Episode 012: Dana Wilson’s Amazing Permaculture Journey Through Media and Film

Resources Mentioned in Dana's Story 

Let's start us off this week by taking a moment to share some of the awesome resources that Dana mentioned in her episode. Both Emily and I are continually grateful for the many things we learn from those we have on the show and I hope you take advantage of the opportunity to learn from them as well. Here are some of those links and resources to check out. 

Awe and Reverence Media (link):  

Awe and Reverence Media is Dana's business and website and you can find out more about the many awesome projects she is involved in as well as reach out to her personally there. 

Prayerstream Community Art Project (link):

One of those Awe and Reverence projects Dana has involved herself in has been Prayerstream which has brought generations and cultures together through handmade spirit flags that are put on display at events like Intention, Astral Harvest, Reconciliation in Action, and Imagine Orcas. 

Dana's Collaboration with Delvin Sulkinson (link):

Dana and Delvin are working on a long-term project to collect and share interviews of permaculture elders all over the world. You check out their collective Vimeo channel in the link above and look into Delvin Sulkinson's work on his website, Visionary Permaculture. 

Some of the Documentary Work Dana Mentions: 

• Sick
• The Age of Stupid
• Angst
• W.M.D

Rob Hopkins - Transition Town Movement

Dana also mentions Rob Hopkins and his work with the Transition Town Movement. The following TED talk is a great resource to dive more into that work. 

Moving away from the heart of darkness

 In Dana's interview, we talk about something that we cleverly call the "heart of darkness" that exists in today's media. The conversation mostly goes over why talk about the world's environmental issues are so focused on the negative outcomes,  this space of doom and gloom. Dana realized it in her own work and started to make a mental shift from this heart of darkness and into a more optimistic, hopeful, and positive view of how we portray media. 

If there is one thing I've recognized from Jana's story and from the many other amazing people working in this field of permaculture and general sustainability, it is that there are two sides of the coin. For all the doom and gloom studies and media out there is also just as much hope and optimism. Unfortunately, as Dana attests to, it's a bit out of balance at the moment which only means that there is a lot of great work to be done in supporting positive media that brings to light all the "beauty and wonder" in this world. 

Finding Beauty and Wonder

Moving beyond the current norm of what Dana called our "daily disaster report" will take some effort on our part and I want to take just a moment here to highlight some of those bits of wisdom Dana drops as she shared her story. 

Get Inspired

It's really hard to motivate yourself and those around you to make some positive changes on the environment if all you're viewing and listening to is negative and dark media. In contrast, there are some amazing things happening out there. It most likely won't fall into our lap like the other poop that floats around in the media, but if we search for positive content ourselves, we'll start to see all the amazing inspiration that is out there. There are people creating community gardens, greening the desert, and urban dwellers making a conscious decision to live more regeneratively, and much more. There are so many fun and exciting things going on that should be bookmarked in our minds way above the doom and gloom. If we gain inspiration here it opens our minds to solutions we would have never otherwise thought of while dwelling on the negative. 

Connect with Ourselves to Connect with Others

Dana also mentioned an amazing point that we should always keep in our minds. If you don't do the inner work to have a deeper connection with yourself, you have a harder time finding a connection with others. This may mean finding a better understanding of who you are through meditation. It also may mean taking the time to find enjoyment in your life through a hobby, relaxation, or nature. Creating a deeper connection with yourself is needed for you to create that beauty and wonder Dana talks about in your personal life.

When Dana mentioned she had taken the time to work inwardly on her own awareness, she told us that she felt a spaciousness come into her life that allowed her to see all the beauty and wonder around her. It changed the projects she worked on and it brought a whole new mindfulness into her life that hadn't been there before. Does this resonate with you as much as it does me? Have you done the work on the inside to positively affect the world on the outside? 

Community and Communication

I feel like my conversation with Dana reached a whole new level when we started to talk about how the inner work she had been doing in her life led to her being more engaged in her community. Movement away from that heart of darkness can often consume our thoughts and behaviors in this world and transform into a more hopeful perspective that recognizes all the beauty and wonder that exists. Dana found that this movement led her to two very important discoveries. 

First, it is through our connections with ourselves that leads us to connection with others. Second, when we begin to connect with those around us with hope and positivity, the solutions to our problems come from our community and our communication with that community. Where I see division and darkness on one side, I see connection and community on the other and I don't know about you, but the latter sounds so much better to me. 

Get to work on yourself

I'm going to be constantly plugging our FREE Dreamcatcher Mini-Course wherever it fits in because it's needed and wanted in order for us to be that change we wish to see. If you've enjoyed Dana's story and want to spend a little time on yourself, finding what brings joy to world, then check out the Dreamcatcher Mini-Course. It is FREE and it will help give you better direction, focus, and ability to move your wildly important dream forward. 

>>>>>>>>>Learn more about the Dreamcatcher Course here <<<<<<<<<<

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