while I compile notes for a recap episode, contemplating the many things I’ve learned on my podcast journey so far.
In this first half of the interview, we talk about what an impact center is, and then I get into story-telling mode. Brandy asked me how I came to buy land in Costa Rica. My attempt at a “short answer” turned into a 20-minute adventure down memory lane. I also go off a bit, sharing my thoughts on forgiveness of self and others as a core skill to develop when building community.
Make sure to subscribe to the podcast for immediate access to Part 2, as soon as it’s released. In part 2 of the interview, I share some advice for travelers that want to visit places like this, as well as my take on volunteering.
Special thanks to Peter Mukuru for editing this episode!
Music: Rite of Passage by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4291-rite-of-passage
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Follow Sharing Insights: https://sharinginsights.net
Facebook: https://facebook.com/groups/sharinginsightspod
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sharinginsightspod
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sharingipodcast
Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCqV63Fonev-y25FVSjGDvCg
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Lynx Guimond of Sailcargo Inc. is an adventurous carpenter and shipwright with an inspiring mission. He's created a homestead in Costa Rica, uniting a team of over 20 shipbuilders from around the globe to embark on the quest to create a zero-emissions cargo eco-ship called Ceiba, to cross the Atlantic ocean between Central America and Europe.
He shares the story of how went from bee-keeping in the mountains to creating a sustainability-focused shipyard from scratch. Assembling a team of naval carpenters from around the world, he's imported their expertise to share with the local craftsmen, all aligned in common vision.
In complement to the shipyard's mission of revolutionizing ocean travel, the crew's been developing a sustainable homestead, using slow and small solutions. In a short period of time, they've come to produce a generous amount of organic food for themselves, right at home on their beachfront property!
To top it off, Lynx and crew have been heading up reforestation programs through their non-profit, Trees for Seas!
The food forests and greenhouse are passion projects, built by those who live there and are enriched with filtered greywater systems, composting toilets, and more. The positive social environment at the shipyard is a reflection of the creative spirit cultivated at Sailcargo.
If you’d like to learn more about their project, check out some of the following:
The Farm Tour Video that we recorded for our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/F-bRehxdU5UTheir movie! - Building CEIBA: The Mangrove Years https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2WKJtbm8yM
Visit their website: https://www.sailcargo.inc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sailcargo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sailcargo
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuBI8GqmrsDNsx5KBUmXXg
Nonprofits/Foundations
Amigos de Costa Rica: https://www.amigosofcostarica.org/ Trees for Seas: https://www.classy.org/campaign/trees-for-seas/c288055Support the Show.
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Nico Botefur of Essence Arenal shares how he’s turned a couple of rooms on a denatured piece of property into a thriving business, food forest, and employment opportunity for entrepreneurs in his region. Located at the base of the beautiful Arenal Volcano, his hotel/restaurant/spa is an excellent example of what magic can come with patient and persistent application of the permaculture principles to one’s business. Nico and I discuss his use of bamboo for a wide variety of projects from glamping tent frames, to greenhouses, to volleyball posts. We also explore several ways that Nico has been creating synergistic systems that maximize his efforts, recycling waste back into the project and providing multiple yields with each input of energy.
If you'd like to learn more about Nico's cyclical approach to resource management for his hotel and restaurant, check out this short PDF that captures some of the highlights of how it all works.
Download the PDF here: https://sharinginsights.net/Cyclical-Resource-Approach
Be sure to follow up with the video tour of Nico’s food forest and permaculture designs at https://youtu.be/u7CuXlmRZaw
To learn more about Essence Arenal or to schedule a visit, check out:
Website - http://essencearenal.comFB - https://www.facebook.com/essence.arenal/
IG - https://www.instagram.com/essencearenal/
If you want to know more about creating high-producing food forests, in city and suburban environments, I recently came across an excellent course on the topic. You can find it at https://sharinginsights.net/food-forest-design. If you take the course, I’d love to hear what you think. I’ve been very impressed by Toby’s style of teaching. If we’re going to green up this planet for the next generations to thrive, we need to be doing it in urban as well as rural environments!
If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a short review on Apple podcasts or wherever you listen. It takes less than a minute, and it really makes a difference in helping to spread the word about our mission to others looking to improve their own projects.
Special thanks to
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This interview, with Meghan Casey of the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat, is the kind of conversation that can change the fabric of a project’s relationship with its region and neighbors. We discuss community outreach projects that anyone can do: including teaching English, promoting cooking classes and homestay/farm stay experiences for guests to have authentic cultural experiences with the locals, organizing cacao and coffee tours, raising children in such a work-life situation, and more!
If you’ve wondered how to effectively provide value to your outer community, create goodwill, and foster regional resiliency, this episode is for you!
We've prepared a PDF to offer you a short list of some things that you can do to create goodwill and resilience in your community. You can download it at https://sharinginsights.net/community-outreach.
To follow more of Chilamate Rainforest Eco-Retreat’s adventures in community outreach and micro-business creation, check them out at:
Website - https://www.chilamaterainforest.com/FB - https://www.facebook.com/ChilamateRainforest/
Meghan - https://www.facebook.com/meghan.chilamaterainforest
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/chilamaterainforestretreat/
Also, be sure to check out Meghan’s free video guiding you to Experience Forest Therapy at: https://youtu.be/N0EY3mZs-Cc
Other recommendations from Meghan:
Rainforest Alliance: https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/
Hungry Planet photobook: https://amzn.to/2RB776H
World Leadership School: https://worldleadershipschool.com/
Teach United: https://www.teachunited.org/
This episode is brought to you by, w
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