Our Approach
What do we mean by systems change?
The way we live today is not serving most of us. Mental health, physical health, ecological health are all on the decline. Power and wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of few. Growing economic crises and fragmented communities are leaving us disconnected, isolated and barely surviving.
We need an overhaul of our way of life. We desperately need to rethink what we value, how we organise, how we distribute power and who we entrust it with to take care of us. Systems change is the work of dismantling, reimagining and rebuilding our ways of living. It invites us to look beyond symptoms to the very root causes behind the challenges: the structures, belief systems, paradigms and consciousness itself - to create anew. This work applies to our lives and communities at various levels - from how we educate our children, how we live in family and community, how we grow our food, what sources of energy we use, how we operate our businesses, how we look after the elderly, sick and financially poor, how we distribute resources, you get the idea!
Seeing through separation
Much of our society is built upon the belief that we are rational, humans, separate from each other and nature and that the path to happiness and security lays in consumption, acquisition of material wealth and gaining power over the other. We see this in the design of our capitalist economic system and are now facing the consequences of such an understanding or perhaps misunderstanding of humanity in the ecological, economic and social collapses before us.
Just as physics and biology shows, our Wisdom traditions and Indigenous Cultures ask to move from the illusion of separation to the reality of our interconnectedness. They invite us to remember who we are, return to connection with Mother Earth and respect and restore her balance. To remember we are part of one human race, and care for our brothers and sisters of all races, castes, countries and backgrounds.
“Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te tanagata ”
“Vasudaiva Kutumbakam”
Rebuilding from correct understanding
From this place of connectedness, from understanding our interdependence, we must reimagine and rebuild all parts of society, in a way that serves all life to flourish.
Our Earth is hungry for leaders who are up for this challenge, to be a part of the transformation of our society in this time and bring about a new order. In order to make this a reality, we must first live it, and lead from the place of peace, love and courage within. We must tap into our own connectedness, interconnectedness with all life. We must move through the fear and anxieties, heal the wounds that keep us stuck in the past and colluding with broken systems. As we embody the change we wish to see, through our actions we bring it to life in our families, communities, counties at large.
Shruthi’s work supports leaders, to be this change and manifest in their lives and communities. This deep work requires leaders to be brutally honest, sincere with themselves as to how they are in the world, in their relationships, their life. This work requires compassion, courage and commitment. To honour ourselves and all life, to live in alignment with our own truth, to trust the intelligence of life and ourselves as we courageously chart a new course that perhaps has never been walked before.
What could this look like?
As we dive into the inner work and lead and live from a place of wisdom, we can give this expression through our work and projects, this can take numerous shapes and forms such as:
Businesses that are driven by a greater purpose beyond profit, that restore and regenerate Nature, redistribute wealth and create meaningful work and livelihoods
Restoring and regenerating natural ecosystems, community gardening, caring for the health of nature and thus the health of people through projects
Policy and approaches to governanace that align to long term, integenerational thinking, and take multiple stakeholders and Nature to account
Creating opportunities for self-determination and supporting all members of our society to live with dignity
Education initiatives that develop the whole person, awaken empathy, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration
Shifting our wider economic system to post-growth models such as Doughnut Economics which are centred on the flourishing of Nature and people
Learn More
We must move from egocentric to ecocentric leadership to safeguard our planet - World Economic Forum Agenda Article by Shruthi Vijayakumar & Robyn Seetal
Decolonising our approach to Systems Change - Shruthi Vijayakumar
We’ve trapped nature action in a silo. An ecological mindset in leadership can help - World Economic Forum Agenda Article by Matt Sykes & Shruthi Vijayakumar
A Model for Healing & Restoration - Louise Marra
Innovating a new world from a new place - moving beyong separation, scarcity and security outside of ourselves to innovate and bring forth a new world - Louise Marra
Why aren’t the Systems Changing? - Charles Eisenstein
Other sources of inspiration: Otto Scharmar, Vandana Shiva, Frijtof Capra, Donella Meadows, Thich Nhat Hanh, Rev. Māori Marsden, Kate Raworth, among many others