Becoming a regenerative practitioner: a field guide

Abstract

Regenerative development is about building the capacity and capability in people, communities, and other natural systems to renew, evolve, and thrive. A fundamental requirement of this work is that we constantly regenerate our own thinking, comprehension, and connection to the health of living systems as a whole. Strengthening our ability to sense what is emergent, what is essential, and where potential exists, enables us to evolve ourselves, our communities, and all living systems in the present moment and into the future. The practice of leading regenerative development, or becoming a regenerative practitioner, calls for a diverse and expansive set of capabilities around five core practice areas: Systems Actualizing, Framework Thinking, Self-Actualizing, Developmental Facilitating and Living Systems Understanding. Together, these competencies offer a variety of pathways for a regenerative practitioner to develop over time. The journey to becoming a regenerative practitioner necessitates both conscious and continuous commitment to all five practice areas. This paper offers the first stepping stones to a life-long devotion to regenerative practice.