International regenerative development illuminates the layers of human beliefs, cultures, and thinking and how beautifully unique we all are, which is amplified if we group together and are left alone for a period of time

The speciation of our own species has always been the most pressing issue generator throughout history after basic survival. The clashing and interaction of different people and cultures leading to wars, cross-pollination of ideas, evolutionary development, driving innovation, driving degradation, civilisation development and collapse, and all this action echoing through time though never experienced from outside the identification we have with our own group as a collective 

Now with Smart Green Group working on international projects, one thing that surprised me that has come to light is not the difference but the sameness of everything on this planet. Where I was first concerned at the complexity of other nations planning mechanisms, laws, investment structures, and taxation, now I see that just by having these systems, we are very similar regardless of the difference in their structure  

Permaculture design gave me a great foundation in understanding the natural world so regardless of the location of the projects internationally the system of observation and pattern design are universal (when talking in pattern design the word ‘universal’ is meant literally from a reflection of the fractal nature of the universe) 

The differences between locations in the value, urban planning system, and character of their built environment could be daunting, though when you are coming from a regenerative development perspective, the first place you start is understanding place, its history, its journey, what it is and where it's going. This produces not only an understanding of place but an affection for place, a connection, and a feeling that you are now part of this story, this journey, and how can you not fall a little bit in love with what you have a deeper understanding for 

But the people… If you have fallen out of line within your own life, have become disillusioned with our modern world or system, have anxiety over the future, whether that be through disruption, climate change, war, or personal matters, learn and lean into regenerative development, do the work, and fall back in love with humanity and all our crazy ideas.

We are nothing short of incredible, so far out in our thinking from anything else on this planet. We are like aliens in this world running around making up stories of things that don’t really exist or never have existed… and then we just make them exist. We blur the lines between fantasy and reality, I no longer know whether something turns real when it is in my hand or in my head with the potential of the human mind and spirit 

And this goes for all of us, in every place, on all lands throughout the world. Layers upon layers of meaning, beliefs, and ways of thinking that need to be cross-pollinated and reconciled globally. The old and the new, the spiritual and the mechanical, the land-based and the dreams of the stars 

One of the striking things from my regenerative journey into international development is the image of the world map in my mind and how the lines of countries are starting to blur, and as I see the world through this new lens, the lines are shifting to seeing regions of place, bioregions, cultural hazes and belief zones… and this is a much better picture of what is really going on throughout the world