Greetings fellow travelers,
and here, coming down from co-facilitating a wonderful Wise Innovation Camp in majestic Mt. Shasta!Tldr: BEST WEEKEND EVER. We can’t wait to do it again 🥹
This retreat was simultaneously the realization of a vision Andrew had one year ago to bring technologists to that land, the re-ignition of Julia’s work to bring visionaries into deep nature, and what feels like the seed of regional gatherings for this community and ultimately a vibrant ecoversity campus network.
We want to share a few key lessons below, and invite you to join us for a virtual conversation on Nature Connection x Wise Innovation on Wed 10/9 3-4pm PT in which we’ll share a bit more about the camp experience and vision together on what’s possible for this unique side of the school system.
🔥 Key Lessons
1. Nature is a master innovation teacher
Tim Corcoran, elder and founder of the Headwaters Outdoor School we gathered at, had advised us that all we needed to do was get people up here. “The land will do the rest,” he said.
In designing the schedule, we wanted to make sure there was ample wise innovation conversation and insights to satisfy campers. But Tim was right. We spent the majority of our time experiencing it, rather than intellectualizing about it.
If there was any knowledge transfer on the subject, it was through direct transmission of experiencing Tim and staff as wise innovators and Headwaters as exemplifying wise innovation. From the natural building materials and land stewardship practices they apply to operate in right relationship with nature, to how they partner with natural cycles and the more-than-human world to organically grow the school into the sustainable fountain of learning, healing, and magic it serves to hundreds of students annually.
We have everything to learn from direct experience with nature itself, as well as people who live in deep relationship with nature, and the innovations they have created from that place–like the sweat lodge we prayed in together.
2. Innovation as Initiation
We didn’t expect that organizing this experimental event to be a walk in the park, but also didn’t foresee it rocking us like it did.
We were warned that people had tried and failed to bring Silicon Valley folks up here before. At various points each of us tried to back out of it, and even a few weeks before were considering giving it up. But through some creative adjustments, trust and intuition and listening and composting patterns, we kept the vision in sight and rose to the occasion to an experience that felt close to perfection.
When you make a commitment to connect with land in an intentional way, life starts to shift to prepare you to be ready to meet that moment. Julia went through a season of profound loss — a miscarriage and a layoff — that turned out to be the space she needed to create something powerful.
Andrew wrestled with this calling and responsibility all year, feeling insecurities around the event being “successful enough” - e.g. how “Bay Area” participants might experience the “rustic-ness” of the nature school, which ironically turned out to be one of the things campers valued most: the authenticity, down-to-earth-ness, no weird status energy. A valuable lesson in what the sign by the creek reminds us:
3. This Way of Gathering is Imperative
Duh, to deepen relationships with each other and the web of life, we must spend unplugged time together, learning and practicing how to be in right relationship. The best learning and growth happens in person and in nature. How could we not…
We did many of the things Josh recommended in the Embodied Ethics course: tending fire, singing and dancing, practicing things we couldn’t do alone (building a shelter), sharing stories, entering states of heightened perception and ritual ordeal. We laughed, cried, and dreamed together. We slept under the stars, climbed trees, painted rocks, felled trees and carved staffs.
But more than the activities, it was the vibe. Everyone had the spaciousness to do what they wanted. We took cold plunges. We napped in hammocks. We wandered around and found amazing sit spots. We saw bears. We enjoyed delicious homemade meals from an outdoor kitchen three times a day.
The land held us and helped to create an energy field where people experienced a lot of healing. Each person brings their own stuff to the land and the land designs a bespoke experience that is exactly what each person needs. Gathering in places like this is truly how we can grow wise and further a culture wise innovation.
👁️ Moving Forward
We see this annual in-person Wise Innovation Camp as a touchstone for the School of Wise Innovation. Based on all the challenges and growth we experienced in putting this one on, it’s easy to shy away from committing to next year. But we so profoundly believe in this work that we are going to do it again. And again. We have to keep returning to nature in order to return to ourselves.
Stay tuned for more details! We are confirming dates for 2025 at the same place, while curious about activating similar experience in different locations and seasons, and exploring other formats e.g. organizing a vision quest or a week-long embodied ethics training. Fill out this quick form if you feel inspired to collaborate on something or want to be the first to know about what we’re developing!
In the process of organizing camp we came into contact with a number of visionary nature guides, therapists and executive coaches who are building bridges to those of us in the tech and business worlds seeking greater wholeness in our lives. Join us on Wed 10/9 3-4pm PT to hear more about the camp experience and continue dreaming together.
🍁 Fall at SWI
Whew, what year. Feeling grateful to have created or participated in life-changing offering after life changing-offering in the process of bringing this school from idea to reality.
With harvest season in North America, I’ve been spending lots of time harvesting the lessons of this first year - reflecting on the past to inform our strategy moving forward.
Building on the momentum of these first few months, a beautiful team is coalescing to advance our mission to learn, practice, teach & cultivate holistic innovation culture.
We are interested in connecting with those who want to walk this journey with us–collaborators, advisers, funders, research partners–especially in NY, Bay Area, LA, and South Florida (where I’ll be spending time over the next couple of months!).
Here’s a work-in-progress sharable deck that will be continuously updated. Please feel free to share your biggest ideas and sharpest feedback, and stay tuned for an upcoming event where we will present more of the vision.
🤲 Ecosystem Offerings
Autumn Praxis Residency (Life Itself) | An opportunity to experience the joy and nourishment of living in community with a light frame of collective practices, while devoting time to your own (or shared) projects and explorations. Bergerac, France.
Vivify | 10-week wilderness-based leadership intensive, centered around a weeklong backpacking trip in Patagonia to reboot your mind, rewild your body, and clarify your vision.
Re-imagining Education Conference | Annual 4-day long intensive online gathering, convening people across geographies, knowledge systems and experiences to experiment in collective learning how to be in better service of life and care for the Earth.
Hurry Up We’re Dreaming | A new platform born from the desire to shape and inspire technology that is more compassionate, human and heart-felt. Members get access to the quarterly online magazine, the live events, curated digital happenings, workshops and more.
Much gratitude and more to come,
Andrew Dunn
School of Wise Innovation