Send Hayden to Schumacher College

Over the past ten years, I have been on a journey of soulful self-discovery, healing, experiential learning and visionary development. In the process, I have come to more fully understand who I am and the authentic niche I desire to grow into as an act of service to our collective times. After much consideration, prayer, dialogue, and reflection, I am called to pursue a graduate degree in Regenerative Economics at Schumacher College in the UK as the next step along my life path. I feel compelled to immerse myself within Schumacher’s innovative and multidisciplinary educational environment in order to learn directly from mentors and thought pioneers who are striving to creatively address some of the most challenging questions of our times. 

I believe one of the greatest challenges to our species’ collective transition into a more generative and life-sustaining future is our current economic paradigm. We have not yet established viable pathways for weaving the ecocentric, holistic, and spiritual values growing in the hearts and minds of so many into an economic praxis that can incentivize and effectively operationalize those values into the world. 

I believe that the majority of people desire to see a more beautiful and sustainable world – a world of mutual care and respect, of thriving and vibrant ecologies that provide clean air and water, of safe and resilient neighborhoods and communities, of deeper personal purpose, meaning, significance, etc. However, it is clear to me that the incentive landscapes of our current economic milieu forces all of us to make compromises on these shared values and aspirations in order to effectively participate and provide for our loved ones within the harsh landscape of our economic reality. I believe that our current economic paradigm is deeply flawed, or at least severely limited, as seen through its priori action of profit over quality of life, which inevitably results in detrimental externalities that suffocate our most vulnerable human and more-than-human kin, who are our very future.

I believe that a new way forward is not only possible but absolutely necessary for continued human participation and thriving within the world. Once we accept that humans have evolved to share the same core needs for safety, connection, authenticity, freedom, health, love, meaning, significance, creativity, etc. then we can begin to design and implement new economic systems within local communities, neighborhoods, ecosystems, bio-regions and across the globe as a means of supporting each other, the real everyday people of the world, to actualize and meet those foundational needs together.

Eco-nomics derives from root words in Greek that equate to “home management.” We now understand that our “home” (oikos) is not an isolated building or separate family unit, but is instead a complex web of relationships co-creating the conditions for life to be and become over time. As humans, we all truly arise out of and share this one planetary home. How, then, can we best “manage” the complex, dynamic, extraordinary interplay of members of our planetary home in a way that is imperfect yet ever-evolving into an economic exchange system based upon a foundational value for and celebration of life?

I feel it is central to my life mission to participate in this economic exploration in both theory and practice. I desire nothing more than to study, steward, tend and cultivate more stability, safety, security and true abiding wealth for the future generations to inherit and in turn steward ever forward into the future.

If this vision resonates with you, please consider supporting our partnership and shared vision by sending Hayden to the UK to study at Schumacher! We need your help to make this vision a reality. Many blessing and a deep bow of gratitude!