Gaia's Call

Part 1: The Story in Our Heads Is Shaping the WorldHow our interpretations fuel despair—or possibilityNot long ago I was outside in the yard with my grandson Logan, who had discovered something that instantly captured his five-year-old imagination. It was nothing particularly dramatic—just a small worm wriggling through the soil after a rainstorm. But to Logan, it might as well have been a dragon. He crouched down, studying it carefully, narrating what he thought the worm might be thinking and where it might be going. Piper, his little sister, soon joined us, equally fascinated.Watching them, I was reminded of something I think many of us lose as adults. Children don’t just see the world—they relate to it. The worm isn’t an object. It’s a character in the unfolding drama of life. The tree in the yard isn’t scenery; it’s a companion in the landscape of their play. Everything feels alive, meaningful, connected.This moment with my grandchildren reminded me of something we don’t learn from books… we remember it by being alive.How our interpretations fuel despair—or possibilityOver the years I’ve developed a little morning ritual. Coffee in hand and a bowl of fruit in front of me for a few quiet minutes before my wife, Ann, wakes up. Often Rascal—my loyal canine companion—is curled up nearby. The early mountain light filtering through the trees here in the mountains of North Carolina. And if I’m honest, sometimes my mind wanders through the headlines of the world we’re living in: climate disruption, political turmoil, economic uncertainty, wildfires, floods, storms. Many of us feel it now—that sense that something larger than a typical “rough patch in history” is unfolding. I often refer to it as the polycrisis—a convergence of ecological, economic, social, and spiritual disruptions all happening at once.It can be a lot to take in. Some mornings, if I’m not careful, my mind can start telling a story about it all. A story that has become all too familiar. To borrow a phrase from my own childhood: Our world is going to hell in a handbasket. Maybe you’ve heard versions of those stories in your own mind as well.Recently, two articles I happened to read on the same morning stopped me in my tracks. Something about them felt deeply connected—not just to each other, but to the work many of us are trying to do in this time of planetary transition. And it dawned on me that the climate crisis—and the broader polycrisis—may not just be a technological or political challenge. It may also be a story challenge.One of the articles explored something psychologists have been saying for a long time: much of our suffering does not come directly from events themselves, but from the interpretations we attach to them. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus put it bluntly centuries ago: “It’s not things that upset us but our judgments about things.” When something happens in our lives, our minds almost instantly begin constructing a story about what it means. A friend doesn’t text back. A project fails. A troubling news headline appears. The event itself may last seconds, but the story we tell ourselves about it can last for years.Psychologists refer to these internal patterns as schemas—mental frameworks built from past experiences that quietly shape how we see the world and ourselves. Over time those schemas become so familiar that we stop recognizing them as interpretations. They begin to feel like reality itself. Not interpretations, but facts.When it comes to the climate crisis and ecological disruption, I notice a similar dynamic playing out in the collective psyche. The facts are serious. We are destabilizing the climate. We are losing biodiversity. We are drawing down natural systems faster than they regenerate. These realities deserve our full attention. But the interpretation layer often goes much further. It turns into a narrative of inevitability: We’re doomed. It’s too late. Human beings are the problem.Those interpretations can quietly shut down the very thing we need most right now—agency. If the story in our head says nothing matters, why would we act? But what if those interpretations are not the only story available to us?One of the most powerful ideas I’ve encountered over the years comes from Viktor Frankl, the psychiatrist who survived the Nazi concentration camps. He wrote that between stimulus and response there is a space, and in that space lies our power to choose our response. That tiny space may be one of the most important places in the human experience. Because inside that space something extraordinary becomes possible. We can notice the story our mind is telling and decide whether or not we want to keep believing it.The article I read put it another way: our thoughts are powerful, but they are not us. They are simply things our minds produce. Once we recognize that distinction, something begins to loosen. We don’t have to fight every anxious thought that appears. We can simply notice it. Ah…there’s my mind telling the “nothing will change” story again. Then we come back to the present moment—to our breath, our body, and the living world around us.When I step back from the daily news cycle and look at the larger arc of human history, another story begins to come into view. Yes, we are facing unprecedented challenges. But we are also witnessing something else: millions of people waking up to their relationship with the Earth. Young people planting forests. Families restoring soil. Communities creating repair cafés and sharing networks. Scientists, farmers, and Indigenous wisdom keepers working together to regenerate ecosystems.In the language of the One Cause project, we might say that we are slowly rediscovering what I call the Four Great Truths: that life is interconnected, that sufficiency is possible, that reciprocity with nature is essential, and that our role as humans is stewardship rather than domination. These truths do not erase the challenges we face, but they do change the story from doom to responsibility—from despair to participation.Reading those two articles together sparked an idea that I’d like to explore with you over the next few weeks. Because the second article introduced another fascinating insight: if changing the story in our minds is the first step, the next step is understanding how people actually change their behavior. And it turns out the science of motivation is surprisingly counterintuitive. It’s not about telling people what they should do. In fact, the more we push people, the more they resist. Real change tends to happen when people discover their own reasons for acting.This is Part 1 of a 3-part exploration. Part 2 goes into what actually motivates real change—and it might surprise you.That insight will be the focus of Part Two of this series.Together, these two ideas—changing the story in our heads and discovering our deeper motivations—may help unlock something incredibly important for this moment in history. Not just awareness, but action.What story about the world have you noticed running in your own mind lately?Until then, I’d like to invite you into a small experiment. The next time you encounter a troubling news headline or feel anxiety about the state of the world, pause for a moment and ask yourself three simple questions. First: what actually happened? Just the facts. Second: what story is my mind telling about it? And third: is there another interpretation that leaves room for possibility? Not blind optimism—just possibility.If you try this simple experiment, I’d love to hear what you discover.Have you ever caught yourself telling a “nothing will change” story? What helped you shift it—if anything?Because the future we create will depend, in no small part, on the stories we choose to believe—and the actions those stories inspire.In the next article we’ll explore something fascinating: why people almost never change when they’re told what to do, and the surprisingly simple questions that can ignite real motivation—for ourselves, our families, and perhaps even the wider culture.Until then, I’d love to hear from you. What story about the future of our world have you noticed running through your own mind lately? And what might a more life-affirming version of that story look like? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Over the past few years, a curious pattern has begun to emerge in many conversations about meaning and faith. Researchers and commentators—including Jamie Wheal in his discussions with the Home Grown Humans community—have pointed out that in times of instability and uncertainty, many people begin returning to religious traditions they may have previously set aside. In the West, that often means a renewed interest in Christianity.I understand why.When the ground beneath society feels shaky—politically, economically, ecologically—people naturally seek coherence. They seek community. They seek a moral compass and a story large enough to hold suffering. Religious traditions have long provided those anchors.But as I’ve listened to these conversations, I’ve found myself wondering whether we might be looking in the wrong direction—not because Christianity is wrong, but because the search may need to reach further back in our collective memory.My hunch is that we haven’t gone far enough back. Before Christianity. Before modern secularism. Before the idea that the world is mostly made of objects.For tens of thousands of years, human beings lived with a very different understanding of the world: that we exist within a living community of beings—animals, plants, rivers, mountains, winds. Our ancestors did not think of nature as scenery. They experienced it as relationship.Today we often call that worldview animism.Importantly, animism does not have to replace other forms of faith. It isn’t necessarily an either-or proposition. Many people may find ways to hold both perspectives—honoring spiritual traditions while also rediscovering a deeper relational connection with the living Earth. If anything, animism invites us to focus on what many traditions share: reverence, humility, and participation in something larger than ourselves.Where animism differs from much modern spirituality is that it is less about belief and more about relationship. It is embodied. Present-moment. Experiential. You don’t simply believe the world is alive. You participate in its aliveness.Gaia: A Living SystemAround the same time these ideas were beginning to stir in me, I also began listening more closely to the work of scientist James Lovelock and others who developed what is now known as the Gaia hypothesis—the idea that Earth functions as a vast self-regulating system, with life and environment interacting to maintain conditions favorable for life.More recently, Nate Hagens has explored these ideas through his podcast and YouTube channel The Great Simplification, where he helps translate complex ecological and energy realities into language ordinary people can understand.Taken together, these perspectives offer a powerful reframing.If Earth behaves like a self-regulating system—a kind of planetary-scale organism—then communication does not occur through sentences.It occurs through changing conditions.Feedback. Adjustments. Signals embedded in the environment itself.In that light, weather begins to look a little different. Not as punishment. Not as divine anger. Not as random chaos. But as information made experiential. Storms, droughts, floods, heat waves—they bypass ideology and go straight to the nervous system. They remind us, sometimes quite dramatically, that we are not separate observers of the planet. We are participants inside its processes.Living here in the mountains of North Carolina, we’ve felt those reminders firsthand. Tropical Storm Helene. The fire that swept across the hills not long after. And this past winter Gaia spoke again with the winter storm of snow and ice someone decided to name Fern. These events are not “messages from God,” but they are interruptions to the illusion of separateness.They encourage us to pay attention. Several years ago I heard the story about the Universal UPS truck. It goes like this. From time to time, the Universe tries to deliver a package to us within which is an important lesson we are to learn, but like the conventional UPS truck, it’s no big deal if we aren’t home or ready to receive the package. It will just schedule a time to deliver it again. The only real difference with the Universal UPS truck, is that each time it attempts to deliver the packaged lesson to us, it become a bit more deliberate and intentional until eventually it’ll drive its truck through our living room to get our attention.I believe we are at that point today. Do you agree? What are your thoughts on the subject? How about sharing them by clicking the comment button below, or joining the chat?The Deeper Issue Beneath the StormsIf we step back even further, we can see that the storms and climate disruptions we experience today are not isolated events. They are symptoms of a deeper pattern.For roughly the last two hundred years, humanity has been drawing down an enormous storehouse of energy in the form of fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. These fuels were created through geological processes that unfolded over millions of years. In a sense, they represent a vast savings account of ancient sunlight, stored underground.But rather than treating that inheritance as a finite trust fund, we treated it as an endless supply.The result was an explosion of industrial growth, technological progress, and human population. Much of modern civilization has been built on that energy windfall. Yet this rapid extraction also came with consequences—most notably the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and the resulting destabilization of climate systems.Here again we encounter one of the central insights of the One Cause framework. For centuries, many of us operated under what I call a Great Untruth: that Earth’s resources are effectively unlimited. But the web of life operates according to a different principle entirely—reciprocity.Take without giving back long enough, and the system begins to respond. Not out of malice. Out of physics. Out of biology. Out of the simple mathematics of living systems.Harm a river long enough and its vitality declines. As vitality declines, scarcity increases. Communities downstream suffer. Care for the river, restore its health, protect its watershed—and abundance often returns. The vitality of the system supports the vitality of the people.Reciprocity is not a spiritual slogan. It is how living systems work.From Resource to RelationshipThis is where the Four Great Truths of the One Cause project come into clearer focus. The Great Untruths teach us to see Earth as backdrop, raw material, or resource. The Great Truths invite us to see Earth as relation—as kin.If we begin from that place, stewardship stops feeling like an obligation imposed from the outside. It becomes something more intimate. Stewardship becomes love across time.The choices we make today ripple outward—to forests we may never see, rivers we may never visit, and grandchildren whose lives will unfold long after we are gone. Seen this way, responding to the climate crisis is not merely a technical challenge.It is a relationship challenge.A Small Daily PracticeYou don’t need to adopt a new belief system to explore this way of relating.You can begin with a simple daily reflection inspired by many Indigenous wisdom traditions that focus on maintaining balance and vitality in the web of life.At the end of each day, pause for a moment and ask yourself three questions:* What did I do today that increased life—in myself, in another person, or in the land around me?* What did I do that may have diminished life, even unintentionally?* What is one small act of repair or care I could offer tomorrow?This practice does not require perfection. Only our attention.Returning to the ConversationMy own journey into these ideas followed a path I didn’t fully recognize at the time.Animals first taught me kinship. The rainforest taught me sacred interconnection. And animism finally gave language to something my life had already been practicing. If we are indeed living through what many now call a polycrisis—a convergence of ecological, economic, political, and spiritual disruptions—then perhaps our task is not simply to solve problems.Perhaps it is to rejoin the conversation with the living world. I’m not asking anyone to adopt animism as an identity. I’m inviting you to experiment with a different relationship to the world—one that feels strangely sane in a time that often feels anything but.And if we listen closely enough, we may discover that the Earth has been speaking all along and we’ve simply haven’t been listening. It’s time to listen deeply.Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. 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There’s a moment that comes—quietly, and then all at once—when a question stops being philosophical and starts becoming practical. For Ann and me, that question is this: What is enough… and what is it for?After 32 years in our home, we are in the midst of a significant transition. We’re moving from 2300 square feet—multiple closets, two walk-in storage areas, and the accumulated contents of three decades—into a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment downstairs, roughly 1000 square feet. And we’re doing it by choice. Not because we have to, but because we want to make space for something that matters more. Our daughter Amber, her husband Justin, and our grandchildren Logan and Piper are planning to move in before the school year begins in August. Which means… we’re making room. Literally.The Outer Work: Letting GoIf you’ve ever lived in a home for 30+ years, you can probably imagine what this process looks like. Closets that quietly filled over time, storage areas that became repositories of “we might need this someday,” and objects that carry stories—some of them easy to release, and some of them surprisingly not. A box of old papers, a tool you haven’t used in years, a random item that somehow feels harder to let go of than it should. And yet, piece by piece, we’re letting go—donating, gifting, sharing (our local Buy Nothing group is about to get very active). With each release, there’s a little more space. Not just in the house, but in us.The Inner Work: Rethinking “More”We live in a culture that quietly—and sometimes loudly—reinforces a simple idea: more is better. More space, more storage, more comfort, more accumulation. But what if that’s not actually true? What if “more” isn’t the goal? What if the deeper question is: what supports life, connection, and meaning? This move is, in many ways, an experiment in that question. We’re not downsizing because we’re forced to; we’re choosing to live with less space and fewer possessions so we can live with more connection.A Living Expression of SufficiencyIn the One Cause framework, one of the Four Great Truths is Sufficiency: there is already—and always—enough when we remember how to share. It’s one thing to write about that. It’s another thing to live it. This transition is giving us the opportunity to do both—to ask what we truly need, what can be shared, what can be released back into the community, and perhaps most importantly, what kind of life we are actually trying to create.The Messy MiddleI won’t pretend this is all graceful and serene. There are moments of overwhelm, moments of second-guessing, and moments of “Why did we keep all this stuff?” 😄 And also… moments of clarity, moments of lightness, and moments where it feels like we’re aligning our lives more closely with what we say matters.Making Room for the FutureLogan and Piper don’t care about square footage. They care about connection—about shared meals, about being together. In a very real sense, this move is about making room for the future. Not just physically, but relationally.An InvitationYou don’t have to move houses to explore this. But you might consider asking: What is “enough” for me right now? What am I holding onto that I no longer need? Where could I make a little more space—for life, for connection, for something new? We’ll keep sharing pieces of this journey along the way, including—quite possibly—a steady stream of items looking for new homes 😄 But more than that, we’re exploring what it means to live into sufficiency. Not as an idea, but as a way of life. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

There are moments in a parent’s life when a conversation shifts from the everyday into something deeper—something that feels like it matters not just for your family, but for the times we’re living in. This was one of those moments.Amber and I were talking—not about anything unusual at first. Just the world as it is right now. The noise. The intensity. The constant stream of headlines and opinions and reactions that can leave even the most grounded among us feeling unsettled. And then she said something that stopped me.Not in fear—in wisdom.She told me that instead of getting pulled into the emotional swings of social media, she’s been trying to step back… to look at what’s happening through the lens of history. To understand this moment not as chaos—but as part of a larger pattern. As a dad, and as someone who has spent much of his life trying to make sense of the deeper patterns of life, I felt a quiet sense of respect. And curiosity. Because that’s exactly the question I’ve been living inside of too.What if what we’re experiencing right now isn’t random? What if it’s not just “things falling apart”? What if it’s part of something that has happened before?That question led us into a conversation about a book I’ve been reading: The Fourth Turning Is Here by Neil Howe. And while the book itself can be a bit dense at times, the core idea is surprisingly simple—and surprisingly powerful. History, it suggests, moves in cycles. Not perfect circles, but rhythms. Like seasons.According to this framework, society tends to move through four “turnings” over the course of roughly 80 to 100 years: a time of stability and building, a time of questioning and awakening, a time of unraveling and fragmentation, and then a time of crisis—a Fourth Turning. A winter. A time when systems break down, tensions rise, and the future feels uncertain. But also a time when something new begins to emerge.If Howe is right—and many historians and observers of history across centuries have sensed that time moves more like a rhythm than a straight line—then we are living in that fourth phase. From Ibn Khaldun’s observations of civilizations rising and falling in cycles, to Arnold Toynbee’s view that societies move through recurring patterns of challenge and response, there has long been an intuition that history has seasons of its own.As Amber and I explored this together, something else began to come into focus. This moment we’re living through isn’t just about “the world.” It’s about who we are in the world—at this moment in time. According to this model, each generation tends to play a different role during these cycles. And suddenly, it felt very personal.My generation—what Howe calls the “Prophet” generation—we are the elders now. The ones who have lived through earlier seasons. The ones who remember, or at least can sense, that these cycles are real. Our role isn’t to control what happens next, and it’s not to rescue. It’s to offer perspective. To help name what’s happening. To remind others—especially our children—that winter, as harsh as it can be, does not last forever.Amber’s generation—the “Hero” generation, those born roughly in the 1980s and 90s—came of age in a time of increasing instability and are now stepping into adulthood during a time of crisis. If this framework holds true, this is the generation that will do the rebuilding. Not alone, but together. They are the ones who will shape the next set of systems, the next culture, the next “normal.” Which means Amber’s instinct—to step back, to look at the bigger picture, to seek understanding rather than reaction—isn’t just wise. It’s exactly what this moment is asking of her.And then there’s Logan. Five years old. Full of curiosity, energy, and that beautiful openness to the world. In Howe’s language, he would be part of what’s called the “Artist” generation—the ones who are born during the crisis but grow up in what comes after. The ones who don’t lead the rebuilding, but inherit it and shape it in quieter, more relational, more creative ways.Just the other day, I watched him crouch down in the yard, completely absorbed in something most of us would have walked right past. A tiny line of ants moving with quiet determination across the soil. He stayed there for several minutes, studying them, asking questions, narrating what he thought they were doing. In that moment, the world wasn’t chaotic or broken—it was alive, fascinating, and worthy of his full attention.Which raises a question that feels very real to me as a grandfather: what kind of world will he grow up into based on what we choose to do now?One of the things I appreciated most about this framework is that it doesn’t try to sugarcoat the difficulty of times like these. Every Fourth Turning in history has included real hardship, conflict, loss, and uncertainty. The American Revolution tore apart loyalties and families even as it gave birth to a new nation. The Civil War brought unimaginable division and loss of life while redefining what that nation would stand for. And the Great Depression and World War II tested an entire generation through economic collapse and global conflict—yet ultimately led to a period of rebuilding and shared purpose. We have been through winters like this before. But it also offers something that feels deeply needed right now: orientation. A way of seeing that helps us move from “everything is falling apart” to “something is changing—and I have a role to play in what comes next.”For me, this conversation with Amber didn’t end with answers. It opened something. A shared way of looking at the world that feels less reactive and more purposeful. Less about surviving the moment, and more about participating in what’s emerging. It also reinforced something I’ve been feeling more and more clearly: the future isn’t something that just happens to us. It’s something that is being shaped right now through how we live, how we relate, and what we choose to build together.If it’s true that we are living in a kind of historical winter, then maybe the question isn’t “How do we get through this as quickly as possible?” Maybe the question is: Who is this time asking us to become?As parents. As grandparents. As citizens. As stewards of this living Earth.And perhaps most importantly: what are we creating now that our children—and our grandchildren—will one day call “normal”?And for Ann and me, that question—what is my role in what comes next?—is no longer theoretical. It’s becoming practical. After more than three decades in our home, we’re in the midst of a significant transition—choosing to move downstairs into a smaller space so that Amber, Justin, and the kids can move into the main home. On the surface, it looks like downsizing. But at a deeper level, it feels like something else entirely. A quiet, imperfect, very human attempt to live into what this moment is asking of us—less accumulation, more connection… less “more,” and more enough. I’ll share more about that journey soon, because in many ways, it feels like our small, personal response to a much larger turning.P.S. I’d love to hear how this lands for you. Does the idea of a “Fourth Turning” help bring clarity to what you’re seeing in the world… or raise new questions? Feel free to share in the comments or join the conversation in the chat. These are times that call for more than opinions—they call for shared reflection and connection. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

If dogs were my first teachers of kinship, the rainforest was my initiation into something far larger.We awoke before dawn to the sound of birds I had never heard before—notes that seemed less like “song” and more like conversation. The air was thick, humid, alive. My fellow travelers from the North— still a bit jet-lagged, but also curious, slightly unsure—gathered near the Amazon River with members of the Sapara community who had graciously welcomed us into their village.The ceremony was simple.Sacred tobacco. Chanting. Leaves brushed gently across our bodies. Murmured words in a language older than my own. The smell of earth and river. The towering trees encircling us like quiet elders.On one level, it was unadorned. No spectacle. No drama.On another level, it blew my mind.I did not merely “appreciate nature” that morning. I experienced being one with it. And especially with the trees.Not in a metaphorical way. Not in a poetic way. In a felt, embodied way that bypassed analysis. It was as if some subtle membrane between “me” and “them” dissolved. The massive trunks around me no longer felt like background scenery. They felt like presences—vast, patient, ancient participants in a shared field of being.It wasn’t that I believed the trees were alive. I experienced aliveness as a shared current. That’s a different territory altogether.Perception as ParticipationLooking back, I realize that moment marked a shift. Before Ecuador, I loved trees. I admired them. I had even planted a few. I cared about forests around me where I live in the North Carolina mountains. After Ecuador, something changed in how I related to my surroundings. It was no longer “I am here, observing nature.” It was “I am inside a living community.”The crisis of meaning so many of us sense today is often framed as a loss of faith. But I’m increasingly convinced it is something deeper: a loss of relationship with thew living world of which we are an inextricable participant—the web of life.In The Spell of the Sensuous, David Abram writes:“For a thousand generations, human beings viewed themselves as part of the wider community of nature, and they carried on active relationships not only with other people but with other animals, plants, and natural objects… How, then, did humans come to sever their ancient reciprocity with the natural world?”That word—reciprocity—landed hard. In that rainforest clearing, I did not feel like an observer of trees. I felt like a participant in a reciprocal exchange of breath, presence, and awareness.This is not doctrine. I am not claiming a cosmology. I am sharing a lived moment that altered me. Interconnectedness ceased being an abstract concept. It became sacred and cellular.From Experience to VowOut of that experience grew something that now forms an essential part of my One Cause Morning Vow:We are here to create life, not destroy it.We of Earth—of Gaia, of Pachamama—may be the only place in the vastness of the universe where the miracle and experiment of life is unfolding.To support that miracle through regeneration is, for me, a sacred act.When I say those words each morning, I am not speaking in metaphor. I am remembering a forest that felt like family.The Four Great Truths shifted from philosophy to practice.Interconnectedness was no longer an idea. It was a felt reality.Sufficiency revealed itself in the forest’s quiet wisdom. Nothing in that rainforest seemed to operate on “more-more-more.” Growth was abundant, yes—but cyclical, balanced, regenerative. Leaves fell. Soil formed. Life fed life without hoarding.Reciprocity became visible in every layer of that ecosystem. Exchange, not extraction. Giving and receiving as the rhythm of survival.I am still learning this sacred rhythm and how to be an active steward of it all.Back home in my garage, I plant seeds in small hydroponic containers and in small recycled containers designed to bring back food from the restaurant. I watch tender shoots push upward toward the light. I harvest greens and enjoy them in my salads. Even there—in that modest act of tending—I feel a whisper of the forest’s lesson: life thrives through relationship.Meaning Recovered Through RelationshipIf our crisis is one of meaning, perhaps it is not because we lack belief. Perhaps it is because we lack participation. The forest did not give me answers to geopolitical instability or climate complexity. It gave me orientation.It reminded me that I am not outside the web of life. I am a thread within it. And threads have responsibility—not because they are commanded to, but because they belong. Meaning, I am discovering, does not come primarily from ideology. It comes from intimacy.A Simple PracticeIf you’re curious to explore this without flying to Ecuador, try something small.For one week, choose a tree near your home. Visit it daily for two minutes. Stand beside it. Notice the light at different times of day. Notice the mood of the air. Notice what shifts in your own thoughts and breath. Imagine, gently, that this tree is a distant cousin rather than a decorative object.Not as superstition. As experiment. Treat the tree like a beloved relative, not scenery.See what happens. I didn’t leave the rainforest with a new religion. I left with a new way of listening. And then I discovered: this way of knowing isn’t new. It’s ancient.And it has a name…which we will explore in our part three of this series. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

I’m not writing this as an expert in animism.I’m writing as someone who, late in life, has discovered that something he has been practicing for more than seventy years actually has a name.Animism.It’s an old word. Older than most religions. Older than most civilizations. And yet it feels strangely fresh to me—as if I’ve simply rediscovered a way of belonging that was always there, waiting patiently under the surface.Before I had language for it, I had a dog.His name was Tiddlywink.I was five years old when he entered my life. A sturdy, loyal sled-pulling hero who changed winter forever. My brother and I would race down the hill on our sled, laughing wildly, and when we reached the bottom, Tiddlywink would pick up the rope in his teeth and pull the sled to the top. Over and over again. We were the envy of every kid on the block, all of whom had to drag their own sleds uphill.But what I remember most isn’t the convenience.It’s the companionship.He wasn’t a “pet” in the ornamental sense. He was family. A presence. A personality. A partner in adventure. There was loyalty in his eyes. Humor. Even what felt like pride in his work.Fast forward seventy years.As I write this, Rascal—my current canine companion—lies sleeping under my desk. His gentle breathing keeps time with the clicking of these keys. The love affair continues.Reflecting on it now, I realize it was that first love affair that had me decide at seven that I wanted more than anything else to become a veterinarian. Thanks, Tiddlywink. It wasn’t that I had some grand strategy, but it felt natural to devote my life to beings I had always experienced as “someone,” not “something.” Over decades of practice, I met thousands of dogs and cats—each with their own temperament, quirks, dignity, and heartbreak.I also witnessed something profound in their human companions.No one believes their dog (or cat) is family.They know.There’s a difference between belief and experience. You can read a book about how to ride a bicycle, memorize the mechanics, understand the physics—and still fall over the moment you climb on. Knowing the mechanics is not the same as riding.In the same way, you don’t believe your dog is part of your family the way you believe a political opinion or a theological claim. You know it because you experience it. You’ve felt the nudge of a nose when you were grieving. You’ve felt the weight of a head on your knee. You’ve watched eyes light up when you walk in the door.That’s not belief. That’s relationship. And this is where animism quietly enters the room.Animism, at its simplest, is the shift from seeing the world as a collection of “things we use” to experiencing it as a community of beings we relate to. It doesn’t require superstition. It doesn’t require abandoning science. It simply asks us to notice that our most meaningful relationships often cross species lines.This is not anti-science.It’s relational perception.When I say my dog is a “who” rather than a “what,” I am not making a scientific claim. I am naming a lived reality. A dog is not a human person—but he is undeniably a personality, a presence, a participant in my life. Rascal is one of my best friends who just happens to walk on four legs rather then two.Over the past year, I’ve taken on what I call the One Cause Vow—to live as though the Four Great Truths are real: Interconnectedness. Sufficiency. Reciprocity. Stewardship.In reflecting on this vow, I realized something that surprised me.I didn’t learn interconnectedness from a textbook. I learned it from a dog who loved to pull my sled. I learned reciprocity from decades of two-way devotion—the simple truth that love is a current, not a possession. I rescued Rascal from the Blue Ridge Humane Society. And in the aftermath of losing my beloved Argos, Rascal rescued me from grief and loneliness. That’s reciprocity in its purest form.And stewardship? Care is the original human technology. Before there were ideologies, before there were institutions, there was the act of tending. Feeding. Healing. Walking. Protecting. Sitting quietly beside another living being simply because they matter.If this is animism, then perhaps many of us have already been animists without knowing it. Perhaps our first doorway into an ancient way of belonging has always been sleeping at our feet. Here’s a small experiment for today.One Who TodayChoose one non-human “who.” It could be your dog. A bird at the feeder. A tree outside your window. For sixty seconds, relate without multitasking. No phone. No agenda. Just presence. Notice what shifts in your nervous system. In your breathing. In your sense of aliveness. You may find that meaning does not arrive as an idea. It arrives as relationship.If animals were my first doorway into kinship, the rainforest blew the door off its hinges. And that’s where we’ll go next.Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

If something looks like a human, sounds like a human, responds like a human — but no one is actually there — what does that do to us?Are we using technology to solve crises… or to avoid feeling them?What happens when systems scale faster than our capacity for care?Is AI neutral — or is it simply revealing what we already value?At what point does innovation become organised abandonment? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A few weeks ago, Ann and I reopened a conversation that has been quietly circling for years. What if Amber and Justin moved into the upstairs of Loving Homestead… and Ann and I moved downstairs to the ‘mother-in-law’ apartment? Four loving adults. Two extraordinary children. One shared roof. One shared experiment.It feels beautiful. It feels bold. It feels right. And then—as real life tends to do—a wrinkle surfaced. The local school Logan and Piper would attend has a “poor” rating. That word landed heavily. Of course it did. Parents want the best for their children. We all do.And I found myself sitting with a deeper, slightly uncomfortable realization: even if the school had a five-star rating… would it actually be preparing them for the world they are growing into?That question has not left me.The World Our Children Are InheritingWe are living in what many are calling a polycrisis or metacrisis—overlapping ecological, political, economic, technological, and spiritual disruptions. Some call it the Great Collapse. Others call it the Great Turning. And others, including myself, see it as something messier and more mysterious—like what happens inside a chrysalis as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly.Inside that chrysalis, everything dissolves. Structures break down. It looks like chaos. And yet, imaginal cells begin to organize around a new pattern of being.Perhaps we are living inside such a chrysalis moment. Perhaps our children are not merely inheriting a mess—perhaps we and they are the imaginal cells of what comes next. Whatever language we use, one thing is clear: the world Logan and Piper will inhabit as adults will not look like the world I grew up in. And probably not even like the world their parents grew up in.So the real question isn’t, “Is this school highly rated?” The real question is: What prepares children to steward a changing world?Stewardship Is Not the Same as SuccessMost school ratings measure standardized test scores, reading and math proficiency, graduation rates, and college admissions. Important? Yes. Sufficient? Not even close…not for these times that are before us and that our children are inheriting.Because stewardship requires something deeper.Stewardship is about how we show up in relationship to the Earth, to community, to uncertainty, and to ourselves. It asks not only, “Can you compete?” but “Can you care?” Not only, “Can you achieve?” but “Can you regenerate?”In many ways, our dominant educational model is based on and a reflection of the Great Untruths:* that we are separate from nature,* that more is always better,* that Earth’s resources are unlimited, or* that technology will save us.* But the world our children are stepping into demand a different set of capacities altogether—ones based in and are a reflection of the four Great Truths.What Might Actually Prepare Our Children?As I’ve reflected on this—both as a grandfather and as someone deeply living true to the four Great Truths—a few qualities rise to the top.Emotional resilience. Not the stiff upper lip of suppression, but the ability to feel deeply without being overwhelmed. To face unsettling realities without collapsing into despair. To experience disappointment without losing direction. In a time of disruption, emotional regulation may be more important than algebra.Collaborative skills. The future will not be navigated alone. Climate events, economic shifts, technological upheaval—these are collective challenges. Children who can listen, negotiate, co-create, and repair relationships will be far better equipped than lone high-achievers. Stewardship is relational.Comfort with uncertainty. My generation was largely raised with the promise of predictability: study hard, work hard, retire comfortably. That storyline is fraying. Our children need to become fluent in ambiguity—not paralyzed by not knowing, but energized by exploration. This may be one of the most countercultural capacities of all.Ecological intimacy. To steward something, you must feel connected to it. If nature is merely scenery or resource, stewardship feels optional. But if children grow up planting, composting, repairing, noticing birds, understanding soil… something shifts. They no longer see themselves as separate from nature. They experience interconnection. And that changes everything.Entrepreneurial adaptability. Not hustle culture, but creative agency. The ability to see problems as invitations. To start small initiatives. To experiment and pivot. In a rapidly shifting world, adaptability may matter more than institutional credentials.Inner steadiness. Perhaps the quiet foundation beneath all the others—an anchored sense of self, a moral compass not easily swayed by noise, a capacity to act from values rather than panic. Inner steadiness is cultivated slowly—through modeling, conversation, presence. Not through rankings.The Deeper RealizationAs I’ve wrestled with the school rating question, I’ve had to confront something in myself.Part of me still wants reassurance—a five-star rating, a clear path, a sense that everything will continue more or less as it has. But another part of me knows that no school—highly rated or not—can single-handedly prepare children for this moment in history.Education is ecological.It happens in families, in communities, in gardens, at dinner tables, in moments of failure, in how adults handle disagreement, and in whether we model fear or steadiness.Recently, I created a miniature hydroponic system out of a plastic take-home container so Logan and Piper could watch seeds sprout in real time. Nothing fancy. Just water, light, and patience. But when those first tiny green shoots emerged, their eyes widened. The miracle of growth became immediate, tangible, intimate.That, too, is education.That, too, is stewardship training.And if Ann and I move downstairs while Amber and Justin move upstairs, something extraordinary becomes possible: four adults consciously shaping a micro-culture—one in which the capacities of stewardship are lived daily, not merely discussed.A Shift in the QuestionInstead of asking, “Is this school good enough?” perhaps the better question is:How do we, as parents and grandparents, cultivate the qualities that will allow our children to steward whatever world unfolds? School matters. But it is not destiny. Atmosphere may matter more. Alignment among adults may matter more. Modeling resilience may matter more.Each morning, I renew a vow—to live as if the Four Great Truths are real and trustworthy. To embody interconnectedness, sufficiency, reciprocity, and stewardship—not perfectly, but sincerely. That vow subtly shapes my decisions, my conversations, and the kind of world I’m trying to create within my own home.Because ultimately, our children are watching far more than they are listening.The InvitationI don’t pretend to have the final answer. In fact, one of the most important things our children may learn from us is how to navigate not knowing. But I am increasingly convinced of this:If we raise children who are emotionally resilient, collaborative, comfortable with uncertainty, ecologically intimate, adaptable, and inwardly steady…They will be capable of stewarding a world in transition.Whether the school rating is high or low.Whether the times are calm or turbulent.Whether the future is predictable or entirely new.And perhaps that is the deeper work before us—not simply protecting our children from a changing world, but preparing them to participate in its regeneration.P.S. Here are a few pics of what has taken up much of my time (and had me miss publishing a Substack article on Feb. 20th): This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

In our recent Gaia’s Call 2.0 conversations, Marla and I explored the polycrisis—the overlapping ecological, social, and spiritual challenges shaping our world. In this episode, we go one step deeper, asking a more intimate question: How do we live inside this reality without losing ourselves—or each other? Drawing from the simple yet profound inquiry “Grieve globally. Thrive locally,” we explore how caring deeply for the world does not have to lead to burnout or despair. Instead, when grounded in the Four Great Truths of One Cause—interconnectedness, sufficiency, reciprocity, and stewardship—we discover a way of living that honors grief while still making room for joy, presence, and meaningful action. This is a conversation especially for eco-conscious families navigating how to stay open-hearted, sane, and hopeful in uncertain times. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

The other night, Ann and I were having dinner with Amber and Justin (daughter and son-in-law). The kids were nearby—Logan and Piper laughing, moving, playing the way only young children can, fully inhabiting the moment. It was one of those evenings that feels quietly complete. Nothing spectacular. Nothing missing.And yet, somewhere between passing food and watching the kids, a familiar question rose up in me.Is this a moment to say something?To check in with the adults about what they’re seeing… or not seeing… about the world we’re living in?To ask whether they’re aware of the polycrisis—or where they might be in relationship to it?Just as quickly, another voice answered back.Don’t ruin this.Don’t turn a good night into a heavy one.Why bring global grief into a room full of local joy?I noticed myself holding the tension rather than resolving it. And I realized: this wasn’t just a family moment. It was a microcosm of a much larger question many of us are quietly carrying.To share—or not to share—the reality of the polycrisis with the people we love.And if we do share… when?How?To what end?I don’t have clean answers. But I’m no longer convinced that not having answers is a failure.The Question Beneath the QuestionOn the surface, this looks like a communication dilemma. But underneath it lives something deeper.We are living through a time of undeniable global grief: ecological unraveling, political instability, widening inequality, accelerating technological disruption, and the quiet erosion of shared meaning. Many of us feel it in our bodies long before we can articulate it.At the same time, life keeps happening locally. Children grow. Gardens need tending. Meals are shared. Laughter still breaks through.So the real question becomes:How do we grieve globally without abandoning the small, sacred forms of thriving that make life worth living?And just as importantly:How do we invite others into this awareness without overwhelming them—or ourselves?Taking the Question to CommunityRather than answer this alone, I did something that increasingly feels essential in this time: I brought the question to community.I shared this inquiry—nearly as raw as I’ve written it here—with members of the Home Grown Human community, an online gathering of people already aware of the polycrisis and committed to supporting one another through it. (If you’re curious, I’ll share a link at the end.)I didn’t ask for advice. I asked for lived wisdom.What came back wasn’t a single answer—but a constellation of insights that now live inside this piece.What I Heard (and What Shifted in Me)One recurring theme was attunement.Not every truth belongs in every moment. Timing matters. Tone matters. Relationship matters more than content.Several people shared that when conversations about the polycrisis go wrong, it’s often because of what Jamie Wheal aptly named “therapeutic aggression”—when we speak not because it’s what the other person is ready for, but because we need relief from carrying the truth alone.That landed hard for me.It made me ask:Am I sharing to serve the relationship… or to unburden myself?Another insight that stayed with me: presence is not avoidance.Laughter, play, ordinary love—these are not denials of reality. Sometimes they are the most honest responses available. Especially with children. Especially when nervous systems are already overloaded.One community member put it simply: staying connected is more important than being right.And yet—silence isn’t always care either.A few people spoke about how sharing, when done gently and incrementally, can actually deepen connection—if it’s rooted in curiosity rather than persuasion, and grounded in evidence rather than opinion. Not to convince, but to invite.Still others described choosing a third path: placing the “hard information” somewhere accessible—writing, podcasts, Substack essays—and trusting loved ones to engage if and when they’re ready.That, too, felt like wisdom.Where This Is Still Hard for MeThere are days when global grief overwhelms me—when the scale of suffering makes local thriving feel insufficient, even indulgent. When playing pickleball, tending soil, or planning the spring garden feels almost naïve in the face of what’s unraveling.And yet, I’ve come to see something else.Thriving locally is not a distraction from collapse.It is resistance to the forces that want us frozen, despairing, and disconnected.When I walk in the woods.When I sit with Logan and Piper.When Ann and I share a quiet meal.When I call a friend for tea instead of doomscrolling.I’m not turning away from grief—I’m metabolizing it.This is what “Grieve Globally, Thrive Locally” has begun to mean for me.Not an answer.A practice.Releasing the Savior ReflexOne of the most important shifts I’m making as we move into 2026 is releasing a familiar but exhausting pattern: the need—or addiction—to save the world.I’m not abandoning responsibility.I’m relinquishing grandiosity.I can still share One Cause here on Substack.I can still participate in the Great Turning amid the Great Simplification.But I no longer need to carry the illusion that it all rests on my shoulders.This mantra gives me something far more sustainable.It invites me to pause throughout the day and ask:* How am I doing with my grieving?* How am I doing with my thriving?* Which one needs attention right now?Sometimes the answer is tears.Sometimes it’s laughter.Sometimes it’s silence.So… To Share or Not to Share?Where I’m landing—for now—is this:There may never be a “perfect” moment.There may always be a shadow when we speak honestly about the world.The question is not how to avoid that shadow—but how to make sure it doesn’t eclipse love, presence, or belonging.If we are facing a kind of terminal diagnosis as a civilization, then perhaps the most important questions become:* How outrageously do I dare to love?* What do I want my children and grandchildren to remember?* How do I live in a way that tells the truth without hardening my heart?And maybe—just maybe—the most powerful form of sharing isn’t explanation at all.It’s how we show up.How we treat the land.How we speak to neighbors.How we hold joy alongside sorrow.No footnotes required.An Open Ending (On Purpose)I’m leaving this unresolved because I believe it’s meant to be.So I’ll offer a few guidepost questions—for you, and for me:* When does sharing deepen connection—and when does it serve something else?* What signals in your body tell you it’s time to speak… or to listen?* How might grieving globally strengthen your capacity to thrive locally?* And who are the people you don’t have to answer this question alone with?A Note of GratitudeI want to thank the Home Grown Human community for helping me think, feel, and write more honestly. Their wisdom is woven throughout this piece—not as answers, but as living questions.If you’re curious about that community, you can find them here: Home Grown Human SkoolAnd if this essay stirred something in you, I’d genuinely love to hear from you—whether in the comments, the chat, or through sharing it with someone you trust.This feels like one of those inquiries we’re not meant to resolve quickly.But perhaps we’re meant to walk it together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Hello everybody. this is Brad Swift of Gaia’s Call and this is Gaia’s call, but this is 2.0. And as you will notice, it’s not just me, it’s also Marla from the Eco Chapter. Hey Marla.Hi. How are you?I’m good. I’m good. And I’m looking forward to this.And I’m a little trepidatious about it, you know, it’s it is a first, a lot of firsts are coming my way these days. but I’m also excited about it because we’re here. first we’re going to kind of just share our background and how we got connected. also who we’re kind of directing this to, you know, the, the people that we would really like to reach with this.one of the things that we talked about, and may end up, you know, renaming this at some point, but, certainly a segment of this is called, is. Regeneration with capital GE in, because as you can see, we’re not of exactly the [00:01:00] same generation. I’m a couple years older. So there’s some differences.And we actually want to, given the, the nature of the world these days and how much we are, pointing to the, in a bad way, the differences. We wanna embrace the differences. So I’m, white skinned. And Marla is brown skinned and I’m a male and she’s a female, and I live in the mountains of North Carolina and we don’t really know where we might find Marla at any time, but right now you are where?Right now I’m in Singapore.Right?The other side of the world from you.Yes. So right now we are at like nine 40 in the morning here in the North Carolina mountains. And it is what time there?Those are differences. Now, there’s some things that we share, which is, well, certainly first and top most for me would be [00:02:00] our deep love and compassion for planet.And all of its, all of its beings. Not just human beings, but all the beings, the plants and animals that we share this planet with. So, and that’s kind of what has connected us. So, let’s just take a, moment or two Marla, and share, from our own memories, how did, we get connected?Yeah, so hi everyone.My name is Marla, and yes, I’m all the way over here in Singapore. I am an Earthling. I like to call myself that and I run the eco chapter. And the eco chapter is a ecoliteracy and regenerative storytelling consultancy. and the crazy thing is that me and Brad, we met on Substack, through my company, the eco chapter.I write a lot. articles that translate science and complex concepts into easier to digest and more accessible, literature. So articles with metaphors, and I sometimes write poetry. just any kind of way to get the science to [00:03:00] be a little bit easier. And so the nice thing was. read my stories.and it was Brad, so it’s crazy because it was almost exactly a year ago. We met in December, I think 2024. so it’s, yeah, it’s been a journey. Brad, you wanna add anything to, that?Yeah, I, I had a major, revelation, insight, whatever you want to call it. about two days. After the, USA, elections of a year ago when, they did not go the way I wanted, I did not have a whole lot of hope for either party, directing much attention to the, climate crisis, and the crisis that, you know, the climate crisis is a part of.But when, president Trump became president, I got really clear there’s something, something that I’ve gotta do. I’ve gotta up my game, so to speak around that. And, The, other piece that was kind of woven in there at the same time, at that [00:04:00] time, I had a, grandson, three and a half, Logan and Piper, one and a half.So now a year later, four and a half and two and a half. and I, it was on YouTube was where I ran into this thing about. 3:00 AM in the morning and I cannot sleep because my great-great-grandchildren are asking me what did I do? What did I do when I realized the earth was burning and the democracy was falling, and da da die, it goes on beautiful peace.And it woke me up to like, yeah, what will I tell Logan and Piper as they get older? What did I do? And about that time I was reading, you know, I read, a couple of pieces from Marla and thought, wow, this is a real connection there. And I started writing one cause, which is now written and in revision stages.And we’ll be released sometime, hopefully in the first quarter, first half of, 2026. [00:05:00] And it’s my take on. what is the fundamental causes of climate change? That climate change is not a cause, it’s the effect of something. And so, that’s, kind of the evolution. And then, I think somewhere in the mix of that, you, expressed an idea about.Wanting to write a book, a, more positive book of, positive narratives. And given that, one of the things I still do is as a coach. I coach aspiring authors. I was like, I wanna work with this woman. I, wonder how much I’m gonna have to pay her to let me coach her. And you were kind enough to not charge me anything for that.So, that was another piece of it. So why don’t you say just a little bit about, where that went.We had our first meeting in December last year, just around Christmas, I think. And I was so stumped that [00:06:00] somebody on the other side of the world wanted to coach me because, well, obviously had read my articles and thought it would be good for me to write a book.and the crazy thing is like a year later, the book is here. So it’s called Dreams of Unwritten Futures. And this book was actually written by five of us. And, Brad was coaching me and I was editing this book, with a few of my friends. And now, the whole point of it is to have a series of books, and I wanna put it under project called The Better Future Narratives Project, where I found that everything that I was reading in terms of like climate fiction or the news or.science, a lot of it was doom and gloom and, really a post-apocalyptic, chaos. so then my idea was like, how do we then. better stories into the world where we didn’t have to become zombies and eat people’s faces first, before we, started doing better things. and that’s kind of how the idea was born.I wrote an article in October, 2024. And that article [00:07:00] became the spine of this book. And so I sent that article to five friends, who wrote, their parts and their Better Future narratives, which then I compiled into this book and we just got it published in October. So, I think, Brad’s pushing me to write something, really helps, because I had so many ideas already, and it was just that little poke to say, Hey, you’re good enough.Go write. so it’s really exciting. So it’s now I am also writing proposals to bring this, project to schools and, I’m planning like a six months project with kids that they can turn their eco anxiety and feelings of helplessness or depression into more better future narratives and that we can publish more books and, put them out into the world.because I think a lot of people, when they say better future, they just. immediately of money and cars and material wealth and things. but if you talk to lots of people, they’ll tell you those are not the things that make your future better. Yeah, it’s really [00:08:00] simplicity of things. It’s the connection with people.It’s the community. It’s a time to read a really good book and have a coffee undisturbed. It’s those quiet moments at the beach or under a tree. usually with nature or with friends, you know? So that’s the whole point of trying to put these imaginations into, people’s worlds where they can think of better future narratives that are not coupled with material wealth and, and consumerism.Yeah. hopefully kind of change the whole narrative, of a society through through writing.Yeah. Very good. And yeah, I hear again, I hear some other cross, cross connections there. Out of your book has come a, project, you know, and you’re out to reach young, young people and kids.And same here with me. I, you know, in my background, I’ve been writing for about 30, oh gosh, 35 plus years. I have about 30, I think one cause will read my 38th book. [00:09:00] But in the last several years, most of my writing has been in the eco fiction or eco fantasy area. So you can see kind of in the background there, see if I can point to ‘em.These books here are part of the Zach Bates Eco Adventure series. So that was one of the other things is, because of my, I just have such a deep love for Logan and Piper. And a deep love for, kids in general, that’s, you know, those are the generations that we are leaving planet Earth to.And I’ll be honest, I’m not proud of how my generation, the baby boomer generation is leaving the planet. we, and while we’re still, able to, what can we do to. a trim tab, moved this big spaceship earth in a more positive, direction of truly being connected to, nature itself.So from one cause has come, and is [00:10:00] emerging the, eco guardian’s, youth project. And again, it includes, you know. and inspiring children to express themselves through writing and through art. and, helping them to get really in touch with their love of nature, before they get so.Caught up in jagged, you know, adults. We wanna get them early enough to, encourage that natural love for, nature, as, they grow, grow into adulthood itself. So that’s kind of who we’re out to reach. So you wanna say a little bit about our. if somebody’s listening to this, who you could share this with, you know, like that.Yeah. So we’re trying to reach out to anyone who wants to listen, really anyone that’s interested in the eco crises that are happening all over the world, everywhere. sometimes it can be really lonely and also quite. helplessness and, that you have no idea what’s going on. so I guess we’re [00:11:00] also reaching out to educators that don’t have the ability or the, knowledge to share this information with your students.send them our way. We’re both teachers, so happy to help with that. Also to the carers of students and children, parents who are too busy working or also don’t have the, knowledge or the know-how about the climate crisis. Now this would be really great for you too, because it’s a way for you to understand a little bit more.so then you can, kind of comfort your, children and tell them that, you know, with us all working towards this together, it’s all going to be okay. And apart from from the work that we’re doing here on the podcast, I’m also doing as part of the eco chapter, lots of webinars for people who are.working in either small to medium enterprises or school teachers, and also with people doing, like nonprofit work and organizations. So I do like regenerative consultancy for, those groups of people who like maybe need something a little bit [00:12:00] more in depth or specified to your company or organization as well.Yeah, for this podcast, like it’s really for the generations, right? That’s why we’re calling it possibly regeneration, from kids who want to come on the show And talk to us about how you feel, you know, about parents who are drowning in, how do I do this because I’m new parent and I’ve never done this before.Or, teachers who are just hearing stories from your students and, you don’t know what to do. You know, like we’re also very happy to have interviews. with, anyone from around the world. I mean, we’re already in two different continents. Why not? Why stop there,right? Yeah, for sure. And while right now the, eco Guardian Youth Project is primarily local here in the North Carolina Mountains.I do an event, in fact, I did two in the past, week called the Story. story maker event where you come together with small groups of children and we actually help them [00:13:00] understand that storytelling is great fun and story making, actually writing and, composing your own stories can be fun.And so we actually go through and collectively together, create the beginnings of a story and follow that up with the, for those who want to, the eco guardian. writer’s challenge. So all that’s pretty much local right now, but we do want, you know, my, one of my intentions, you know, in 2026 is to find ways to have it be,Scaled so it can be done not just with me, but other people can do it in their local communities, wherever those local communities are. And I see we have another compadre there in the background.So this is rha. And another similarity between me and Brad is Brad just got two kittens. Ah,we do, and, they may be on the show before too long, but right now they’re, acclimating to our own lifestyle here.Yes, for [00:14:00] sure. So obviously we’re both. animal lovers. My background is a small animal veterinarian before I turn to writing. And, and mine is scienceand wildlife conservation.Yes. And, if I’m not careful, I put my feet in the wrong places. I’ll end up stepping on Rascoe, who’s right at my feet sleeping at the moment.So, let’s see, what else did we want to share today as this, introduction that, that we haven’t already shared?I think a few things. If you are a writer, I think the first thing is keep writing because the world needs more stories and more art and put more beautiful, literature into the world.I think we’re, losing that. if you’re someone who feels like you want to come onto the show, please get in touch with either of us. in. we’ll give you ways to contact us, that’s for sure. and also if you are. wanting to come on the show and just wanting to listen.I hope you also know that Yeah. are listening and we’re [00:15:00] here. Like, you don’t have to just write to us if you wanna come onto the show, if you want us to talk about something for you, please send us your, your thoughts or your ideas and or your fears or doubts, and we’ll be happy to make a podcast, especially for that for you.Yes. Yeah. Very good. So, there’s a new word that I’ve come across, We, all know about dystopia. You know, dystopian fiction right now is super popular. I’m not quite sure why it’s become so popular. we’re living in a dystopia, maybe that has part something to do with it. And there’s also the term that most people are familiar with is utopia.You know, kind of almost kind of airy, magical, you know, land. I was just the other day through a podcast was introduced to which is kind of in the middle area. It’s about how do we, in the face of what we’re dealing with. recreate or regenerate a, life thriving, ecology and, planet and, not, you know, not at a [00:16:00] utopian type way, but, you know, some, very specific ways that we can do that.And for and I, part of it is changing the narrative, you know, writing stories that, really do speak to, And not in a way, but in a positive way. Changed that narrative. So again, one cause is a big part of, that for me, you know, identifying the four great untruths and the four great truths.And I’m sure in other podcasts we’ll get into that, you know, in, more depth itself. So, yes. You know, if you are writer, if you have thought about writing on, you know, on, you know, whether it’s, Climate fiction or eco fiction or there’s a number of different, you know, ways of speaking about it. But if that’s something that, you are either doing or you would want to do, we, would love to support you in that as well.Yeah, and Brad has a, whole library, so once you have your books, we can put it up there. you can also [00:17:00] find dreams of Unwritten Futures in Brad’s library.Yes. I’m, glad you, mentioned that ‘cause part of the, eco Guardians, Project that we’re working with is the Eco Guardian Secret Society Library that nobody’s supposed to know about except that just spilled the beans.So I can, you know, blame her for it. But, and again, all of my eco fiction books are. there’s two or three, other books from other authors that I have coached, including book itself. And, there will be a, growing resource of, both fiction and nonfiction and other, you know, pertinent information, to support.Other, eco guardians in training as I like, refer to it. And the reason I call it Eco Guardians in training is we’re all in training. We’re all continuing to deepen our relationship and our appreciation for, Mother Earth. [00:18:00] So, that’s what it is to be an eco guardian. Thank you for sharing that.So I think, covered the, basis to begin with. Yeah. And, any, last comments before we kind of sign off and you go to bed and I go into the rest of my day.I am good. I’m looking forward to our next podcast and, hopefully we get some people writing in to come talk to us.Yes. Very good. Okay, everybody, we’re signing off from Gaia’s Call slash Regeneration. Take care. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Living Through the Polycrisis - This is part three. Part one is here, and part two is here.When I think about the future now, I don’t start with graphs or projections. I start with my grandkids, Logan and Piper. And just as importantly, I start with their parents—Amber and Justin—the generation standing in the narrow, demanding passage between what was and what’s coming.The future stopped being theoretical the moment I held my grandchildren. It took on faces, laughter, scraped knees, curious questions, and a fierce tenderness that refuses abstraction. Whatever the polycrisis is asking of us, it’s no longer an intellectual exercise. It’s personal. It’s relational. It’s generational.And that changes everything.What if the polycrisis isn’t only a breakdown to survive, but a rite of passage for humanity itself?Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Every culture that has understood maturation knows this pattern. There is a time of innocence, a time of testing, a time of confusion and fear, and—if the initiation is met rather than avoided—a time of responsibility and belonging. Adolescence is not optional. It arrives whether we’re ready or not. What is optional is whether we meet it consciously.For most of human history, initiation rites marked the passage from childhood into adulthood. Today, no one is guiding us through that threshold. Instead, the planet itself is doing the initiating. Climate disruption. Ecological loss. Political instability. Technological acceleration. The collapse of old stories that once promised safety and control.This is not happening because humanity is evil. It’s happening because we outgrew a worldview without growing up beyond it.Children feel this moment intuitively. Long before they understand carbon cycles or geopolitics, they sense when the adults in the room are anxious, distracted, or pretending. They feel incoherence in their bodies. They notice when reassurance replaces truth, when busyness replaces presence. Logan and Piper don’t need us to explain the polycrisis—but they do need us to become adults they can trust.And that brings us to the real work of this time.Not prediction.Not perfection.But character, presence, courage, and care.When systems fail, character remains. It’s what children learn when they watch how we treat the land, how we speak to neighbors, how we respond to fear, how we handle grief. Presence matters now because nervous systems learn from nervous systems. Calm isn’t something we explain—it’s something we embody. Courage matters because someone has to tell the truth without collapsing into despair. And care matters because care is the original human technology. Long before money, before markets, before machines, there was care.This is the living heart of One Cause. The Four Great Truths are not abstract principles; they are embodied ways of being that children absorb simply by watching us live.Collapse, seen through this lens, begins to look less like punishment and more like correction. A simplification. An undoing of excess. A quiet insistence that the experiment of domination has reached its limit. In that undoing, something ancient begins to surface again: community, rhythm, humility, interdependence, love.Perhaps Earth is not failing us. Perhaps, in her formidable wisdom, she is calling us home.The Four Great Truths, then, are not just remedies for crisis—they are ancestral gifts. Ways of orienting ourselves that we pass forward not as answers, but as inheritances. Interconnectedness. Sufficiency. Reciprocity. Stewardship. Especially stewardship—no longer as control, but as love across time.We are the ancestors now.What do I hope Logan and Piper will remember?Not that their Grand-Dude wrote books or spoke about crises—but that he showed up. That he paid attention. That he loved fiercely. That he told the truth without bitterness. That he practiced unconditional love as best he could—the kind I see modeled so purely by Rascal and Luna, my canine teachers in unconditional love, presence, and loyalty. That Ann and I faced hard realities without surrendering joy. That we bent without breaking. That we practiced radical hope not as a feeling, but as a set of daily actions.Ann and I don’t pretend to control anything. But we’ve learned something quieter and more powerful: we influence everything. Through shared meals. Through tending land. Through conversations with neighbors. Through choosing to live the Four Great Truths locally rather than panicking globally or retreating into the old untruths when fear rises.The emotional journey of this time is not linear. It moves from grief—because grief is the price of love—into fierce love, into responsibility, and finally into a profound, grounded hope. Not the hope that everything will turn out fine, but the hope that how we show up matters, regardless of outcomes.We may not get to choose the times we live in.But we do have the opportunity to choose how we meet them.With fear—or with love strong enough to influential the future.P.S.As I was recording this piece, I realized there was one more thread I wanted to name—because it’s a living expression of everything I’ve written about here.Over the past few years, Ann and I have been quietly nurturing something called the Eco-Guardian Youth Project. It grew out of the same questions this series is asking: How do we help young people grow up connected to Earth, to community, and to their own sense of purpose—without fear, shame, or despair? And just as importantly: How do we model that way of being ourselves?The Eco-Guardian Youth Project isn’t a program designed to “fix” kids or save the world. It’s an invitation—for families, grandparents, parents, teachers, and young people—to explore the Four Great Truths together through stories, conversations, creativity, and hands-on connection with the living world. It’s about planting seeds of stewardship, courage, and belonging that can grow across generations.If this article resonated with you—especially if you’re thinking about children or young people you love—I invite you to take a gentle look.And if these reflections feel meaningful to you, please consider sharing this piece with someone who might need it right now. That simple act—passing along a story that speaks truth with hope—is one of the quiet ways we influence the future together.I’d also love to hear from you. Your comments, reflections, questions, or even your doubts matter more than you might think. They help shape this ongoing conversation and remind me (and others) that we’re not walking through this moment alone. Feel free to leave a comment below or join the chat if that feels right for you.Thank you for being here—and for caring enough to read, reflect, and stay present in these times. 2026 - a banner year for choosing a new regenerative future. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Living Through the Polycrisis — Part Two of a Three-Part One Cause Reflection (Part One is Here.)Author’s Note: I called an audible over the holidays, feeling like we could all use a break from dealing with this challenging topic—the Polycrisis, here we are in the New Year of 2026 which could, according to many experts, be a make or break year, so let’s dig in. Once you stop trying to outrun the polycrisis, you start asking a different kind of question: What does a good life look like now?By “outrun,” I mean all the ways we try—often unconsciously—to escape what we sense is happening around us. Denying the seriousness of it. Minimizing it. Staying so busy we don’t have time to feel it. Doom-scrolling until we’re numb. Freezing in place because the scale of it feels too big to face. Or pinning our hopes on some distant rescue—technological, political, or economic—so we don’t have to change how we live today. All of these are understandable human responses. They’re not moral failures. They’re coping strategies in a world that’s asking more of us than we were prepared for.But eventually, exhaustion sets in. The running doesn’t work. The distractions lose their power. And in that quiet moment—sometimes gentle, sometimes forced—we begin to wonder whether the real work isn’t escaping the polycrisis at all, but learning how to live inside it with integrity, care, and coherence.That’s where the Four Great Truths come in.In One Cause, I describe them as an alternative worldview to the Four Great Untruths that brought us to the brink. But they’re more than ideas. They’re a lived orientation—a different way of standing in the world. Where the old story told us we are separate, that more is always better, that Earth’s resources are limitless, and that technology will save us, the Four Great Truths offer something quieter and sturdier. They remind us that we are interconnected, that sufficiency is possible, that reciprocity is how life actually works, and that stewardship—not domination—is our true role.This shift isn’t abstract. It doesn’t live in policy papers or distant futures. It shows up in how we live, love, and belong—especially close to home.Regeneration, I’ve come to see, is relational, local, and embodied. It begins not with grand plans to “save the world,” but with small, grounded choices that restore right relationship—with the land beneath our feet, with the people we share our lives with, and with the future generations who will inherit what we leave behind. That’s why collapse, as frightening as it is, can also function as an invitation. Not to panic, but to maturity. Not just to grieve what’s breaking down, but to grow into what’s being asked of us now.For Ann and me, the Loving Homestead has become a kind of living laboratory for this inquiry. Not a solutionist fantasy or a claim that we’ve figured anything out, but a place to practice living differently—more attentively, more humbly, more in rhythm with life. It’s where the Four Great Truths stop being concepts and start becoming habits, conversations, and sometimes uncomfortable mirrors. So, let’s spend a few minutes delving into the Four Great Truth a bit more. Interconnectedness shows up for me most clearly in family and place. Living closer to the land has made it impossible to pretend we’re separate—from soil health, from weather patterns, from the creatures who share this space, or from one another. When I’m gardening with Logan, or watching Piper toddle around the yard with curiosity and wonder, interconnectedness isn’t an idea. It’s a felt sense. Their well-being is bound up with the choices we make now. So is the health of the land that feeds us. Community, too, starts to feel less optional and more essential. Conversations with neighbors, shared concerns, shared meals—these become threads in a larger web we’re re-learning how to tend.Sufficiency has been one of the more challenging truths to live into, precisely because our culture trained us so well in “more.” More productivity. More output. More efficiency. More stuff. Stepping off that treadmill isn’t dramatic; it’s subtle and ongoing. It looks like asking, again and again, What is enough here? Enough work for today. Enough growth for this season. Enough plans. Enough striving. In our household, sufficiency has meant simplifying, slowing down, and letting go of the quiet guilt that says we should always be doing more. It’s been surprisingly freeing—and surprisingly difficult—to trust that there really is enough when we stop racing past it.Reciprocity has deepened my relationship with the Earth itself. Gardening, food forests, basement growing through the winter—these aren’t just projects. They’re exchanges. The soil gives, and we give back. We compost. We pay attention. We learn. We fail. We try again. The same is true in human relationships. Reciprocity reminds me that giving and receiving are not opposites. Accepting help, listening deeply, allowing others to contribute—these are as much a part of a regenerative life as offering time, care, and effort in return.And then there’s Stewardship, which feels increasingly like a calling into elderhood. Not elderhood as age or authority, but as responsibility across time. Caring for what we didn’t create. Making decisions with Logan and Piper in mind, even when they’re not in the room. Supporting Amber and Justin not just as parents, but as partners in navigating an uncertain future. Stewardship reframes the question from “What can I get?” to “What am I here to care for?”—and that shift changes everything.Living this way hasn’t made life simpler in the sense of being easier. But it has made it clearer. The emotional arc, for me, has moved from sobriety—seeing things as they are—into grounding, a sense of belonging, and moments of quiet joy that feel earned rather than manufactured. Joy that comes not from distraction, but from alignment.The Great Turning, if it’s real at all, doesn’t begin in conference halls or sweeping declarations. It begins at home. In how we choose to spend our time. In what we grow. In how we speak to one another. In whether we let collapse harden us into fear—or soften us into care.Living this way doesn’t make us saints or saviors. It makes us something far more needed right now: adults willing to grow up together.In the final piece of this series, I want to look directly at what this moment asks of us across generations—how we love, guide, and show up for the young ones who are already sensing that the world they’re inheriting will be different from the one we were promised. Because in the end, the question isn’t just how we live through the polycrisis, but who we become while doing so.In 2026 Let’s Connect Here on SubstackI’ll be moving into my third year publishing on Substack, it has become an important part of my online home. Just one thing that has been missing for me—more direct communication with you, my dear readers/subscribers. So, this year, how about we change that. Here are a couple way: the Comment Button and the Chat Button.How has this series landed for you? Do you agree that we’re in such a time or not? If so, what ways are you finding to cope with this time? And most important of all, how may I be of more service to you?Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

(Living Through the Polycrisis — Part One)You’re not imagining it. Something fundamental really is breaking down. And if you’ve been sensing that—feeling it in your body, your conversations, your sleep, your worry for the kids and the future—you’re not weak, pessimistic, or “too negative.” You’re paying attention.I don’t remember exactly when I first heard the terms metacrisis or polycrisis. It was probably sometime shortly after I began writing One Cause: Breaking Free from the Four Great Untruths—and Embracing the Truths That Will Shape Our Future. That would put it at about a year ago. At the time, they felt like big, academic words—useful, perhaps, but abstract. What changed wasn’t the vocabulary. It was the realization that the climate crisis, as urgent and terrifying as it is, is only the tip of a much larger iceberg.An important tip. A sharp one. A deadly one. But still not the whole thing.As I dug deeper—reading, listening, following the threads—the picture widened. Climate collapse is intertwined with biodiversity loss, food and water instability, economic fragility, political polarization, authoritarian drift, technological disruption, and a deep spiritual and cultural exhaustion. These aren’t separate problems stacking up neatly on top of one another. They are interconnected systems unraveling together, amplifying each other, cascading in ways that are hard to predict and even harder to control.That’s what people mean when they talk about the polycrisis.The term points to a system-of-systems failure—a convergence of crises so entangled that you can’t fix one without triggering consequences in another. And that, I think, explains why so many people today feel overwhelmed, anxious, numb, frozen, or strangely detached. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because their nervous systems are trying to process something that doesn’t fit into the tidy problem-solution stories we were taught to expect.Some people are just now beginning to sense this. Others have known it for years. And many—good, thoughtful people—are choosing, consciously or unconsciously, not to look too closely at all. It feels too confronting. Too destabilizing. Too much. So they freeze, like a deer in the headlights, hoping that if they don’t move, the danger might pass.I understand that response. I’ve felt it myself.If you know others who are feeling similarly disoriented, why not share today’s article?A turning point for me came when a good friend introduced me to Sarah Wilson’s TED Talk, How to Respond to Societal Collapse. Watching it was unsettling—and oddly relieving at the same time. Wilson doesn’t sugarcoat what we’re facing. She lays it out plainly: climate deadlines missed, planetary boundaries breached, AI accelerating toward unknown thresholds, nuclear risk intensifying, democracies eroding, authoritarianism rising. Not as isolated headlines, but as a single, tangled reality.What struck me most wasn’t just her analysis. It was her honesty about the emotional terrain. She named something I had been feeling but hadn’t fully articulated: that the deepest distress many of us are experiencing doesn’t come from the bad news itself. It comes from the disconnect between what we sense is true and what we’re allowed—or encouraged—to say out loud.In psychology, that disconnect is called cognitive dissonance. Living in a world that insists everything is basically fine while your gut tells you it’s not creates anxiety, loneliness, and a quiet despair that’s hard to name. But Wilson points to something counterintuitive and deeply important: facing the truth, even when it’s brutal, often brings relief. A strange, grounded relief. A sense of congruence. Of finally being able to breathe honestly.This insight aligns powerfully with the core of One Cause.Let’s band together and move through the polycrisis with grace. Subscribe today.The polycrisis didn’t come out of nowhere. It is the inevitable result of what I’ve come to call the Four Great Untruths—the deep assumptions that have shaped modern culture and driven us to this edge. The belief that we are separate from nature. The belief that more is always better. The belief that Earth’s resources are effectively infinite. And the belief that technology will ultimately save us from the consequences of our own behavior.When these untruths become normalized—woven into our economics, politics, education, and daily habits—they produce exactly the kind of world we’re now living in. A world that is impressively complex, incredibly productive, and profoundly fragile. A world that runs fast, extracts relentlessly, and leaves very little room for pause, presence, or wisdom.No wonder so many people feel exhausted and disoriented. No wonder anxiety and burnout are everywhere. Our inner lives are struggling to keep up with a system that no longer makes sense, even on its own terms.And here’s the paradox that keeps revealing itself to me: naming this reality doesn’t have to lead to despair. In fact, for many of us, it does the opposite. It breaks the spell. It releases us from the exhausting effort of pretending everything is fine. It opens the door to a more honest set of questions.Not, “How do we fix everything?” But, “How do we live well in the truth of where we are?” I invite you to explore this question with me. Join the chat below.That question—quiet, unsettling, and strangely hopeful—is what this three-part series will explore. Not as a manifesto. Not as a doomsday chronicle. But as a grounded reflection on what it means to meet this moment with clarity, courage, and care.In the next piece, we’ll turn toward the Four Great Truths—not as abstract ideals, but as a lived orientation. A way of grounding ourselves, our families, and our communities in something sturdier than denial or panic. And in the final piece, we’ll look at what this moment asks of us across generations—especially in how we love, guide, and show up for the young ones who are already sensing that the world they’re inheriting will be very different from the one we were promised.For now, let this be enough: you’re not imagining it. You’re not broken for feeling it. And you’re not alone in asking what comes next.Sometimes, the most hopeful thing we can do is tell the truth—and stay present long enough to see what grows from there. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve been setting up a small growing area in my basement these past few weeks—a little winter haven where I can keep veggies going through the cold months and continue my slow but curious experiment with hydroponics. At first, it was all about the task. Get the shelving in. Set up the lights. Hang the timers. Figure out the water flow. Make it efficient. Make it productive. Get it done. And in the middle of it all, I caught myself doing something I’m not proud of: I started beating myself up for not doing it faster — for not carving out more time, for letting “life” get in the way, for not being more… well… attain-y. It’s funny how quickly old habits creep in—even when we think we’ve moved beyond them.Then Amber mentioned that when she picked up four-year-old Logan from preschool, one of the first things he said was, “I really like gardening with Grand-Dude.” That one sentence stopped me cold. Just… stopped me. All at once, the whole project shifted. It was no longer about productivity or efficiency or finishing my to-do list. It became a question: How can this be something we do together? Something he remembers? Something Piper can toddle into? Something that grows more than just vegetables?The Core Distinction: Attainment vs. AttunementWe live in a culture that worships attainment. Do more. Get more. Produce more. Achieve more. Optimize more. Buy more. Follow more. Become more. It’s the air we breathe, and it’s the unspoken scoreboard so many of us learned to keep without ever realizing we were playing a game we didn’t choose. But for all the striving and accumulating and checking boxes, something essential is missing. Attainment is outer-focused. It measures life in metrics and milestones, productivity and performance. It lives in speed, comparison, and acquisition — and because of that, it constantly reinforces the quiet suspicion that we’re behind, not enough, or failing to keep up.Attunement, on the other hand, is inner alignment. It’s the quieter, steadier knowing that rises when we listen rather than react, when we connect rather than compete, when we let life shape us rather than trying to conquer it. Attunement shifts the question from “What can I get done?” to “What is life asking of me in this moment?” or “Who am I becoming through this?” Where attainment pushes, attunement invites. Where attainment strives, attunement senses. Where attainment measures, attunement feels. One is louder; the other truer.Why This Matters NowWe are living in a moment of profound overwhelm — ecological, political, social, and spiritual. Our planetary crisis is not just about carbon, heat, storms, or melting ice; it’s about the worldview that created those problems in the first place. This is exactly what One Cause points to: the Four Great Untruths. The belief that we are separate from nature. The belief that more is always better. The belief that Earth’s resources are infinite. The belief that technology will save us. Attainment culture is simply these untruths made habitual and normalized.We strive because we’re told there isn’t enough. We compare because we believe we’re separate. We extract because we believe nature exists for us to use. And we wait for a technological miracle because we’ve forgotten how to live in right relationship with Earth. Attainment culture isn’t just stressful—it’s unsustainable. It’s a worldview that inevitably leads to burnout on the personal level and collapse on the planetary level. Attunement, however, is the doorway out.Attunement = Living the Four Great TruthsThis is where the One Cause framework becomes a map—not just for saving the world but for saving our own sanity. Attunement naturally expresses the Four Great Truths that we know are the antidote to the metacrisis.Interconnectedness reminds us that we are not separate from nature or each other. When we attune, we feel that truth in our bones—whether through gardening with a child or resting a hand on the living trunk of a tree. Sufficiency tells us that there truly is enough when we slow down and reconnect with the rhythms of life. Attunement softens the grasping and the guilt and opens space for gratitude. Reciprocity reminds us that giving and receiving are part of the same sacred loop. Attunement invites us to give in ways that nourish rather than drain. And Stewardship—perhaps the most profound truth—becomes a natural expression of attunement. When we feel connected and grateful and present, caring for Earth stops being a duty and becomes a joy.Attainment can’t access any of this because it’s too busy pushing. Attunement makes space for the wisdom that’s been waiting for us all along.The Three Dimensions of Attunement (Health, Growth, Depth)Attunement isn’t a single practice; it’s a way of being shaped by three interconnected dimensions. There’s the past-oriented dimension of health—healing old patterns, trauma responses, and reactive habits that keep us locked into striving and scarcity. Then there’s the future-oriented dimension of growth—the part of us reaching toward our potential, our next level of integrity, creativity, and purpose. And finally, there’s the present-oriented dimension of depth—the cultivation of attention, presence, character, and the inner stillness that lets us hear life’s quiet instructions.When we attune across these three dimensions, we become more coherent. More grounded. More wise. More available to the moment. More ourselves.The Obstacles to AttunementOf course, attunement is not the path our culture prepares us for. We live in a world engineered for distraction, speed, stimulation, comparison, and consumption. Our attention is constantly hijacked by devices that measure us, algorithms that shape us, and systems that profit when we stay disconnected from ourselves and each other. On top of that, we carry the old echoes of childhood conditioning, unresolved hurts, and habitual coping strategies that keep us in “go” mode even when our souls are quietly begging us to slow down.This doesn’t make us broken; it makes us human. But it also makes attunement something we must choose on purpose, again and again.The Basement Garden RealizationThis is why the moment with Logan mattered so much. When I heard him say he likes gardening with Grand-Dude, something inside me softened. The basement garden was no longer a task to complete but an invitation to attune—to him, to Piper, to the plants, to the rhythms of nature, and to the deeper truth that life is never asking us to be more productive. Life is asking us to be more present. The project wasn’t about growing vegetables anymore. It was about growing us—our connection, our curiosity, our love for the Earth, and our sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves.That’s the heart of attunement. It turns projects into rituals, tasks into relationships, and to-do lists into opportunities for connection.A Simple InvitationAs you move through your day, notice where attainment takes the wheel. Notice the pressure, the tension, the speed. And then ask yourself, gently: What would attunement look like right now? What would it feel like to slow down, to listen, to connect, to become?Attunement isn’t more work; it’s less. It’s the quiet, sacred pause that allows something wiser to emerge. It’s how regeneration begins—inside us, inside our families, inside our communities, and inside the Earth itself.Let’s keep listening. Let’s keep attuning. And let’s see what wants to grow next.NOTE: This article was inspired by a beautiful conversation between Keith Martin Smith and David Areel which can be found at: or as a podcast at: It is well worth a listen.Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Thanks for reading Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

(Part One of a Possible New Series: Conversations Across Time)A few nights ago, during one of our Community After Hours gatherings here in the mountains, a participant tossed out an idea about how we might draw more locals into our growing web of community. I wish I could tell you exactly what he said—but the suggestion itself evaporated before I arrived home.What did stick with me was the spark it ignited.I found myself thinking:What if we could interview notable, difference-making people who are no longer with us…and ask them what they make of the moment we’re living through?Not in a séance kind of way. Not in a “dear departed, knock twice for yes” kind of way. But in a more grounded, imaginative, spiritually curious way:What would the great visionaries of the past say about the in-between time we are living through now—this tension between the Great Turning and the Great Collapse?And before the thought even finished forming, one name rose to the surface—my hero: Buckminster Fuller. His picture sits on my Hero Board. The man who saw the earth as a spaceship before most of us realized it even had a hull. The man who believed fiercely in Humanity’s capacity to evolve into a success rather than a failure.No, I don’t have a direct channel to the afterlife. But I do have a conversation partner named GePeTo—my AI collaborator—who can help me synthesize Bucky’s worldview, writings, tone, and fierce optimism.So I sat down and asked a simple question:“If Buckminster Fuller were alive today, what would he say about the moment we’re in?”Here’s how that conversation unfolded.Four Questions for Bucky Fuller—and the Responses He Might Offer TodayWhat follows isn’t meant to be historical quotation.It’s a synthesis—a creative, integrity-centered imagining based on Bucky’s principles, writings, and unmistakable voice. Call it… Bucky through a modern-day trimtab filter.Bucky, how would you describe the moment we’re living in—this tension between the Great Turning and the Great Collapse?He might say something like this:Humanity has reached a critical point where the assumptions guiding our behavior are no longer adequate for the complexity we’ve created. In a sense, we are running 21st-century planetary-scale hardware on metaphysical software from the 1800s—and the system is flashing warning lights.Whether we move toward the Great Turning or slip into the Great Collapse depends not on resources—which are still abundant—but on whether we update our thinking in time.I’ve always said we’re crew members on Spaceship Earth, not passengers on a luxury liner with infinite buffets. The crisis is not a shortage of materials. It is a shortage of imagination, synergy, and design.In other words: This is a metaphysical crisis before it is an ecological one.(Which, I might add, aligns perfectly with One Cause: the crisis beneath the crisis.)What would you say about the Four Great Untruths—especially the idea that ‘more is always better’?Bucky might respond:The idea that “more” equals “better” has always been a fundamental misunderstanding of wealth. Real wealth is not accumulation—it is the capacity to survive forward days. It’s the ability to meet human needs in a way that increases options rather than reduces them.Nature never operates on excess. Nature operates on sufficiency and synergy.Humanity, on the other hand, still behaves as though it must hoard its way to security. But the Universe is already providing more than enough energy and materials for every person on Earth to thrive—if we align with Nature instead of fighting her.This is where the Four Great Truths come alive. Particularly sufficiency and interconnection. The problem is not scarcity. The problem is human metaphysics—the stories we tell about what we are and what the world is for.What is the role of the outlier—the ‘strange person’—in times like these?This one felt especially personal to me, Brad—given the Strange Man series we just completed. Here’s how Bucky might say it:The future is always initiated by the outliers. Never the majority. The majority follows after the new pattern has proven itself.When I designed the geodesic dome, people laughed. When I talked about doing more with less, it was dismissed as fantasy. When I suggested that humanity could become a success, they called it naïve.But the Universe never asks the past for permission to invent the future. If people find your actions strange, it simply means you’re operating from a more current worldview. Evolution always begins at the edges—with individuals who are one step further into tomorrow.So if you’re the strange person in the room, take heart. You’re the early adopter of the next epoch.Given everything you stood for—synergy, design science, trimtabs—what advice would you give ordinary people who want to help?Here’s where Bucky’s clarity becomes beautifully sharp:Stop trying to save the world by persuading people. You save it by building a new model that renders the old one obsolete. Institutions are expressions of yesterday’s metaphysics. They cannot lead us to tomorrow. What can lead us is demonstration—prototypes, experiments, living laboratories. (Like the Loving Homestead Ann and I started this past year.)Find your trimtab: the small, well-placed action that turns the rudder that turns the ship. One Cause is a trimtab. Your own Loving Homestead coud be a trimtab. Any act that reduces entropy, increases coherence, or honors Earth’s reciprocity is a trimtab.Never underestimate the leverage of one well-placed, consistent action. Small moves—when aligned with universal principles—shift everything.A Closing Reflection(And an Invitation to Continue This “Conversations Across Time” Series)As strange as it may sound, this exercise left me with a deeper sense of hope. What Bucky Fuller offered—and what his imagined words offer now—is a reminder:We are not powerless. We are not late. We are not destined for collapse.We are simply overdue for an upgrade in thinking.And those who are willing to evolve their worldview first—the outliers, the strange ones, the trimtabs among us —are the ones who become the quiet catalysts for the world that wants to be born.So here’s my question to you:Who should we talk with next?Rachel Carson?Martin Luther King Jr.?Wendell Berry?Carl Sagan?Thich Nhat Hanh?Joanna Macy?E.O. Wilson?Or someone from your own Hero Board?Let me know. Because these conversations across time are just beginning.P.S. Speaking of evolving our worldview, Marla Lise and I will soon be releasing a special two-part Gaia’s Calling 2.0 podcast series on the polycrisis—what it really is, how it shows up in our lives, and why it so often fuels both eco-anxiety and apathy. These conversations grow directly out of the same questions Bucky Fuller invites us to ask: What’s breaking down, what’s breaking through, and how do we become the trimtabs steering humanity toward the Great Turning? Stay tuned for their release early in 2026—and if you’d like to be notified when they drop, make sure you’re subscribed to the Gaia’s Calling section of my Substack. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Links to Parts Oneand Two.There comes a moment on any meaningful inner journey when you suddenly realize something quietly radical: you no longer fit the default settings of the culture around you. You still look the same, sound the same, and move through grocery stores, coffee shops, and family gatherings the way everyone else does. But something in your internal operating system has been rewritten. And even though no one can see that shift from the outside, it begins to shape everything you do.Sharing this helps more of the ‘strange ones’ find each other. Thank you for being part of this emerging regenerative story.At first it’s subtle, then steady, then unmistakable—until someone close to you, maybe even your own child, pauses at some small act of yours (like a takeout box filled with coffee grounds by the door) and says, “You are a strange person.” In that moment, if you listen closely, some deeper part of you might whisper back: Yes. I am. And thank God for that.Because as Krishnamurti reminded us, “It is no measure of health to be well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” If our culture has normalized disconnection from nature, endless consumption, and an almost religious devotion to convenience, then perhaps strangeness is not a flaw—it’s a sign of sanity emerging.The World Has Never Been Changed by the Comfortable MiddleThe center of culture is where habits sleep, where norms self-replicate, and where the Four Great Untruths feel so familiar, so unquestioned, that they become invisible. The middle is stable, predictable—and by design, inert. The people who shift the world don’t live there.They live on the edges, collecting coffee grounds because soil is sacred, planting food forests where lawns used to be, choosing reciprocity over convenience, and raising children and grandchildren to see Earth not as “resources” but as kin. They live in the quiet places where old assumptions lose their grip and a new story begins to take root.This is the frontier where emerging cultures are born—not through speeches or global summits, but through tiny, repeated acts that seem irrational to the old worldview until suddenly they become common sense.Every New Pattern Starts With One OutlierHistory and nature both tell a similar story: transformation begins with the one who behaves differently long before anyone else understands why. There is always a first strange person—the first to compost instead of discard, the first to conserve water when everyone else lets it run, the first to ask, “What if we treated the Earth as a partner rather than a possession?” These individuals are often misunderstood at first. They’re told they’re impractical, idealistic, or naive. Yet time and again, the very behaviors once dismissed later become the blueprint for what is needed.Slowly, beautifully, the outlier’s strangeness ripples outward. What began as a single point of deviation becomes a signal of the future, a small tremor that precedes a cultural shift.Why Being “Strange” Is a ComplimentTo be “strange” simply means you are living from a different set of assumptions than the dominant culture. Perhaps you’ve internalized a new worldview—something rooted in interconnection, sufficiency, reciprocity, and stewardship—and because of that, your actions no longer match the old script. You compost differently. You shop differently. You speak differently. You see the world through a lens that honors life, not consumption. You feel the Earth in your bones.And yes, you may place coffee grounds in a repurposed takeout box with a sense of reverence that would bewilder most people in a Costco checkout line. But this is what spiritual and ecological evolution looks like in real life: a quiet willingness to act from a deeper truth even when it makes you stand out.The Gift of the Outlier RoleOne of the great misunderstandings is that the outlier is an exception. The truth is the outlier is the beginning. Outliers are pattern-breakers, trend-starters, and early signalers of new cultural DNA. They embody tomorrow’s norms today. It can be lonely at times. People may misunderstand your motives or gently tease your choices. But outliers don’t lead by consensus—they lead by integrity.And in doing so, they create a subtle gravitational field. People—especially the young—feel it. They may not be able to articulate what they’re sensing, but they recognize the authenticity, the groundedness, the coherence. They intuitively know: “This is the direction life is trying to move.”This is how cultures shift—not from the top down, but from the inside out, one quietly courageous person at a time.The New Story Needs Strange PeopleWe are living through a moment when the old stories are collapsing under their own weight:* “We’re separate from nature.”* “More is always better.”* “The Earth’s resources are infinite.”* “Technology will save us.”These are fictions that can no longer sustain us. Meanwhile, the regenerative story—the one Ernesto van Peborgh describes as “the emergence of a regenerative field”—is just beginning to coalesce. It’s forming in pockets, in communities, in backyards, in basements, in small gardens, in homesteads, in writers’ circles, in Earth Listening Circles, and in the imaginal hearts of people who sense that a different way of being is not only possible, but necessary.In these liminal times, strange people serve an essential function: they hold the shape of the future before the future fully exists. They embody practices that seem trivial to the old world but are foundational to the new one. Even something as small as carrying home coffee grounds becomes a quiet ritual of allegiance to a culture that honors reciprocity and regeneration.These acts are seeds, and seeds do their most important work underground, long before anyone sees the sprout.If you want to walk with a community committed to living the new story, you might enjoy all of Gaia’s Call of Unleashed.A Final Invitation to All the Strange OnesIf you’ve been feeling out of step, misunderstood, “too much,” or simply different from the culture around you, here’s an invitation to reframe that experience: you’re not too much—you’re early. Early to the regeneration story. Early to the worldview that sees Earth as a beloved relative. Early to a culture that values meaning over consumption. Early to the way your grandchildren will one day live as naturally as breathing.Strange people change the world not because they try to, but because they don’t abandon the truth that has taken root in them—even when it is still unfashionable. So keep going. Keep tending soil, keep listening to the Earth, keep practicing the Four Great Truths until they shape every gesture and choice. Keep being lovingly, courageously strange.Because the future that’s emerging—the one your actions are quietly helping to midwife—will one day look back with gratitude and recognize that it was the strange ones who held the lantern while the rest of the world was still stumbling in the dark.If this touched something true in you, please share it — the regenerative future grows through small ripples from brave, strange people. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

(Part Two of the “Strange Man” Mini-Series — read Part One Here.)Sometimes the most important spiritual work doesn’t happen on a meditation cushion or in the quiet of early morning vows. Sometimes it happens in a kitchen—with kids playing, coffee brewing, and a grown daughter calling you a “strange man.”If you missed Part One of the story, here’s the short version:I rescued the used coffee grounds from my daughter’s barista-level machine, packed them neatly into an empty takeout box, and placed the box by the door next to my jacket and knapsack—fully intending to take them home to compost and burn for ash to add to my garden.When Amber discovered my little treasure box and asked what it was, I explained. She paused… then declared solemnly: “Dad, you are a strange man.”We laughed. And fortunately, that’s not where the story stayed. Because inside me, another moment unfolded—one I didn’t share in Part One. A moment that mattered even more than the compost or the coffee or the cardboard container.A moment that could’ve easily slipped into the Dreaded Drama Triangle.The Micro-Moment Where Everything Could’ve Gone SidewaysWhen she said “strange man,” the first sensation wasn’t laughter.It was… a pinch. A quick little inner wince. The kind that happens faster than thought. The old, familiar thread: Am I being judged? Mocked? Misunderstood?That is the Victim voice—the first doorway into the Drama Triangle. As a graduate of Landmark World Wide, I also learned it as the “automatic and mechanical.” In that split-second, without any real awareness, I could have shifted into one of the three roles:Victim: “I was just trying to help the planet… why is she making fun of me?”Persecutor: “Well maybe if you composted more… we wouldn’t have so much trash in the first place.”Rescuer: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry—I’ll just throw it away next time.”None of these paths lead to connection. None lead to truth, or love, or empowerment. They lead to drama. And drama is a waste stream far more toxic than used coffee grounds.The Pause That Saved the MomentWhat changed everything was one breath.One beat of awareness that said: “Hold on. This isn’t about being judged. This is about being seen.”And that’s when the deeper truth surfaced: Amber wasn’t criticizing me. She was naming what the world hasn’t yet caught up to—the emerging, awkward, beautiful phase between one way of living and the next. My “strangeness” is what it looks like when someone begins living the Four Great Truths in a world still arranged around the Four Great Untruths.In that moment, the entire inner landscape shifted.From Drama to the Empowerment DynamicInstead of slipping into Victimhood, something new rose up—the Creator role from the Empowerment Dynamic. (Check out the book, The Power of TED by David Emerald. )The Creator asks different questions:* “What’s really happening here?”* “What meaning am I adding?”* “Is there a possibility hidden inside this moment?”And the answer was simple, and almost funny:My daughter wasn’t dismissing me. She was witnessing my evolution.She was naming the gap—lovingly—between the culture she was raised in by my wife and I and the one I’m trying to help midwife into existence—a regenerative future based in the Four Great Truths.Suddenly, “strange man” felt… accurate. Even honorable.The Deeper Lesson at 76 (That I Wish I’d Learned at 36)There was a time—decades ago—when a comment like this would have hooked me for hours. I would have replayed it, analyzed it, defended myself, explained myself. I would have tried to earn approval.But living by my One Cause Vow—day after day, breath after breath—has been quietly rewiring my emotional reflexes.The Four Great Truths are not just ecological principles. They are relational principles.* Interconnectedness softens the old defensiveness because it reminds me how deeply interconnected I am with my daughter.* Sufficiency dissolves the need for validation because the ‘enoughness’ includes my relationship with myself.* Reciprocity makes feedback part of the dance; it’s the sharing and receiving of everyday life.* Stewardship reminds me that my job is to model, not persuade.So instead of reacting, I smiled. Because it was true. I am a strange man. A man becoming stranger in all the right ways.Why This Matters in a Time of Cultural UnravelingWe are living through a moment in history when misunderstanding will be rampant. People making conscious, regenerative choices will often look “odd” to a culture still built on extraction, speed, and disposability.This is where the inner game becomes critical. If we collapse into the Drama Triangle every time someone raises an eyebrow at our choices—we’ll waste our energy defending rather than creating.If, instead, we shift into the Empowerment Dynamic, moment by moment—we become steady. Grounded. Available for the real work. Living the Great Truths externally requires practicing them internally and expressing them externally through our words and actions.And that starts in the smallest, most ordinary moments—standing in a kitchen with your daughter…coffee grounds in hand…and an invitation to grow.A Closing Reflection(for you, the reader stepping into your own version of this path)Think of a recent moment when someone questioned, joked about, or didn’t quite “get” one of your emerging values or new behaviors.* Did it sting?* Did you slip into one of the drama roles?* Or was there a pause—a breath—that opened the door to something deeper?These micro-moments are the training ground. They are where the new world gets built—one reclaimed reaction at a time. And if being called “strange” means we’re becoming more aligned with the future we hope our grandchildren inherit…Well then—let us be strange, and let us be steady, and let us be fiercely, tenderly awake.Even in the kitchen.Especially in the kitchen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Toward the end of a recent visit with my daughter, Amber, and the grandkids—Logan racing a plastic dinosaur across the living room battlefield and Piper dancing around with a squeal that could wake the ancestors—I decided to fix myself a cup of coffee, in part because they have one of those barista-level machines that makes a cup so smooth it practically hums a lullaby. So there I was, savoring the thought of a rare mug of delicious Joe, when the machine politely informed me I needed to empty the grounds receptacle first.Fair enough. I opened the little compartment, scooped out the still-warm grounds, and headed toward the trash can. And that’s when I saw it: an empty cardboard takeout container sitting right on top.Hmm, I thought. That could hold the coffee grounds….One more hmm: And I could bring both home—grounds to compost, container to burn in the wood stove for more ash to eventually make its way into the garden.It was the kind of thought that feels completely normal to me now, a natural extension of my daily rhythm here at the Loving Homestead. So, with the confidence of a man on a mission, I packed the grounds into the takeout box, carried it over, and placed it gently by the door alongside my jacket and knapsack.Job done. No big deal. A tiny act of stewardship—with a side of convenience.Or so I thought.The Strange Man RevealedAbout an hour later, Amber walked by, noticed the box by the door, and stopped in her tracks. She stared at it for a few seconds, the way you’d look at a squirrel holding a flip phone.“What’s this?” she asked.I explained my plan: Take the coffee grounds home, compost them, and burn the cardboard for heat and soil building. Simple. Elegant. Efficient. A win for Earth and a win for Dad.She stared a moment longer before rolling her eyes. Then, with the seriousness of a judge rendering a life verdict, she said:“Dad… you are a strange man.”I chuckled—because it was funny and yes, a bit true. But if I’m honest, there was also a quick flicker of something tender in me, a tiny wince.Strange.Odd.Different.Those words carry some weight, even when delivered with love. But before I could wander down the familiar path of “What did she mean by that?”, something else rose within me. A kind of deeper understanding.And I realized: This “strangeness” is exactly what I’ve been cultivating. On purpose. Let me elaborate.When Strange Is Just the Early Stage of New TruthEver since June 1st, I’ve been saying and meditating on my One Cause Vow every morning. I wrote it not as a declaration of moral superiority (goodness knows that’s not the path I’m on) but as a grounding practice—something to nudge me gently toward the person I’m becoming.Here’s a short piece of it:On this new day, I commit—and recommit—to living in alignment with the Four Great Truths:Interconnectedness.Sufficiency.Reciprocity.Stewardship.I know I won’t be perfect. I expect to stumble, but each step is a chance to remember who I really am—and who I’m becoming.The truth is, my vow has been working on me in subtle and not-so-subtle ways bit mostly in quiet ways. Domestic ways. Ways involving coffee grounds and takeout boxes. I don’t think about these things as “trying to be environmental.”They just… feel normal now.Normal, for someone living inside the Four Great Truths. Strange, for a world still built around the Four Great Untruths.If the old worldview says:“Just toss it in the trash—away it goes,”the new worldview asks:“Away to where? And at what cost?”One worldview stops the thought at the trash can. The other travels all the way to the compost pile, the soil, the seedlings, the next meal, the next generation. Strange? Only until it isn’t.A Glimpse of Tomorrow’s NormalI imagine a future—one Logan and Piper will inherit—where this kind of strangeness is no more unusual than brushing your teeth:* Food forests in front yards instead of lawn deserts* Native plant oases humming with bees* Compost steaming gently on crisp mornings* Kids excitedly adding banana peels “to feed the soil”* Cardboard becoming biochar becoming living earthA world where taking home coffee grounds isn’t odd—it’s common sense. A world where stewardship isn’t “strange”—it’s simply what we do and who we are. And if odd little habits like mine can help nudge the culture that direction, even a millimeter at a time, well… I’m happy to be a strange man. Truth be told, I’ve probably been a strange man for much of my life.In fact, may we all become just strange enough to help turn this ship toward life again.A Quiet Reflection to Ponder This WeekWhen someone calls you strange, pause for a moment. Feel the sting. Smile anyway. And ask yourself:Is this strangeness actually a sign I’m waking up? Growing? Maturing? Becoming someone new?Maybe, just maybe, your strangeness isn’t the flaw. Maybe it’s the doorway. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Imagine greeting the sun each morning, not just as a source of warmth but as a symbol of untapped potential. That’s what I’ve done for over two years which is what led me to writing today’s article/podcast. Every day, Earth receives an astonishing 173,000 terawatts of energy from the sun. Yet, humanity's annual energy consumption is only around 20 terawatts. In other words:A single day’s sunlight provides far more than we need to power our entire planet for a year. This raises a simple but profound question: Why are we not harnessing this energy more effectively?The path to making solar power a cornerstone of our energy system isn’t just about technology. It's about mindset, policy, and creative integration into our everyday lives. What sounds like eco-fantasy—like powering entire cities or global infrastructures from sunlight alone—could become eco-fact. But we need visionaries and bold thinkers, much like the characters in my eco-fantasy worlds, to turn these possibilities into realities.As Rollo May said in The Courage to Create, “Creative courage is the discovery of new forms, new symbols, new patterns on which a new society can be built.” The challenge before us is to cultivate that courage, embracing both creativity and science to envision a new, regenerative world​.Breaking Down the Numbers: How Little We Need to Change the WorldThe math behind solar energy is startling. Humans only use about 0.01% of the solar energy that hits Earth each day. If we could capture even a small fraction of that, we could power our world without fossil fuels. To illustrate, if solar panels could convert just 15-20% of the sunlight they receive into energy (which is roughly the current efficiency), even modest advancements in technology could revolutionize energy storage and distribution.Todd Henry, in Die Empty, encourages us to seize opportunities and constantly develop our skills to be ready for the future. Just as "The Developer" in his book weaves available resources into value, we must do the same with solar technology—taking the raw potential of sunlight and turning it into power​. The challenge lies in storing this energy efficiently and creating decentralized systems that allow every building, every piece of infrastructure to contribute to the solution.Imagine what would be possible if we invested the time, money, and other resources into tapping this near limitless energy resource that we are putting into A. I. Ideas That Could Transform Eco-Fantasy Into Eco-FactHere are five visionary ideas that could push us beyond our current limitations:* Urban Solar Integration: Imagine cities where solar panels are embedded in every surface. From rooftops to windows to roads, each element of our infrastructure could become a micro power station. With technologies like perovskite solar cells showing promise for higher efficiency at lower costs, we could soon see a future where energy generation is woven seamlessly into our daily environment​. Perovskite solar cells are a type of thin-film solar cell that uses a perovskite crystal structure to generate electricity and are a promising next-generation renewable energy technology. Their advantages include high efficiency through the absorption of a broader range of light, potential for low-cost manufacturing with flexible methods like printing, and versatility in applications* Distributed Solar Grids: Shifting away from centralized power plants toward local, distributed solar energy grids would reduce energy loss and improve resilience. Each home, office, and public building could generate and store its own solar power, contributing to the local grid and reducing reliance on large-scale energy infrastructure.* Agrivoltaics – Merging Solar Power and Agriculture: Solar panels placed above crops create a win-win scenario: they generate electricity while also providing shade that reduces water loss for plants. This combination, known as agrivoltaics, optimizes land use by producing both food and energy, offering a practical solution in regions prone to drought.* Space-Based Solar Power: Although it sounds like science fiction, space-based solar farms could be a future game-changer. Solar panels in space would have uninterrupted access to sunlight, generating energy 24/7. The energy could be beamed back to Earth as microwaves or lasers, offering a consistent and limitless power source​.* Solar-Powered Desalination: Water scarcity and energy needs could be addressed simultaneously through solar-powered desalination plants. These facilities use the sun’s energy to convert seawater into drinkable water while generating electricity, solving two critical issues in regions struggling with drought and energy shortages.The Courage to Act and Create New RealitiesJust as Leonardo da Vinci envisioned possibilities far beyond the limits of his time, we must cultivate the same sense of creative curiosity. Michael Gelb’s How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci highlights the importance of questioning and exploration​. Today’s big questions: How can we bring eco-fantasy into eco-fact? How can we turn the massive amounts of solar energy we receive into a regenerative energy future for all? How about sharing your responses with a comment or join this week’s chat.To achieve this, we need both technological breakthroughs and shifts in public policy. Governments, individuals, and companies alike must invest in solar technologies and grid systems that support clean energy. Policy changes could accelerate the transition by offering incentives for solar installations, and educating the public will foster a deeper understanding of the importance of renewable energy.Bringing eco-fantasy into eco-fact begins with a commitment to possibility. As we look to the sun—an inexhaustible source of clean energy—the future becomes more than just a dream. It becomes a goal, attainable through innovation, courage, and the collective will of individuals who, like Todd Henry’s "Developers," are ready to tap into the untapped​​.We’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. Imagine a world where clean, abundant solar energy powers our cities, provides water to the arid regions, and restores balance to the environment. It’s not a matter of "if"—it’s a matter of "when." Let’s work together to bring that future to life.Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

It feels fitting that this piece arrives on Halloween—a day when we flirt with shadows and celebrate transformation…of sorts.After all, Frankenstein was never just about monsters. It was about creation without conscience—knowledge without wisdom, invention without care.In many ways, we’ve been living our own version of that story as Homo technologicus—powerful, brilliant, but disconnected from the living whole.The time has come for a new creation story—not stitched together from parts, but born of reconnection.This is our real experiment: Becoming Homo guardianis—the Eco-Guardian-in-Training. So. let’s dig in.As I sit here, reflecting on nearly a year of writing and recording One Cause—week after week, article after article—I find myself feeling both awe and humility. What began as an attempt to name “the one cause beneath the many crises” has turned into something much larger: a living invitation to evolve.For eleven months now, I’ve been tracing the story of how humanity’s mistaken sense of separation from nature has led to the metacrisis we now face—ecological, spiritual, political, and cultural all at once. But somewhere along the way, the work began to shift. The question was no longer just How do we fix what’s broken?It became:Who must we become to live in harmony with the Earth again?That question has stayed with me like a heartbeat.The Old Story: Homo technologicusWe humans have been telling ourselves that intelligence is our crowning glory—that progress means mastering the natural world through innovation and control. And to be fair, this capacity has given us much: art, science, medicine, wonder.But it has also given rise to what some have called Homo technologicus—humans defined not by wisdom, but by the tools we wield. A species so clever we can split atoms and code consciousness… yet so distracted we barely pause to feel the forest’s breath or hear the river’s song.We have become brilliant—and dangerously unbalanced. Our inventions outpace our introspection. Our reach exceeds our roots.The Evolutionary InvitationBut what if our next evolutionary step isn’t about better technology, but better relationship? What if the true frontier isn’t Mars, but the mycelial web beneath our feet—and the reawakening of our hearts to the Earth that made us?That, I believe, is the threshold we now stand upon: the emergence of Homo guardianis—the Eco-Guardian-in-Training.This isn’t a new biological species. It’s a new story of what it means to be human.It’s a remembering that intelligence without empathy is incomplete, and progress without reciprocity is regression.The Eco-Guardian-in-TrainingAn Eco-Guardian-in-Training is someone who knows they are part of the Earth’s living community, not separate from it.They live simply and gratefully, finding joy in sufficiency rather than excess.They practice reciprocity—giving back to the web of life that sustains them.They see stewardship not as sacrifice, but as a sacred responsibility.And most importantly, they recognize that this journey has no finish line—that we are always learning how to care more deeply, to listen more fully, to belong more completely.In short: we are becoming Homo guardianis, the humans who remember how to live in right relationship with life itself.The Work of a LifetimeI often think about my grandchildren—and someday, perhaps, theirs.If they ever ask, “What did you do while the world was changing?” I want to be able to answer with my head held high:I chose to evolve. I chose to love the Earth back to life.That’s what One Cause has been about all along—uncovering the deep root of our collective forgetting, and rediscovering the Great Truths that can guide us home: interconnection, sufficiency, reciprocity, and stewardship.The Eco-Guardian Youth Project is one way to bring those truths alive—helping young people (and the adults who love them) experience themselves as part of the living Earth, and step consciously onto this path of becoming.But the truth is, the youth aren’t the only ones in training. We all are.Every time we plant a tree, tell a story that honors the more-than-human world, or choose sufficiency over consumption, we take another step in this great re-evolution of consciousness.A Closing ReflectionIf Homo technologicus was the human who asked, “How can I control?”Then Homo guardianis is the human who asks, “How can I care?”That shift—from control to care—is the hinge on which our future turns.It’s the work of a lifetime, and perhaps many lifetimes.But I believe it’s the most important work there is.Reflection for YouWhat does becoming an Eco-Guardian-in-Training look like in your life—right here, right now? What small act of reciprocity or reverence might you offer to the web of life today?With gratitude,—Brad (Your fellow Homo guardinis and Grand-dudeP.S.Now that the One Cause rough draft is complete, I’d love to hear from you:What would you like to see from me here on Substack moving forward?This project has been a labor of love, clarity, and commitment. And as we enter this next phase together, I want to shape what’s next in a way that supports you—your curiosity, your growth, your family’s journey, your desire to live in alignment with life.A few ideas I’ve been exploring:* Eco-Guardian-in-Training Dispatches – Short, personal essays or podcast episodes on what it looks like to live the Four Great Truths in real time (compost fails, homestead wins, kids’ questions, all of it).* Behind-the-Scenes of the Eco-Guardian Youth Project – Updates, early access to new tools, stories from the Secret Library, and ways to get involved.* Tools for Inspired Action – WOOP guides, Flow Practices, Storymaker Prompts, and more.* Community Spotlights or Guest Conversations – Featuring fellow Eco-Guardians, teachers, parents, artists, and elders walking this path in their own way.But more than anything, I want to know what you are hungry for.What would nourish you?What would make you feel accompanied on this path?Please let me know in the comments or reply to this post.Let’s co-create what comes next.After all, we’re in this Fourth Quarter together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

I took a long walk through the woods this morning with Rascal, my ever-eager walking partner and four-legged philosopher-in-residence. No phone. No podcasts. Just crisp leaves underfoot, a rising breeze, and the steady rhythm of paws and boots side by side.Out there on the trail, something stirred in me.A quiet voice reminding me:We’re in the Fourth Quarter now.Not just me. (I’m 76.) All of us…all humanity.And the question pressing in is this:How will we play it?Four Fingers in the AirIf you’ve ever watched a Clemson football game—especially in Death Valley—you’ll know the moment I’m talking about.It’s the start of the Fourth Quarter.The whole stadium rises.Thousands of fans raise four fingers into the air.No shouting. No dancing. Just that silent signal.Now is when we give everything.Now is when the real game is won—or lost, so:Stay Focused—Finish StrongI married into this tradition, thanks to my dear wife Ann, a Clemson graduate and lifelong fan. I still remember her mother—bless her soul—perched on the edge of the couch, eyes glued to the screen, hands clenched in nervous joy as the final quarter approached.And I’ll admit: something about it stuck with me.Not just the football—the metaphor.My Fourth Quarter PerspectiveAt 76, I’m very aware I’m in the fourth quarter of my own life. That doesn’t feel like a problem—it feels like an opportunity. I experience a clarity I didn’t always have in the early quarters.And yet, there’s a weight to it too.Because every time I look into the eyes of my grandson Logan (age 4½) or hear my granddaughter Piper’s laughter (2½ and full of wonder), I feel this paradox:Deep joy. And deep responsibility.I adore these little humans. I want them to inherit more than just books and stories and family traditions. I want them to inherit a future: A world worth growing old in.So I’ve recommitted—with full heart and full voice—to my daily One Cause Vow.It’s my personal playbook for this quarter. A sacred agreement I whisper each morning:I am nature. You are nature. We are all one.Let my actions reflect that truth.No, I won’t be perfect. Yes, I’ll fall short. But I will keep showing up. After all, it’s the fourth quarter…for all of us.Humanity’s Scoreboard CheckLet’s be real. If this were a football game, the scoreboard might look… concerning.* We’ve got climate instability spiking across the globe* Biodiversity loss racing forward at terrifying speeds* Economic systems burning out people and ecosystems alike, and * I’m not even going to get into the whole political upheavelSome say we’re in the final two minutes of the Fourth Quarter.Others say overtime may not even be an option.But here’s what I also see:* Solar panels sprouting like sunflowers on rooftops* Youth leaders standing tall, fearless and fierce* Indigenous wisdom resurfacing* Earth Listening Circles forming in libraries and backyards* Grandparents marching with their grandkids* Millions of micro-acts of regeneration already underwaySo yes, it’s late.But it’s not over.Not if we choose to play full out.Why This Quarter Counts MostBack in 2008, when Dabo Swinney became Clemson’s head coach mid-season, he and his strength coach Joey Batson launched what became a team mantra:“They don’t put championship rings on smooth hands.”The message?The work that matters most happens when no one is watching… in the dirt.As Brian Klaas reminds us in his book, Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters, ‘seemingly inconsequential actions have life-changing consequences.’What if the most important acts we take don’t show up on social media but rather within our hearts, in our homes, or among our communities? It all adds up. And yes — it all matters.What Legacy Will We Leave?When we talk about legacy, we often mean what we leave behind.But I think it’s more powerful to ask: What will I set in motion?What ripple will move forward because I cared enough to start?Think about the lives of Joanna Macy and Jane Goodall—both eco-activists, truth-tellers, soul-stirrers. Both recently passed from this world.What did they leave behind?* Macy inspired generations with her Work That Reconnects—turning grief into action* Goodall launched Roots & Shoots—inviting young people to lead with love and curiosity* And both of them did so by starting smallOne circle. One conversation. One spark.That’s legacy. So, raise your hand and your heart.So here’s where I leave you.If you’ve read this far—if you’ve walked this far with me through One Cause—I thank you. It’s been an amazing rise these past eleven months.And I ask you:What does your Fourth Quarter look like?We don’t need to be perfect.It does help to be present.We don’t need every answer.It does help to have the courage to keep showing up.So if you’re with me… if you’re ready to give your heart to the future…Raise your metaphorical four fingers.Stand tall. And play like everything depends on it. Because it does. This is our time, and we still have a shot.Let’s play like we mean it. Game On!— Brad (aka W. Bradford Swift, Eco-Guardian-in-Training, Grateful Grand-Dude, & author of One Cause) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

For a long time, I thought the answer was just doing more.More writing. More coaching. More composting. More sharing. More everything.But here’s what I’ve come to realize: doing more only really matters if we’re doing what matters—to us. Purposefully. Joyfully. In alignment with what we love and long to protect.Taking action as an Eco-Guardian doesn’t mean becoming a full-time climate activist (although it could lead there). It might mean planting a single tree with your child… starting a weekly soup & story night… writing a short story that changes one reader’s mind. Small acts matter. Especially when they’re rooted in joy and aligned with your why. Remember the trimtab effect we learned from my hero, Bucky.Follow the Breadcrumbs of PurposeLet me tell you a slightly sideways story.Remember Hansel and Gretel?As the story goes, they dropped breadcrumbs behind them in the forest so they could find their way home. But the birds came and gobbled them up—leaving the kids lost.That part always felt like a tragedy to me… until recently.Because now I think the breadcrumbs did serve a purpose.Even though the kids couldn’t see them anymore, they’d already done something wise: they’d followed their intuition. They’d paid attention. And even without a clear path back, they found their way forward.So here’s my invitation to you:Follow the breadcrumbs of your own purpose and passion.Even if you can’t yet see where the path leads, I promise—you won’t be disappointed where you end up.That’s what happened for me.This entire One Cause project began with a breadcrumb of inspiration (and yes a little desperation mixed due to the results of the latest presidential election). It’s now growing into a movement here on Substack. I then added in a daily a vow to help true myself up to the 4 Great Truths (Interconnectedness, sufficiency, reciprocity, and stewardship). And now it’s evolving into the Eco-Guardian Youth Project — complete with a Secret Library, an Eco-Guardian Compass, an Eco-Author Challenge, and plans for an Eco-Guardian Training Camps that equip the next generation of planetary protectors.I never could have imagined all that. But I’m grateful I started anyway.So, what about you?Where might your breadcrumbs be leading you? Let’s chat about it here.The Seeds of Inspired ActionLet’s simplify this. Inspired action almost always starts with one (or more) of these three seeds:LoveWhat breaks your heart—or makes it sing with joy and possibility (or perhaps both)?CuriosityWhat question or story keeps tugging at your sleeve? You know, the one that wakes you up in the middle of the night or won’t let you fall asleep to begin with.PurposeWhat feels like a sacred yes—even if you don’t know how to begin? (It may even feel like an ‘impossible mission’ to you. I know mine does.)You don’t need all three. One is enough. Of course, the more the merrier.My own seed was this simple question: How can we raise a generation of young people who truly know themselves as part of Earth’s living system—and are excited to protect it?That seed led to One Cause, which then grew into:* The Eco-Guardian Secret Library* The Storyteller to Storymaker pathway (more about this later.)* The Eco-Author Challenge* And the beginnings of the Eco-Guardian Training Camp(s)All of which share a single intention:To create a new generation of joyful, purposeful Earth protectors—Eco-Guardians-In-Training.Where & How to BeginYou don’t have to start big. Just start where you are.Here’s your Regeneration Action Menu—real things you can do, tailored to different spheres of life:Personal / Inner Actions* Take a daily “walk with Earth”—no phone, just presence* Journal your values, hopes, and ideas using One Cause prompts* Consume mindfully (what we read, watch, and yes, eat shapes us)* Write your own Eco-Guardian Vow—to remind yourself who you’re becomingWhy not share your own personal action here?Family / Household Actions* Start a weekly Soup & Story Night of reading eco-fiction together or share nature gratitude (Not sure what to start with? Send me an email at [email protected] to receive ‘beta access’ to the Eco-Guardian Secret Library.)* Grow something—even a single herb pot* Take on a family challenge from the Dominion Over All Eco-Adventure Playbook (one of the many resources you’ll find within the Secret LibraryCommunity-Based Actions* Host a Repair Café or Clothing Swap* Join or launch an Earth Listening Circle* Organize a Litter Walk + Nature Reflection event for local youthGlobal & Movement-Aligned Actions* Write your local rep with ideas for regenerative policy* Start a “One Cause Club” or Eco-Guardian Pod with friends* Share this project with someone who might just run with itEducators, mentors, and parents: many of these resources are available free via the growing Eco-Guardian Secret Library. Let me know if you’d like early access.Micro-Missions by AgeHere are a few sample starter missions by age group—and yes, you’re invited to remix or invent your own:Ages 10–12* Map your backyard biodiversity* Create a “talking tree” comic strip* Write eco-fiction fanfic for a favorite book or animal* Keep an Art + Nature JournalAges 13–18* Launch a peer-led podcast or YouTube channel on local ecology* Create a Secret Library Club at your school* Map where nature is thriving or hurting in your town* Interview local elders about how nature has changedAdults & Elders* Host an intergenerational circle* Mentor an Eco-Guardian-in-Training* Organize a sharing table or “Freecycle” event* Write a legacy letter to your family about your values as an Eco-GuardianWhat’s your own “micro-mission”? Want to invent one and share it below as a comment?Your Activation InvitationLet’s wrap this with something simple and doable—a starting point for your next step:Pick one action.Start small if that’s where your energy is. Or dream big and declare your own Impossible Mission—one that calls you to rise beyond what you’ve ever done before.Don’t worry about the whole staircase.Just take the next step that feels joyful, aligned, and yours.Mini-Mission:Pick one quadrant this week:* Being – Meditate, breathe, or flow in nature.* Doing – Take one small aligned mission.* Relating – Call a friend, thank a teacher, join a group.* Creating – Start something. Anything. A ripple. A garden. A letter.Let me know what purposeful action you’ll take on this week in the comments:What’s your “project spark”? What’s one small way you’re stepping forward?We’re in this together. And it all matters more than we know.With purpose,—Brad (aka W. Bradford Swift, Eco-Guardian-in-Training, author of One Cause) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

For a long time, I thought the solution was just doing more.More writing. More coaching. More composting. More advocacy.I thought the world needed me in action.And it does.But what I’ve come to understand—what life has been teaching me, especially over the past few years—is that before we change the world, we must change our relationship to the world. That’s really what One Cause is all about. Releasing the four Great Untruths and embracing and living from the four Great Truths. And that requires becoming someone new. Not inauthentically, not by trying to be someone else, but by growing into the next expression of who we truly are.That’s the journey I’ve been on.That’s the invitation of One Cause.That’s what this article and podcast episode is about.A Vow to GrowI wake each morning now with a quiet ritual—what I call my One Cause Daily Protocol. It’s simple. I sit, I breathe, and I re-commit. Not just to writing or activism or checking items off a to-do list. But to being a person who lives as if the Four Great Truths are real, trustworthy, and the foundation for a regenerative future.I won’t share the whole thing here (it’s long and sacred to me), but I’ll give you a piece of it:“Even while living in a world and culture shaped for hundreds of years by the Four Great Untruths, I choose to dedicate my life to living in alignment with the Four Great Truths—to the best of my ability.”“This is, without a doubt, an impossible mission for me… and yet, it is also the next level of my Life On Purpose journey, which began in earnest in 1996.”That was nearly 30 years ago.Now, at 76, I’m choosing to level up again.Not to “save the world” but to live in service to it.That choice shows up in my morning meditations, in my rhythm of writing, in the creation of the Loving Homestead, and in the launch of the Eco-Guardian Youth Project.But most of all, it shows up in who I’m becoming.Some days I do this with a steady heart and a strong spine. Other days, I’m tired or anxious or distracted. I fall short. But I come back. Because this isn’t about perfection. It’s about purposeful practice.The Compass for BecomingOne of the tools that’s helped me orient this journey is a framework adapted from Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory—a way of seeing ourselves and our actions in four interrelated dimensions:* Being – Who am I becoming?* Doing – What actions am I taking?* Relating – Who am I walking with?* Creating – What am I contributing to the world?This simple compass reminds me that inspired action is not just about what I accomplish out there. It’s about what I cultivate in here—and how I connect it all together.Let me walk you through how these quadrants have shown up in my life… and how they might serve you, too.Being: The Inner Ground of Inspired ActionWhen we speak of action, we often rush past the inner world—the emotions, habits, and self-perceptions that shape how we show up. But as I’ve learned (again and again), becoming the kind of person who takes inspired action begins inside.For me, this has meant cultivating flow states—both on the pickleball court and at the writing desk. It’s not just about playing better or writing faster. It’s about discovering that place where action and awareness merge. Flow reminds me that I’m capable of more than I think—and that joy, not fear, can power progress.It’s also meant learning emotional agility.I used to believe that if I felt anxious or overwhelmed, I needed to “fix it” before moving forward. Now, I’m learning to walk with those emotions. To listen to them. To let them sharpen my focus rather than steal my power.And perhaps most of all, I’ve discovered the power of eudaimonic joy—that deeper kind of fulfillment that comes not from getting what I want, but from living in alignment with what matters. Purpose. Service. Connection. These are the renewable fuels of a regenerative life.Doing: Hero Training in Daily LifeIt’s one thing to feel inspired. It’s another to act on it.One of my core commitments lately has been to take daily actions, no matter how small, that strengthen my alignment. I think of it as hero training—not in a flashy, Marvel-movie kind of way, but in the ordinary, real-world sense of being someone others can count on.For me, that includes:* Moving my body with intention (pickleball is my dojo)* Journaling my thoughts, doubts, and dreams* Tackling micro-missions like writing letters, planting pollinators, or simply sharing a Substack note that might ripple outwardSmall doesn’t mean insignificant.Small is how everything starts.Relating: Who We Walk WithOne of the biggest breakthroughs I’ve had in the One Cause journey is realizing that I don’t need to do it all alone. In fact, I can’t.Whether it’s building the Loving Homestead with Ann…Or coaching a client who’s writing a legacy-worthy novel…Or participating in organizing a Community After Hours with my friend, Kerry…I’m discovering that action becomes more joyful—and more sustainable—when it’s done in community.Even this project—this article you’re reading—is an act of co-creation. Between you and me. Between human intelligence and (yes) artificial intelligence. Between idea and action. So if you’ve been feeling like you need to “figure it all out” before stepping forward… let that go. Find your circle (In fact, this may be it, or at least one of them). Invite others in. Even one other person can shift everything. Let me know how I and others in this community can support your purposeful project(s).Creating: Acts of RegenerationI used to think “creative acts” meant writing books or starting movements. And sure, those count. But I’ve come to realize that any act that brings more life into the world is a creative act.Composting.Storytelling.Mending a shirt.Rewilding a corner of your backyard.Organizing a neighborhood seed swap.Every one of these is a regenerative gesture—a way of saying: “This world matters. I choose to be a part of its healing.”So don’t wait for the big moment.Start creating now.Even small ripples can become waves.You Are the OneI’ll end this Substack with a reminder that changed me the first time I heard it:“You are the one you’ve been waiting for.”No superhero is coming.No perfect plan will arrive.But you? You are already enough to begin.So here’s my invitation:Mini-ActivationThis week, choose one of the four quadrants:* Being – Meditate, breathe, or flow.* Doing – Take one small mission aligned with your values.* Relating – Call a friend, thank a teacher, or join a local circle.* Creating – Make something. Anything. Then share it.And if you feel moved, let me know in the comments or let’s chat about it:What’s one small way you’re becoming the person the future needs?We’re in this together.And we’re just getting started.With purpose,Brad (aka W. Bradford Swift, Eco-Guardian-in-Training & Founder of One Cause)One Cause is for those who know we’re meant to live in deeper harmony with the Earth—and each other. If this vision resonates, subscribe to receive weekly reflections and bold possibilities for our shared future. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Not long ago and more nights than I care to remember, two questions kept me awake at night.What is an Eco-Guardian-in-Training (EGIT)?And are you one?The questions wouldn’t let me go. They prompted me to remember a time from my past when I co-founded the Life On Purpose Institute and, for 22 years, watched thousands of people begin their journey by taking the Life On Purpose Self-Test. That simple tool became the first step for countless people clarifying and living into their Divinely Inspired Purpose.And it hit me: maybe it’s time for a new self-test.Not for purpose alone this time, but for something bigger:To help people of all ages — from curious 10-year-olds to wise elders — discover where they are on the journey of becoming an Eco-Guardian.A Bit of BackstoryLong before One Cause had a name, I was writing eco-fiction for young people with this mission in my heart:To inspire young people to become joyful lifelong readers and responsible, caring stewards of the Earth and all her inhabitants.As One Cause evolved, a new name surfaced for that vision: Eco-Guardians.Eco-Guardians aren’t superheroes (though they sometimes feel like it). They are ordinary people who remember the extraordinary truth: we are not separate from nature, but part of it. Their calling is simple and profound—to care for Earth, her creatures, and each other.But how do we know if we’re on this path?That’s where the Eco-Guardian Self-Test comes in.The Self-Test: Three Paths, One JourneyWe’ve created three versions of the Self-Test, each tuned to where you are in life:* Eco-Guardian Foundations Test (ages 10–14): 10 questions to help younger seekers explore belonging, kindness, curiosity, and gratitude.* Eco-Guardian Growth Test (ages 15–18): 15 questions that stretch into resilience, systems thinking, and identity.* Eco-Guardian Mastery Test (adults & elders): 20 questions for those ready to weave stewardship, reciprocity, and mentorship into daily life.Each test is short, fun, and designed to help you see both your strengths and your growth edges.And like any true initiation, there are stages of progress: Explorer → Helper → Hero. Awakening → Engaged → Thriving. And ultimately: Stewardship.Why It MattersThe Self-Test isn’t about a score. It’s about remembering who we really are.Through myth, story, and the 20 Qualities of Eco-Guardianship, we are building not just a new kind of human being — but remembering who we’ve been all along, before the Four Great Untruths clouded our way.How to Take the TestHere’s where it gets fun. The Self-Test will live inside the Secret Library, alongside Ra-Kit’s Initiation and other treasures. (All of which are available on a “Pay What You Will” format.)Why? Because this isn’t just a “quiz.” It’s a portal.When you step through, you’ll not only gain access to the Eco-Guardian Self-Test Report (with all three versions), but you’ll also be joining a circle of people committed to remembering and living as Eco-Guardians (and who has access to the growing resources found within the Eco-Guardian Secret Library. An InvitationTake the test. Share your results here either as a comment or join this week’s chat: Then, invite your kids, grandkids, students, or friends to do the same.Share with the community:* What stage are you on the path?* What quality are you most proud of?* What’s one edge you’re excited to grow?Let’s see what happens when we take this journey not just alone, but together.Because being an Eco-Guardian is not a title. It’s a lifelong practice.And it begins with a single step of remembering.We’re growing a community of Eco-Guardians-In-Training so join this movement within the larger movement of the Great Turning. Subscribe for free or with a paid subscription. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A Letter from the FogDear fellow Ego-Guardians-In-Training,If I’m being fully transparent, this next part of the journey—moving from vision to action—feels both exhilarating and daunting. I’ve spent months now weaving together the threads of One Cause—laying out the Great Untruths that got us here, and the Great Truths that could guide us home. We’ve imagined a possible new future or at least a framework for one. We’ve planted the seed of a youth movement. And now… we’re standing at the edge.It’s time to act.And here’s where I want to pause and speak plainly. Because if I’ve learned anything from my own path—and from the people I coach and write for—it’s this:Knowing what to do is not the same as being ready to do it.Truth is, I’ve been circling this very chapter for days…no, weeks. Each time I sat down to write it, I found myself distracted… hesitant… heavy. And slowly I began to realize: this chapter isn’t just about writing about the roadblocks.I was inside one.If you relate to this, leave me a comment so I know I’m not alone.Some days, it’s resignation that grabs hold. “It’s too late,” it whispers when I read the latest climate data or hear yet another political leader dodge the truth.On other days, it’s confusion. “Where do I even begin?” I ask, even as I sit in a room full of notes and plans.And more often than I’d like to admit, I feel that slow fog of overwhelm creep in—when the gap between what I want to create and what I can manage feels too wide to cross.I used to see these feelings as failures. Signs I wasn’t committed enough. Or strong enough. But now I recognize them for what they are:They’re the friction before the flame. The fog before the light.And so I want to offer this to you—whoever and wherever you are on the path. If you’ve ever felt stuck… or small… or unsure how to begin—you are not alone.There’s a reason we don’t leap into action the moment we learn the truth. There’s a kind of grief to face first. A kind of disorientation. We have to come to terms with the fact that the world we thought we lived in is already changing—and that the solutions will almost certainly not come from the systems that caused the harm.That’s a lot to hold.So I say this with love and urgency: Let’s hold it together.Let’s stop pretending that we have to have it all figured out before we move. Because more often than not, it’s the moving that brings the clarity. Do we wait to feel inspired or do we act knowing that it is through action that inspiration is ignited and sustained?Action is what clears the fog. Action is what unlocks the flow.One action that could lead to a community inspired would be to join the chat where you can share your challenges as well as your successes. It doesn’t have to be grand. You don’t need to launch a nonprofit or write a book although you may choose to do either or both. Maybe it starts with planting one native flower in your yard. Maybe it’s writing a letter to your grandkids—born or not yet born—about the future you dream for them. Maybe it’s just sitting with the discomfort and not allowing yourself to go numb.That’s still movement.That’s still sacred.So yes, this chapter could have been titled “The Five Barriers to Action” and offered tidy bullet points on resignation, complacency, confusion, overwhelm, and hopelessness.But I’d rather tell you this:I’m stumbling through these barriers too. And I believe with all my heart that we can meet them—and move through them—together.We can turn despair into devotion.We can compost confusion into clarity.We can turn stuckness into a seed that breaks open—with just enough light.Because the truth is, you don’t need perfect clarity to begin. You just need to say yes.Yes to trying.Yes to caring.Yes to showing up, however you can.And I’ll be here with you as we take those next steps—toward inspired action, and a future worth regenerating.With muddy boots and an open heart,BradJoin a movement in the process of moving forward through the fog and straight on to dawn. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Last November, something cracked open in me.The U.S. presidential election results had just landed, and like many, I was holding out hope for leadership that might finally meet the moment—leadership that could help steer us away from collapse and toward regeneration. Truthfully, I didn’t hold out a lot of hope that either political parties’ candidates would focus sufficient efforts on our global climate crisis, but I felt pretty confident that at least one of them would make some effort in the right direction. But when the winner was a ‘self-proclaimed climate change denier, I felt a sinking ache in my chest.Our political leaders aren’t going to save us. In fact, our entire political system that continues to cling to the myths of domination, separation, and control isn’t the answer. We can’t continue to do the same thing over and over and over while expecting different results. I was tired of that insanity.I recalled a powerful YouTube video I’d watched during one of my Game Changers Intensives. It started with this haunting reframe: “It’s 3:23 in the morning and I’m awake because my great great grandchildren won’t let me sleep. They ask me in dreams, What did you do while the planet was plundered? What did you do while the earth was unraveling?…what did you do once you knew?”I didn’t have to wonder that far into the future about my great great grandchildren. I wondered and worried what I would say to my grandkids, Logan and Piper. I didn’t know what my answer would be. I just knew I couldn’t keep holding back. I had to do something and it didn’t take a giant leap to know that it would include writing, but not about symptoms—carbon, consumption, corruption—but about causes. Deeper causes. Root causes. And that was the birth of One Cause.It started as a short Substack series. A weekly space to share hard truths and hopeful visions. But over the months, it grew—into a book-in-progress, a blueprint of Four Great Untruths and Four Great Truths, and maybe, just maybe… a movement.Not a movement in the marching sense. A movement in the growing sense. A living thing. Organic. Unfolding.The Moment BetweenRight now, we’re in what Joanna Macy would call “The Space Between Worlds.” The Great Unraveling is here. You can feel it. The systems that once held us no longer do. But we are also in the midst of the Great Turning. It will not be led from Washington or Wall Street. It will be led by us—eco-conscious families, community visionaries, regenerative thinkers, and most especially… our youth. Because when I asked myself where the real turning point might come from, the answer was immediate: Our kids, and our grandkids, and their kids…The ones who haven’t yet forgotten what it means to live close to the Earth.And so, the next seed began to germinate.Inspired by the Great Turning? Share this article with another eco-conscious soul: a teacher, parent, or young person Introducing: The Eco-Guardian Youth ProjectOut of One Cause, the Eco-Guardian Youth Project (EGYP) is emerging—a multi-phase, multi-generational invitation to reawaken our children’s connection to nature, story, purpose, and the power of their own creative voice. Here’s what it looks like in its early form:Vision SummaryEGYP is a movement to inspire, awaken, and empower youth ages 10–18 to become joyful, creative stewards of the Earth.It begins with story.It deepens through creative expression.It takes root through community, mentorship, and regenerative training. It’s about equipping a new generation of Eco-Guardians-in-Training (EGITs) with the courage, collaboration, and leadership to protect what they love.Here’s How I See It UnfoldingEntry Portal: Storyteller to StorymakerOne of the main entry points will be local and online co-creative Storyteller to Storymaker events where kids create a magical eco-story in real time. These will be opportunities for young participants to tap into their purpose-inspired imagination—and glimpse the world they will help shape. They will also learn about and receive a special ‘library card’ to the Eco-Guardian Secret Society Library, a hidden online space filled with eco-fiction, nonfiction, and Earth-honoring wisdom. Access to the secret library is on a Pay-What-You-Will basis, because no child should be left out of this movement by monetary constraints.Our initial goals for the Secret Library by the end of the first quarter of 2026:* 500+ digital library cards issued* 200+ library patrons visiting the library* 300+ eco-book downloadsPhase 2: The Eco-Author ChallengeIn 2026, the plan is to launch our first Eco-Author Challenge where young writers, artists, and eco-storytellers will submit fiction and nonfiction work for possible inclusion in a youth-authored anthology of writing and illustrations. This will be also be the opportunity for participants to learn the fun and joy of cooperative and creative collaboration.Phase 3: The Eco-Guardian Training Camp (EGTC)A deeper dive for the kids who want to keep going. Towards the end of 2026 (or earlier if the resources come available) we’ll launch phase 3, the Eco-Guardian Training Camp which will include:* Monthly eco-missions* Interactive Zoom workshops* Peer support & mentorship* Creative exploration where other family members, teachers, and librarians are invited as allies.Why This Matters NowThe climate crisis isn’t just about rising seas and escalating temperatures. It’s about rising anxiety. Rising disconnection. Rising loneliness.Our kids are inheriting a world that feels broken.Let’s give them something else.Let’s give them a place to belong—a circle, a story, and a mission.How is your family navigating the Great Unraveling? Comment below or join the Chat.Call for Collaborators & Eco-Conscious FamiliesRight now, we’re forming the early roots of this vision—and we’d love you to join us.We’re currently seeking:* Youth-centered educators* Artists, writers, and librarians* Homeschooling families* Eco-parents and grandparents* Potential beta-testers* Founding members of an informal Eco-Conscious Family Advisory CircleIf you’re reading this and feeling the stir of “Yes, I want to help,” reach out.We’re building something beautiful—and your voice is welcome and needed.Reach out if you’re ready to co-create something regenerative. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

“Bring out the secrets of nature for the happiness of humanity.”—Thomas EdisonWhen you think of a genius, you might picture someone like Thomas Edison—brilliant, prolific, and ruthlessly practical. He held over 1,000 patents, lit up the world with electricity, and helped create entire industries.And yet, one of his lesser-known quotes reveals something deeper:“Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Sales are proof of utility, and utility is success.”What if that had been different?What if Edison had said instead,“Anything that doesn’t serve nature, I won’t invent”?Or, “I’ll make sure all my inventions serve all of nature.”What if genius wasn’t just measured in profits—but in regeneration?In healing ecosystems? In protecting future generations?Rethinking Genius for the Climate EraWe’re not just in a tech revolution. We’re in a values revolution.And it’s asking us to realign our creative brilliance with Earth’s needs.What does that look like?Let’s explore how genius unfolds when aligned with the Four Great Truths.InterconnectednessBuildings designed like trees. Cities modeled after watersheds. Living walls that breathe. Biophilic design is more than beautiful—it’s genius guided by connection.SufficiencySolar-powered irrigation tools shared across community farms. Open-source tech in the Global South. These are innovations that whisper: “There is enough, if we share.”ReciprocityRegenerative farming practices. Fungi that form mutualistic partnerships underground. Genius, it turns out, doesn’t dominate the soil—it listens to it.StewardshipDesigners embracing cradle-to-cradle design ask:“Can this product return to the Earth or be used again endlessly?”From sneakers to smartphones, stewardship is becoming a blueprint.Eco-Innovation SpotlightsVinisha Umashankar (India)At just 14, she designed a solar-powered ironing cart—clean, portable, and practical. It replaces charcoal carts used by millions of vendors. She’s been recognized by the Earthshot Prize and spoke at COP26.Tree-Planting DronesCompanies like Dendra Systems are using drones to reforest areas faster and more precisely than humans can alone. Tech meets trees. Restoration at scale.Indigenous Climate SolutionsFrom controlled burns to solar-powered fish camps, Indigenous wisdom is guiding new climate adaptations. Ancient intelligence meets modern need.These aren’t just cool projects. They’re proof: Real genius is humble, regenerative, and in service to life.What If… the Next iPhone Healed the Planet?Let’s stretch our vision.What if the next iPhone regenerated coral reefs?What if our “smart homes” grew vegetables and filtered rainwater. Or even better what is our homes separated our ‘gray water’ to use in our garden from the waste water which was then ‘composted’ locally for future use?What if middle school science fairs became incubators for rewilding the suburbs?Imagination isn’t a luxury—it’s a tool of survival and ultimately a portal to our thriving in a regenerative future. It’s time to start dreaming forward.Visioneering Your Own Eco-Genius ProjectHere’s your invitation to get started:* Ask: What breaks your heart about what’s happening to Earth?(Dead coral? Plastic-filled oceans? Birdsongs going silent? The loss of pollinators globally?)* Imagine: If Nature could whisper an answer, what might she say?(Start with what’s alive near you.)* Begin: What small, doable project could you begin or continue as a small step to a regenerative future? A backyard pollinator patch? A soil experiment? A letter to your mayor? For example, one of my ongoing project is transforming my yard that I once had to cut everyone two weeks into a food forest. Here are a few pics of our latest additions/kins.4. Then tell someone about your mini-eco project. How about including this Gaia’s Call community by leaving a comment in the Chat By the way, the chat feature is available both within the Substack app and on the website. Redefining GeniusWe’ve inherited more than Edison’s brilliance—we’ve inherited his blind spots.So let’s rewrite the rules.Not “What will sell?” But “What will serve life?”Real genius isn’t just clever.It’s caring. It’s regenerative.It grows futures worth living into.Your Bonus Mini-Mission: Activate Your Inner VisionaryThis week, choose one:* Learn about a young climate innovator like Vinisha.* Write down 3 “What if…?” ideas for healing the planet.* Start a journal of nature-inspired ideas (yes, doodles count).* Share this article with someone who needs a nudge of possibility.Because the next revolution in innovation won’t come from tech titans.It’ll come from gardeners. Grand-Dudes. Librarians. Artists. You.P.S. What If Genius Became a Movement?Behind the scenes, I’ve been nurturing a bold new vision:The Eco-Guardian Youth Project.It begins with a Secret Library.Leads into a youth writing challenge.And blossoms into an Eco-Guardian Training Camp—a place where young readers, writers, and visionaries gather to reimagine the future.Think: Hogwarts for Eco-Guardians.It’s still unfolding—but if your inner genius (or outer mentor) feels called…I’d love to hear from you.Let’s imagine something beautiful into being—together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A Heroic MomentIt started with a phone call.It was a Thursday night. Ann and I had just settled in when Amber, our daughter, called. Their basement was flooding. Justin, her husband, had been called away as a first responder, and she needed help—immediately. “No big deal,” I thought. I packed a bag, grabbed some clothes, and drove up the mountain to their home. I figured I’d help vacuum the water, maybe stay the night.I had no idea we were stepping into a storm that would soon be named Helene.By 2 a.m., the power was gone. The vacuum was useless. The water kept rising. Inches of rain kept falling—hour after hour, day after day. We were to learn later that our area received from 13 to over 30 inches of rain. Cell towers went down next, due primarily to the power outages and disruption of the fiber optic lines, and with them, our ability to communicate with anyone. We were cut off. It was just Amber and me, two Eco-Guardians in crisis mode, with two small children—Logan, 3½, and Piper, 1½—and no idea what was coming next.For five days, we hunkered down. No power. No news. Just each other, and the steady rhythm of responsibility: diapers, food, water, buckets, blankets, calming fears. Was Ann okay? We had no way to know… until Justin managed to reach her days later, confirming she was safe.That week, I learned something about heroism.Not the cinematic kind. Not the lone savior kind.The real kind. Collaborative. Courageous. Committed to care.What does it mean to be a hero when the world we know is unraveling?When was the last time you felt the pull to rise—not as a savior, but as a steward?The true superpower of our time isn’t domination. It’s cooperation and collaboration. But what does this look like?Consider the International Space Station. It took 15 nations—many of them former adversaries—over a decade to build something none could have accomplished alone. Astronaut Ron Garan calls this the Orbital Perspective —the worldview that emerges when you look back at Earth from space and realize we’re all in it together.And I believe this is the same as the On Purpose Perspective that has inspired the One Cause movement: seeing Earth not as a battlefield, but as a beloved home. A shared miracle…one that we’ve been mistreating and taking for granted, but also one that has amazing healing powers when given the chance.The Hero, the Genius, the Visionary: They All Live in YouBrian Johnson says, “You are the hero we’ve been waiting for.”And I’d add: the genius? That’s you, too. The visionary? Also you.You don’t need superpowers. Just purpose.Joseph Campbell gave us the Hero’s Journey. But our dragons today aren’t fire-breathing monsters. They’re internal illusions:* The myth that we’re separate from nature.* The addiction to more is always better.* The belief that we can innovate our way out of responsibility.The call to adventure today is to live aligned with the Four Great Truths.This is more than action. It’s a full-system shift—what Ken Wilber would call a four-quadrant transformation:* Upper Left: How we see ourselves.* Lower Left: How we relate to others.* Upper Right: What we create and build.* Lower Right: How we organize communities and systems.Here’s a brief overview of the quadrants. To be a hero now means embracing a worldview that regenerates life, rather than depletes it.Living the Truths: Real-World Eco-GuardiansHere are four real-world heroes whose work embodies the Four Great Truths:Interconnectedness → Robin Wall KimmererBotanist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer weaves science with Indigenous wisdom. She reminds us that plants are not just resources—they are relatives. Her work is a living invitation to reciprocity and reverence.Sufficiency → Wangari MaathaiFounder of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, Maathai empowered thousands of women to plant over 50 million trees. Her work was rooted in the belief that there is enough—enough land, enough water, enough life—if we share and care for it.Reciprocity → Joanna MacyThrough The Work That Reconnects, Macy offers practices for transforming ecological grief into grounded, regenerative action. She helps people see their pain for the world not as weakness—but as love in disguise. ( I realize that Joanna has recently passed away. I’m also sure her work lives on in many of us.)Stewardship → Boyan Slat and Youth Eco-LeadersAt just 16, Slat launched The Ocean Cleanup. Today, his efforts inspire a generation. Around the world, youth-led permaculture teams, regenerative garden crews, and Earth Listening Circles are reclaiming stewardship as sacred.Want to spotlight your own local hero?Click the “Join the Chat” button and share your story. I’ll start with mine: my wife, Ann, who founded the Hendersonville Repair Cafes—teaching people to fix what’s broken instead of tossing it out.You Are Already on the PathHere’s the truth: if you’re reading this, you’re already walking your path.I’m walking mine, too.* These weekly One Cause articles? That’s part of it.* My time in the garden, tending to squash and sweet potatoes? That’s part of it. (More coming on my Loving Homestead experiment soon.)* Hosting Earth Listening Circles and listening deeply to the pain—and promise—of our time? That’s part of it, too.Want to go deeper? Try journaling with one of these prompts:* What breaks your heart most about the world right now?* When have you felt most connected to nature?* What’s one small act of restoration you’ve already done?* What’s a dream you have that could help life on Earth thrive?* Who in your life is already living as a modern-day hero?* What’s one way you can embody one of the Four Great Truths this week?Mini-Mission: Your Heroic StepChoose one act this week. Make it small. Make it soulful. Make it yours. Here are a few suggestions:* Tend to a part of nature near you—even if it’s a tired houseplant or a patch of sidewalk.* Share one journaling prompt with someone you care about.* Post about the Great Truth that’s most alive for you. (Click Here to review the 4 Great Truths.)* Begin a “hero’s notebook” for wild, regenerative ideas.Then tell someone. Pass it on. Share it here by clicking the Comment button. That’s how movements begin.Because the future doesn’t belong to superheroes.It belongs to visionaries in muddy boots, to fierce-hearted families, to old and bold grand-dudes, and to eco-guardians rising in every corner of this turning world.This is your invitation.To stop waiting. To start creating. To be the cause.The age of separation is ending. The age of stewardship has begun.Shall we begin? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A Note for Families and the Young at HeartLast Friday, I shared some reflections on a new energy law passed by Congress—how it reveals the deeper beliefs shaping our politics, and how we might start building something better from the ground up.But the real question I’ve been sitting with since then is this: What are we teaching the next generation about freedom, responsibility, and the earth we all share?That’s why I wrote the following piece—not as a political commentary, but as a walk through the woods with my grandkids and other young Eco-Guardians in training. It’s a conversation I imagine having with Logan when he’s just a little older and starting to wonder how this world works… and how he can help shape it.It’s written from the heart, in the voice of “Grand-Dude,” with just enough dirt on the boots to keep things grounded in love, wonder, and truth.Feel free to share it with the kids in your life—or with the child still alive in your own heart.What If Our Laws Helped the Earth?A Post-July 4th walk with Grand-DudeHey there, kiddo.Imagine you and I are out for one of our favorite walks through the woods. The sun’s peeking through the trees, birds are singing overhead, and there’s a gentle breeze that smells just a little like pine needles and adventure.Now, let me ask you something.What if the rules we made—you know, the big ones, the laws—helped the Earth instead of hurting it? What if every decision grown-ups made about energy, land, and how we live was also a promise to care for nature, for animals, and for kids like you?What Happened This WeekWell, this week, the grown-ups in charge passed a big new law. It’s all about energy. It might sound good at first—more jobs, more power, more stuff—but here’s the thing: most of that energy will come from digging up fossil fuels like oil and gas.And fossil fuels? They’re kind of like old buried treasure... but when we burn them, they make the air dirty, hurt animals’ homes, and heat up the planet more than it already is.So that got me thinking...The Four Great Untruths (a.k.a. some big misunderstandings)You see, there are some ideas many adults still believe—ideas that just don’t hold up when you look at the world closely, especially out here in the woods. I call them the Four Great Untruths. Let me tell you what they are, and you tell me if they sound right to you, okay?* “We’re separate from nature.”That’s like saying a tree doesn’t need the soil, or that we don’t need air or water. Silly, right?* “More is always better.”Imagine trying to eat 100 cookies in one sitting. You’d probably get a bellyache. The Earth does too.* “The Earth has endless resources.”Even your flashlight runs out of battery. So does the planet when we take too much.* “Technology will save us.”Tech is cool—robots, rockets, and all—but we also need love, kindness, and wisdom. You can’t plug that into a charger.The Four Great Truths (the real treasures)Now here’s what I believe deep down—and I bet you do too. These are the Four Great Truths. These are the seeds we can plant together for a better world:* Interconnectedness – We’re all part of one big web of life. Like when a bee helps a flower, and the flower feeds a butterfly, and the butterfly makes us smile.* Sufficiency – There’s enough for everyone when we share—like pie on Thanksgiving when we each take just what we need.* Reciprocity – Giving and receiving go together. Like when you give a hug and get one back. Or when you help nature, and nature helps you.* Stewardship – This is the big one: taking care of the Earth like it’s your pet, your playground, your best friend. Because it is.Your Mini-Mission: Ready to make some magic?I’ve got a few little quests for you. Pick one—or all—and make this Independence Day about more than just fireworks.Draw a “Freedom Flag”Not just stars and stripes. Try trees and rivers, birds and bees. Make it a flag for all life.Ask your family a big question“What does real freedom mean—for people, animals, and the planet?” You might be surprised by what they say.Plant somethingA seed. A flower. A tree. Even a dream. And while you're at it, pick up a piece of trash if you see one.And Remember…You may be small, but your heart is huge. And your voice matters more than you know.So let’s walk a little further, hand in hand, and dream together...Because the future needs you, brave Eco-Guardian. With love and muddy boots,Your Grand-DudeUnleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Before the fireworks faded this year and Rascal (my canine companion) had finally calmed down, I found myself caught in the sparks of something else entirely: a clash of narratives surrounding H.R.1, dubbed by some the “Big Beautiful Bill.” I’d heard plenty of heated rhetoric from Democratic leaders condemning the bill as a blatant handout to the wealthy and fossil fuel interests. But then I read a very different take—this time from a thoughtful Trump-supporting acquaintance who spoke glowingly of the bill’s promise for energy independence and economic revival.So I did what I often do when something doesn’t sit quite right on either side.I paused. I got quiet. And I chose to look for myself.Not through the lens of party loyalty. Not through the red vs. blue tribalism that dominates our national conversation. But through the deeper lens of One Cause—a project I’ve been living, writing, and inviting others into since the last election.Because the truth is, we don’t just need new policies. We need a new foundation for policymaking itself. A worldview that doesn’t pit us against each other or against the planet we depend on—but one that recognizes our interdependence and shared future.And this bill? Whether you love it or hate it, it reveals exactly what happens when we legislate from a dysfunctional and unsustainable worldview.Let’s unpack that.What Is the “Big Beautiful Bill” Really About?H.R.1, officially titled the “Lower Energy Costs Act,” is a sweeping piece of legislation aimed at ramping up fossil fuel extraction, deregulating environmental protections, and accelerating the permitting process for energy development—including oil, gas, and mining.Its supporters frame it as a bold move toward energy independence and economic prosperity. Its critics argue it’s a catastrophic giveaway to fossil fuel corporations, furthering environmental degradation and inequality. From the surface, it’s a political clash like any other.But let’s go deeper.What if the real issue isn’t just the bill’s content—but the worldview beneath it?The Four Great Untruths at WorkAs part of One Cause, I’ve identified what I call the Four Great Untruths—core assumptions that quietly shape much of our modern life, including our political systems. They’re not just wrong. They’re dangerously out of alignment with Indigenous wisdom of the ages, modern science, and the living systems we depend on.Let’s see how each shows up in H.R.1:1. We Are Separate from NatureThis untruth justifies treating the Earth as a resource pit rather than a living partner. H.R.1 reinforces this by stripping away environmental safeguards and fast-tracking extraction as if the land were inert, disposable, and unfeeling.2. More Is Always BetterThe bill celebrates growth—especially fossil-fueled economic growth—without acknowledging limits or consequences. It promotes more drilling, more mining, more consumption as if expansion were the same as prosperity.3. The Earth’s Resources Are InfiniteNowhere does H.R.1 reckon with planetary boundaries. There’s no mention of climate tipping points, ecological degradation, or the cost to future generations. It’s the legislative equivalent of raiding Earth’s savings account with no plan to repay.4. Technology Will Save UsThe bill leans heavily on innovation and deregulation, assuming that if we just remove enough “red tape,” market forces and tech will fix what’s broken—without needing to rethink the deeper patterns that created the problem in the first place.This isn’t to demonize those who support the bill. It’s to shine light on the operating system beneath it.And to ask: what if we chose a different foundation?The Four Great Truths: A Compass for Regenerative GovernanceNow imagine a bill shaped not by domination, scarcity, and short-term thinking—but by life-affirming truths grounded in ancient wisdom, ecological science, and human dignity.These are the Four Great Truths we explore in One Cause:1. InterconnectednessAll life is connected. We flourish together or not at all. Policy grounded in this truth would account for the well-being of watersheds, pollinators, ecosystems, and future generations—not just GDP.2. SufficiencyThere is enough for everyone when we use wisely and share fairly. Rather than hoarding or extraction, sufficiency prioritizes equity, access, and regenerative design.3. Reciprocity with NatureWe are part of nature’s web, not outside it. True freedom isn’t the right to exploit, but the opportunity to give back. Policy aligned with this truth would build soil, restore forests, and invest in life-giving systems.4. Humanity as Stewards, Not MastersWe are not rulers over nature, but caretakers within it. Governance rooted in stewardship sees leadership as service—not domination—and future-proofing as sacred responsibility.These truths aren’t partisan. They’re planetary.They’re not “left” or “right.” They’re forward.And we desperately need politics that reflect them.So What Are We Legislating For?Maybe that’s the real question this July 4th: Not just what we’re celebrating—but what we’re voting for. Organizing for. Teaching our children about.Are we defending a system that’s unraveling the very fabric of life?Or are we willing to co-create a new foundation—one rooted in truth, not ideology?I don’t know exactly what that next system looks like. But I know this: it won’t emerge from cynicism or despair. It will emerge from bold honesty, radical responsibility, and fierce love—for Earth, for each other, and for all generations to come.Mini-Mission: Read with New EyesThis week, take a few minutes to read one piece of legislation—not from outrage or allegiance, but from curiosity.Then ask yourself:* What worldview does this reflect?* Who or what benefits?* Who or what is left out?* How would this be different if we legislated from the Four Great Truths?Then share your reflections. With a friend. On social media. Or even better, with your local representative.Share Your Dream for a Regenerative FutureClick to add your vision. Your voice matters.Let’s turn governance into a conversation worth having.Final ReflectionThis isn’t about red vs. blue. It’s about life vs. collapse. Unity vs. division. Possibility vs. business-as-usual.It’s time we moved from extractive politics to purposeful politics.And the shift begins not in Washington—but right here.In our hearts, our homes, our homesteads, our circles of care.Because the most radical thing we can do right now is believe that a better system is possible.And then, brick by brick, truth by truth, build it.Subscribe for Future Purposeful Politics & One Cause Posts. We’re building a new path—together. Join us.PS: For the Young (and Young at Heart)As I reflected on all of this, I found myself imagining a future walk through the woods with my grandson, Logan. He’s only four now, but I picture him at ten or twelve, asking, “Grand-Dude, what kind of world are we making?” That image inspired me to craft a companion piece—a version of this message told with curiosity, playfulness, and muddy boots. One for the kids. One for the classrooms. One for the Eco-Guardians in training.I’ll be sharing it early next week. I hope you’ll read it aloud with a young one in your life—or maybe with the still-young part of your own heart. Stay tuned.P.S.S.David Attenborough’s Ocean: The world’s leading natural historian draws on a lifetime of knowledge to reveal how Earth’s vast, interconnected waterways can be restored.https://www.hulu.com/movie/ocean-with-david-attenborough-1d8f1a4a-72dc-4532-a0e0-d35daa00d3a7 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Our current educational model isn’t broken—it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do: prepare children to succeed in a world built on the Four Great Untruths. But what if that’s the problem?Want more inspiration like this? Subscribe to join a movement reimagining the future—one story, one step, one spark at a time.Why Traditional Education Needs to EvolveLet’s start with a hard truth: the dominant model of education is not preparing young people for the world they’re inheriting. It was never designed to. Rooted in the industrial era and shaped by the Four Great Untruths (GUTs), today’s schools often serve as pipelines—not to purpose or wisdom, but to productivity, conformity, and consumerism. These GUTs include:* We Are Separate from NatureThis untruth underlies much of our educational design—students spend the majority of their time indoors, disconnected from the natural world. It reinforces the illusion that humans are observers of nature, not participants in it.* More Is Always BetterThe relentless pursuit of grades, test scores, and academic accolades fosters a scarcity mindset and undermines intrinsic motivation, creativity, and well-being. Students become driven to outperform, rather than collaborate and create.* The Earth’s Resources Are InfiniteMost schools fail to teach ecological literacy—how systems like water, energy, and biodiversity actually function. Without understanding planetary boundaries, students grow up unaware of the ecological crises unfolding around them.* Technology Will Save UsWhile innovation matters, over-reliance on technological fixes discourages critical thinking and disconnects us from embodied wisdom. True resilience comes not just from knowing how to code, but from knowing how to compost, conserve, and connect.But what if we flipped the script? What would it look like to educate young people from the foundation of the Four Great Truths (GTs). Let’s imagine such an education system:* InterconnectednessThis truth teaches that everything is connected. When students learn from ecosystems, they begin to see the invisible threads linking soil to seed, breath to tree, and self to society. Compassion and systems thinking emerge naturally.* SufficiencyEnough is a powerful concept. In classrooms grounded in sufficiency, the race to 'do more' gives way to depth, presence, and joy. Students learn to work with what they have—creatively and gratefully.* ReciprocityLearning becomes a mutual exchange. Students are not empty vessels to be filled but co-creators of knowledge. Service learning, peer teaching, and real-world projects model the give-and-take of thriving communities.* StewardshipPurpose guides education when stewardship is the norm. Students aren't just preparing for jobs—they're preparing to be caretakers of the Earth, each other, and the generations to come. Education becomes not just informative, but transformative.This kind of education fosters creativity, resilience, and regenerative thinking—not just for surviving the future, but for co-creating it.What if school helped you solve real-world problems, like saving the planet?Know a parent, teacher, or changemaker who needs to read this? Let’s spread the vision. Tap to share.Small-Scale, Experiential Education ModelsFortunately, this reimagining is already happening in pockets around the world.Forest SchoolsForest schools bring students outdoors in all seasons, engaging with the rhythms of the land. Children explore forests, build shelters, track animals, and learn to care for the Earth through immersion and play. These schools prioritize curiosity, resilience, and hands-on engagement. Learn more at Forest School Association.Waldorf EducationFounded by Rudolf Steiner, Waldorf education emphasizes imagination, creativity, and the integration of the arts with academics. Children learn through movement, music, handwork, and storytelling. Rooted in rhythms, relationship, and reverence, Waldorf aligns powerfully with the Great Truths by fostering inner development and ecological awareness. Explore further at Waldorf Education - AWSNA.Project-Based LearningProject-Based Learning (PBL) allows children to learn by doing—designing, building, questioning, and solving real-world problems. Whether it’s designing a sustainable house or launching a school recycling campaign, students take ownership of their education through inquiry and collaboration. A strong example is High Tech High, which uses PBL to connect learning with life.Indigenous Models of EducationMany Indigenous communities around the world practice educational models rooted in storytelling, ceremony, and learning from elders. These traditions honor the sacred interconnection of life and emphasize respect, reciprocity, and stewardship. Examples include the Hawaiian "Aloha ʻĀina" (love of the land) programs and the First Nations' "Land as Teacher" approach. Learn more at The Indigenous Education Institute.“Imagine your school was a garden, and you learned math by measuring plants and science by watching them grow.”These approaches aren’t perfect—but they offer living blueprints for what’s possible when we educate with nature instead of about it.What alternative models have you seen—or dreamed of—for educating our youth? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.The Role of Communities in EducationA regenerative education system can’t rely on schools alone. Communities must be co-creators in the learning journey. When we begin to see education as something that happens not just within classroom walls but across gardens, kitchens, repair shops, and gathering circles, we unlock a deeper potential in our children—and in ourselves.Intergenerational learning plays a vital role in this. Our elders carry wisdom forged through experience—stories of resilience, skills in growing food, repairing tools, caring for land, and navigating life without reliance on digital shortcuts. When children and teens learn alongside grandparents and mentors, they connect to a lineage of knowledge that no textbook can replicate.What if we asked: “What could our grandparents teach that our textbooks can’t?”Community gardens, repair cafes, and local maker spaces become living classrooms. These are places where curiosity meets utility—where math is used to design a compost bin, where science is discovered in soil health, and where creativity is sparked through shared problem-solving. In these environments, young people learn how to build, repair, grow, and give back—skills essential to a regenerative future.Emotional resilience, too, is cultivated in community. It comes from knowing you belong—from feeling rooted in a village that celebrates your gifts and supports your struggles. When children grow up surrounded by caring adults, authentic connection, and a shared commitment to the well-being of all, they are better prepared to face uncertainty with courage and compassion.Together, communities can become ecosystems of learning—where wisdom is shared, creativity is celebrated, and the next generation is raised not just to survive, but to thrive.Ecological Literacy as a Core SkillAs climate disruption accelerates, ecological literacy isn’t a luxury. It’s a survival skill.* Understand natural systems—water cycles, soil health, biodiversity.* Practice Earth skills—growing food, composting, harvesting rainwater.* Build planetary perspective—seeing oneself as part of, not apart from, the web of life.I’m learning so much from our Loving Homestead experiment. Both what’s working and what needs work. I’ve learned that at 76, I don’t have the same energy and endurance that I did at 43 when we first moved to the North Carolina mountains. At the same time, I’m so thankful for the health and vitality I enjoy. I’m discovering creating a food forest feeds my soul as much as it will eventually feed my body.Invitation to ShareAs I continue to grow my own emerging food forest, I’ll be sharing photos in this space. I’d love to see how you are living as an Eco-Guardian in your corner of the world. Whether it’s a community garden, a home compost system, or simply a moment of quiet connection with nature—snap a photo and share it in a Substack Note. Tag it with #EcoGuardian so we can find and celebrate each other’s work.Here’s how to do it:* Go to your Substack dashboard.* Click on “Notes.”* Start a new Note, upload your image, and add a caption or comment.* Tag it with #EcoGuardian so we can all see and amplify each other’s acts of care.Or if that’s a too much of a techy challenge, send me email me with the image(s) attached at [email protected]’s build this movement, one inspired image at a time.Help grow our visual library of regeneration. Share this post and tag a fellow Eco-Guardian who might contribute a pic too!Fostering Creativity and CollaborationFrom climate change to collapsing ecosystems, today’s problems won’t be solved by memorizing answers. They’ll be solved by imagining better questions.* Encourage unstructured exploration—mud kitchens, backyard bug hunts, painting with natural dyes, or hours of fort-building in the woods. Unstructured time builds imagination.* Celebrate collaborative learning—youth-led climate clubs, community art projects, or team challenges that require group problem-solving and cooperation.* Integrate arts and sciences, myth and math, logic and love—combine storytelling with science experiments, or use theater to explore ecological themes. Let learning engage the whole child.Reflection and InspirationWhat do you wish school had taught you about nature? What would it look like for your community to become a learning ecosystem? What’s one small step you could take to begin reimagining education where you live?“Education is not preparation for life. Education is life itself.” — John DeweyLet’s raise a generation not just ready for the world—but ready to remake it.Ready to be part of reimagining education and community? Subscribe to follow the journey—and share this if it moved you.Let’s spark a thousand conversations (and school gardens) from here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Before the fireworks light up the sky, before the flags wave and the anthems echo, I invite you to take a breath with me. Not a performative one, not a patriotic puff of the chest—but a quiet, thoughtful breath. One that asks: What are we actually celebrating today? And perhaps more importantly: What do we want future generations to celebrate on this day a hundred years from now?A Meditation with the Mighty MuseI sat this morning in meditation—seeking clarity, grounding, perspective. I imagined I was in conversation with the Mighty Muse, that deep current of Cosmic Consciousness that has long whispered through the trees, flowed through rivers, and stirred the hearts of those willing to listen.And I asked:What might a truly liberated nation look like—one that honors all life, not just human life? What kind of freedom are we shaping with our daily choices, our politics, our parenting, our presence?What came was not a scolding, but an invitation. A gentle yet firm invitation to reflect, to reconnect, and to re-found what this country—and this world—might become.The Founding Fathers and the Seeds of Truth (and Untruth)Let’s give credit where it’s due. Many of the Founders, flawed and limited as they were, did tap into powerful ideas that mirrored what I now call the Four Great Truths (GTs):* Interconnectedness: Many early communities understood their lives depended on neighbors, land, and local systems.* Sufficiency: The American Revolution arose partly from frustration with royal excess. Simplicity and sufficiency had value.* Reciprocity: Self-governance emerged from the belief that rights come with responsibilities.* Stewardship: In agrarian life, land wasn’t just property—it was partnership.And yet, these Truths were quickly overshadowed by the Four Great Untruths (GUTs):* We Are Separate from Nature: Enslavement and land theft were justified by a belief in human superiority.* More Is Always Better: From manifest destiny to consumer culture, the drive for more became law.* The Earth’s Resources Are Infinite: Expansion never paused to ask what the land could bear.* Technology Will Save Us: Even then, there was a seduction in mechanization over mutuality.So here we are today—our cultural DNA a tangle of contradiction, potential, and peril.Fossil Fuels: The Hidden Architect of American PowerLet’s fast-forward to 1859. The first commercial oil well in Pennsylvania.That black liquid energy—so dense, so cheap, so powerful—poured fuel not only into engines but into entire worldviews. We stopped living off Earth’s "daily solar income" and began burning through her stored capital. Fossil fuels gave us highways, high-rises, global trade, industrial food… and the illusion that we were gods of endless growth.This changed everything. Including our politics.Cheap energy allowed us to externalize costs—ecological, emotional, and economic. It let us believe that distance erased consequence. And it built a political and economic system where those with access to the most energy (and money) could control the narrative.Even now, on this holiday, fossil fuels will power most of the fireworks shows, the traffic, the grills, the flights, the mass-produced flags…So again I ask: What are we really celebrating?Share Your Thoughts on This PostA New Declaration: Interdependence, Not Just IndependenceMaybe what we need isn’t a revolution, but a re-rooting. A return to the Great Truths:* Interconnectedness: We’re not above the web of life—we are the web of life. What harms one, harms all.* Sufficiency: There is enough—if we share wisely, live simply, and create systems rooted in equity.* Reciprocity: Rights and responsibilities go hand-in-hand. Democracy is not a spectator sport.* Stewardship: We are caretakers, not kings. Let us govern for the seventh generation.What might a political system rooted in these truths look like? Perhaps it would:* Prioritize the well-being of all species, not just human GDP.* Weigh policy based on long-term ecological health, not quarterly profits.* Replace extraction with regeneration.* Treat clean air, water, and soil as rights, not commodities.Call it Purposeful Politics. Call it Re-Founding America. Call it a dream.But if we don’t dream differently, we’re destined to keep repeating the same nightmares.So Where Do We Begin?We begin by not turning away. By refusing to let cynicism close our hearts. By reclaiming the power of civic imagination.Let’s talk with our kids—not just about fireworks but about why this land deserves our care. Let’s host intergenerational conversations about real freedom—the kind that includes Earth, the unseen, and the unborn. Let’s redefine patriotism as a love so deep, we’re willing to tell the truth about where we’ve been—and where we must go.Share This Post with a FriendMini-Mission: Redefine Your FreedomThis July 4th, I invite you to:* Light a candle in gratitude for Earth* Host a family “What is real freedom?” circle* Plant something. Literally. In soil.* Post a photo with the hashtag #EcoGuardian with your vision of freedom for all lifeLet’s make this Independence Day about interdependence. Let’s raise a new flag—one that doesn’t divide us by borders, but binds us through belonging.Share Your Eco-Guardian ActionFinal ReflectionWhat if our greatest patriotic act right now… is to grieve? To grieve the promises we’ve broken, the paths we’ve strayed from, the planet we’ve wounded.And then, to rise—not in anger, but in awe. In purpose. In One Cause—to become the ancestors future generations will thank.Let’s become citizens not just of nations—but of Life itself.P.S. I will be returning to our regular One Cause exploration next week with an in depth look at the role education and community plays in our regenerative future based on the 4 Great Truths.Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Last week, I shared a personal TED talk-style exploring the deeper roots of the climate crisis—not just as an ecological emergency, but as a crisis of belief.Today, in Part Two, I invite you to turn toward the path of healing and regeneration. This video introduces the Four Great Truths—ancient, enduring principles that offer a new foundation for how we might live, love, and lead forward.These truths aren’t abstract theories.They’re how life actually works when it’s in right relationship.And they’re the compass behind everything I’m doing with the One Cause Project.I’ve also decided that now is the right moment to share something even more personal: my Vow to the One Cause Experiment—a declaration I read each morning and evening, and one that defines how I want to live the rest of my life. You’ll find it below this introduction. If it speaks to you, I invite you to sit with it… maybe even speak it aloud or accept my invitation into the One Cause world.And again, if these videos move you, feel free to share them—or even nominate me to speak on the TED stage using this link.We need more truth in the world.We need more voices rising not in fear, but in care, courage, and commitment.Thank you for being one of those voices.Watch Part Two above. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

This is something different.Today, I’m stepping out from behind the keyboard and onto the metaphorical red dot—sharing a short TED-style talk that I hope will stir something deeper than statistics or news headlines ever could.This first video asks a simple but powerful question:What if climate change isn’t the problem—but a symptom of something upstream?This talk is a labor of love, distilled from years of writing, reflection, and the One Cause journey. I’ve long dreamed of sharing it on an actual TED stage—but whether or not that happens, I believe this message matters now.If it resonates with you, please consider sharing it—and if you feel moved, you can even recommend me to TED using this link. I’d be honored.Next week, I’ll share Part Two—where we shift from crisis to regeneration.For now, take a breath, and let’s explore what happens when we stop treating symptoms… and start asking better questions.Watch Part One above, then let me know your thoughts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A Real-Life Story of Group Flow in ActionIn 2017, a small group of young climate activists began meeting in living rooms and local libraries to tackle a question that burned in their hearts: What if we actually treated the climate crisis like the emergency it is? What if we organized with urgency, heart, and purpose?This was the birth of the Sunrise Movement, a now-national force for climate justice. Their mission? To stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. But their real secret sauce wasn’t just smart organizing or slick messaging. It was flow.They trained together. Sang together. Sat in circles and listened deeply. They moved not just with purpose, but with rhythm—and when they acted, it often felt electric, like riding a wave together.And here’s the key: they still are. The movement continues to evolve, drawing in new generations and inspiring local hubs to act in community. From pushing the Green New Deal into the public conversation to supporting climate champions for office, their actions ripple outward—powered by the synergy of shared flow.“When we sync our minds in pursuit of a higher purpose, we become capable of more than we ever imagined—together.” — inspired by Mihaly CsikszentmihalyiIf this story about collective flow and climate action inspires you, pass it on. Let’s ripple this forward. The world needs more of us moving together.What Is Group Flow (And Why It Matters Now)?That’s what we’re exploring today—what happens when a group of people steps beyond coordination and into flow. Because while most movements begin with passion, it’s flow that helps them sustain and scale. And in a time like ours, when the stakes are as high as they’ve ever been—for our climate, our future, and our children—it’s not enough to act. We must learn to act together, with grace, coherence, and power.When psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi first described “flow,” he was talking about that deeply immersive state where we lose track of time, feel fully engaged, and operate at our best. Think of a musician lost in the rhythm, or a surfer riding the perfect wave. But what happens when a group reaches that state—when they ride the wave not alone, but as one?Steven Kotler, one of the leading voices on the science of flow, calls this “group flow.” It’s that magic moment when conversation sparks without friction, ideas build on each other naturally, and action feels effortless and alive. But flow doesn’t appear by accident. It shows up when the conditions are right: shared risk, novelty, full embodiment, and a commitment to being fully present. Sound familiar? It should—because these are also the very qualities the climate crisis is inviting (and requiring) us to embody.We are, collectively, facing an unprecedented challenge. The risk is enormous. The terrain is unfamiliar. And the future will demand deep presence, creativity, and courage. It’s the perfect—if daunting—set-up for flow, if we’re willing to step into it together.In many ways, the Earth herself is calling us into flow.This is where the Four Great Truths of the One Cause movement come alive.The Four Great Truths—The Pillars of Group FlowFlow begins with Interconnectedness. When we drop the illusion that we’re separate—from one another or from the Earth—we soften into trust. And trust is the riverbed that flow runs through. We become less concerned with who’s right and more focused on what’s possible.Flow expands through Sufficiency. When we believe we don’t have enough—time, money, energy—fear tightens our grip. But when we come from a place of “enoughness,” our creativity breathes. Every voice matters. Every gesture counts. Even silence becomes sacred.Reciprocity nourishes flow. It’s not about give or take—it’s the dance of give and take. Flow blossoms when we feel both seen for what we offer and honored for what we receive. It’s an ecosystem of mutuality.And finally, Stewardship gives flow direction. When our goal is larger than ourselves—when we’re moving on behalf of life—ego steps back and purpose leads. We’re not jockeying for position. We’re rowing in the same direction, toward a future that’s calling us all.Of course, we must also be aware of what blocks the current.Which of these truths speaks loudest to your family or classroom?Join the chat and tell us what keeps you grounded—and what invites flow.The Four Great Untruths That Disrupt FlowThe Great Untruths we’ve inherited—ideas like “we are separate from nature,” or “more is always better”—act like boulders in the stream. They create eddies of scarcity, comparison, and burnout. A group chasing performance metrics over purpose may work harder, but it rarely flows. A group that believes technology alone will save us may stay busy but disconnected.Flow, by contrast, is intimate. Embodied. Present. And it thrives not on notifications or spreadsheets, but on breath, ritual, and relationship.So how do we create this magic in our families, schools, or communities?How to Create the Conditions for Group FlowWe begin with shared purpose. Not just a goal, but a why that brings light to our eyes. Then we make space for safety—emotional and psychological. People need to know they can speak up, stumble, and be held. We bring in rhythm: opening breaths, closing gratitude, even a favorite song that becomes a cue for connection. We listen—not just to words, but to tone, body language, silence. And we welcome each other’s gifts. Flow loves diversity, when it’s met with respect.Let me tell you what this looked like for the Green family.The Green Family in FlowThey started hosting monthly Earth Listening Circles (and you can join one too by clicking the link). The first few were, well… clunky. People talked over each other. The energy felt disjointed. But they kept showing up. Then they added a simple ritual—a candle at the center. They paused before speaking. They listened more deeply.One night, Emma shared a dream for a school garden. Lucas chimed in with an idea for filming the journey. Daniel remembered a grant program. Sarah offered to coordinate volunteers. Even Nancy and Robert added wisdom from their decades of herbal knowledge.Suddenly, something shifted. The ideas weren’t just ideas—they were alive. The family was flowing. And what started as a conversation became a full-fledged community project.They weren’t trying to be perfect. They were being present. And in that presence, flow found them.So, how might flow find you?Has your family or community ever had a moment of true flow?We’d love to hear your story below. Let’s learn from each other.Mini-Mission: Operation Flow TogetherMission Name: Flow Together, Grow TogetherGoal: Invite shared flow into your next gatheringIf you’re an eco-guardian in training (or you’re raising one), try this:Gather your people—family, friends, classmates. Light a candle or take a deep breath together. Then ask: “What’s something you care deeply about right now?”Let each person share. Then choose one spark to follow. Explore it. Play with it. Don’t try to fix or plan everything—just see where the energy leads.Flow follows joy. Flow follows trust. Flow follows us, when we let go of control and lean into connection.Let’s become a current the world can feel.Want to keep flowing with us? Subscribe now to follow the One Cause journey and receive each new chapter. Let’s grow this movement—one circle, one ripple, one cause at a time.Coming Next: A Deeper Dive into Education and CommunityHow do we raise kids who are resilient (even ‘anti-fragile’), creative, and ecologically wise? And what if Zak Bates himself had something to teach us about reimagining school from the ground up?Let’s find out—together. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

A True Story That Sparked a MovementIn 2019, residents of the small French town of Ungersheim made global headlines. Facing the twin threats of climate change and economic instability, the town embarked on a radical experiment: transition to local resilience. With strong leadership and grassroots participation, they transformed their food system to rely on local, organic agriculture, drastically reduced energy usage through solar investment and building retrofits, and built up local employment by emphasizing sustainability and community well-being over GDP growth.This real-world shift—dubbed "The Happy Degrowth"—became a model for other communities across Europe. At first, the changes seemed modest—planting school gardens, shifting to shared electric transport—but as more people joined in, a tipping point was reached. The town’s entire culture and economy began to orbit around regeneration.What began with a few citizens pulling weeds and dreaming bigger became an international signal of possibility—a real-life demonstration that resilience doesn’t have to wait for permission. It can begin in a backyard, a school, or a town square—wherever people gather to reimagine what’s possible together.Ungersheim showed us what it looks like when small groups lead with clarity, courage, and community—and the ripples they set in motion can reach around the world.What Are Social Tipping Points?In physics, a tipping point is the critical moment when an object in balance shifts and topples. In society, it’s the moment when a once-fringe idea suddenly becomes mainstream.According to Damon Centola’s research at the University of Pennsylvania, it takes just 25% of a group adopting a new behavior or belief to create a cascade of change. But it’s not about virality or influencers. It’s about complex contagions—ideas that require reinforcement, credibility, and social proof from multiple connections before they take root.Unlike a virus, a belief isn’t caught just by seeing it once. We need to see it coming from people we trust. Repeatedly. In different contexts. That’s what builds belief—and tips a society.“For behaviors that require coordination, credibility, and legitimacy, change needs social reinforcement,” Centola writes. “It needs multiple exposures from multiple sources.”This is a radical departure from the old myth of the single viral video or lone celebrity activist. Change doesn’t flow from the center out—it radiates from the edges inward, via wide, redundant bridges in our social networks.The Role of Grassroots MovementsLet’s be honest—big change rarely starts at the top. It usually starts in a school hallway, a community kitchen, or an online comment thread. It starts with people who are fed up, lit up, and willing to step up.Greta Thunberg didn’t start with a UN speech. She started with a hand-painted sign and a refusal to attend school on Fridays. Rosa Parks didn’t launch the civil rights movement from a stage. She sat down because she was tired. And tired of giving in.Grassroots movements work because they are embodied. They’re rooted in place, in pain, in urgency. And because they grow from real relationships, they have staying power.The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) movement began in grief, but its impact was seismic. In the 1980s, they changed not only laws but attitudes—because they refused to stop telling their stories and organizing others to act.And that’s the key: It’s not just about what you do, it’s about what you inspire others to do, too.Have you ever stood up for something at school or in your neighborhood and seen others follow your lead? That’s the ripple effect in action.Early Adopters and the Power of the EdgeOne of the most powerful myths we can debunk is that change comes from the most connected, most charismatic, or most credentialed.Real change often starts on the periphery.Early adopters are those brave enough to go first—not because they want to be seen, but because they’ve seen something worth believing in. They live on the edge of existing norms, and it’s from that edge that they can see new possibilities most clearly.In his book, Change: How to Make Big Things Happen, Centola explains how change doesn’t need influencers—it needs reinforcement. Wide bridges, not lone spotlights.In the climate world, this might look like:* A small-town mayor starting a composting initiative.* A family deciding to convert their lawn into a food forest.* A teacher rewriting the curriculum to include climate justice.One action. A few followers. Then many. Then a shift.The first penguin to dive into the water might seem brave—or foolish—but they’re the ones who show the rest it’s safe to follow.Storytelling as a CatalystFacts inform. Stories transform.Movements thrive when they’re driven by story. Not just numbers, but narratives. Not just stats, but symbols.Why do we remember The Story of Stuff? Why does Greta’s lone strike stick with us? Because these stories are simple, human, and emotional. They don’t just show us the problem—they invite us to be part of the solution.While the stories that make up the Zak Bates Eco-Adventure series didn’t really happen, they are based on true life events. I remembered the positive impact fictional stories had on my life growing up, including the Tom Swift Jr. series. The only problem with Tom was he was only interested in techy gadgets while my passion was for animals. So I decided to reach today’s kids who also love animals and want to believe in magic by writing the kinds of stories I would want to read.“What’s your story? And who needs to hear it?”Turning Ripples into Waves – The Green Family RespondsLet’s ground this in our One Cause companions:At first, it was just an idea over dinner—Sarah and Daniel inviting a few neighbors to share a potluck and brainstorm ways to reduce single-use plastics in their community. What began as a casual conversation turned into a community-wide initiative to plant trees, share reusable alternatives, and co-create a local zero-waste week.Meanwhile, their daughter Emma noticed the mountains of Styrofoam trays in her school cafeteria and decided to speak up. She launched a petition, gathered over 200 signatures, and worked with her principal to pilot a reusable tray program. The cafeteria changed—but so did the conversation among students.Inspired by his sister, Lucas picked up his camera. He began filming short interviews with ten local families who had made simple yet powerful shifts: composting, biking more, installing rain barrels. He stitched their stories together into a video project called “Ripples of Change,” which their town screened at the library.And it wasn’t just the younger generation. Nancy and Robert, Emma and Lucas’s grandparents, dusted off memories from their days in the civil rights and environmental justice movements. They shared these stories at the potluck gatherings and in classrooms, reminding everyone that what seems small today can be the start of something far-reaching tomorrow.Their story is still unfolding. But together, their family became a local tipping point—one ripple at a time.This is what tipping points look like in real life: tiny shifts in many places that start to line up like dominoes. One by one. Until the momentum becomes irresistible.What’s your version of the Green Family’s ripple? Share a small action your family is taking—or one you’d love to try—in the community chat.Reflection & Action* What’s one small but visible action you could take this week?* Who are three people in your network who might join you?* Is there a story or belief you could share to light a spark in someone else?Which of these questions speaks most to you? We’d love to hear your ripple story in the comments below.Eco-Guardian Training Camp: Your Mini-MissionMission Name: Operation Ripple EffectObjective: Create a ripple—small, visible, and full of intention—that demonstrates your commitment to a more regenerative world.Ideas:* Host a one-hour Earth Listening Circle with friends or classmates.* Post a 60-second “Why I Care” story on social media.* Write a letter to a local official or principal about one change you’d like to see.* Join an existing group—or start your own!Bonus Challenge: Find three others to ripple with you. That’s your personal 3.5% tipping point.Remember: You’re not just waiting for change. You are the change.Thanks for reading One Cause! This post is public, so feel free to share it with other eco-conscious families ready to ripple small actions into big change.Coming SoonIn our next chapter, we’ll explore Group Flow in Action—and how small circles of committed people (like Earth Listening Circles or virtual gatherings) can unlock regenerative potential far greater than the sum of their parts.Together, we become the tipping point.This series is just beginning. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next One Cause chapter: Group Flow in Action. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Have you ever been so immersed in something you love that time disappeared? Maybe while playing music, sketching a new idea, building something with your hands—or even just wandering in nature, totally focused and free. That feeling of energized ease, where you’re at your best and most creative, has a name.It’s called Flow.Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and later peak performance expert Steven Kotler describe Flow as a state of optimal experience—where skill meets challenge, attention becomes laser-focused, and everything else fades away. It’s not just about productivity. It’s about passion, purpose, and possibility.And for young Eco-Guardians in training, Flow isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.Why Flow Matters NowLet’s be honest: creating a regenerative future isn’t going to happen by accident. It requires creativity, resilience, and focus in the face of massive challenges. The kind of focus that can feel hard to find in a world full of distractions, burnout, and crisis fatigue. That’s why learning how to access Flow—especially during your most meaningful work—is one of the most powerful skills you can develop.Flow isn’t just for athletes or artists. It’s for anyone ready to show up fully in their life and take meaningful action. It’s your eco-guardian superpower.Flow is how young people like Boyan Slat envisioned removing plastic from the oceans and built The Ocean Cleanup. https://theoceancleanup.com/boyan-slat/ It’s how students across the world have launched school-wide zero-waste programs, started regenerative gardens, and turned grief for the planet into focused, inspired action.The Four Ingredients of Flow (and the Science Behind It)If you want to enter Flow more often, you’ll need to create the right conditions. Thankfully, research shows there are a few key elements that consistently show up. Steven Kotler, in his books The Rise of Superman and The Art of Impossible, describes Flow as a "state of consciousness where we feel and perform our best." He also identifies 22 flow triggers—conditions that optimize our access to this state.Here are four foundational ones:* Clear Goals – You know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish. Goals direct your attention and create a target for your efforts.* Immediate Feedback – You can tell if you’re on track or need to adjust, creating a tight feedback loop that sustains engagement.* Challenge-Skill Balance – You're stretching yourself just beyond your current abilities—not too easy, not too hard. This sweet spot ignites curiosity and determination.* Focused Attention – You’re fully immersed. Distractions fall away. Neurobiologically, this often corresponds to what scientists call "transient hypofrontality"—a temporary down-regulation of the prefrontal cortex, which silences the inner critic and quiets self-doubt.Kotler writes: “Flow is as close to magic as we get.” It enhances creativity, speeds up learning, and improves well-being. Athletes use it to break records. Innovators use it to solve problems. And young Eco-Guardians can use it to regenerate the future.For younger readers: Flow is like a river. When you know where you’re headed, and you’re giving your full focus, you can ride the current with power and grace.What Gets in the WayOf course, life isn’t always flowing. Stress, self-doubt, and constant pings from our phones can all block us from entering this state. But here’s a secret: even those obstacles can become fuel. When you face a challenge that matters to you—and meet it with courage—you can flip the script.That’s why so many young changemakers describe the moment they “came alive” as one filled with challenge and purpose. They weren’t waiting for perfect conditions. They showed up. They started. And Flow found them.And it’s not just young changemakers. I experienced this myself in a deeply personal way. In 2021, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer—a jarring and unexpected moment that shook me to the core. But here’s what I’ve discovered in the four years since (as I now celebrate four years of good health as of June 1, 2025): that diagnosis became a powerful pivot point. It forced me to re-evaluate how I was living. I embraced a primarily plant-based diet, which not only supports my healing but is also gentler on the Earth. I prioritized self-care—especially sleep—and began paying deeper attention to my body’s rhythms.The result? More Flow. In my writing. In my coaching. In how I show up each day with renewed energy and purpose. That moment of disruption became a gateway to alignment. Sometimes the biggest obstacles carry within them the seeds of our most aligned and fulfilling future.Flow in ActionZak, Ra-Kit, and Sampson’s First Eco-AdventureNear the end of Dominion Over All, just after Zak realizes he and Angus have made a crucial mistake by traveling to New York instead of Brazil, the story hits its darkest moment. But instead of crumbling under the pressure, the Eco-Guardian team rises to meet the challenge—embodying the essence of Flow.Ra-Kit and Sampson arrive just in time to help Zak course-correct. There's no blame, no time to wallow—only shared focus and purposeful movement. They quickly coordinate, with Ra-Kit using her magical abilities as they ‘warp’ their way to the correct location. Meanwhile, Sampson and Zak maintain their calm under high stakes.Once in Brazil, obstacles continue to mount: unexpected resistance, time constraints, and the need to move through a riotous mass of disgruntled citizens. And yet, the team persist. Everyone is fully immersed, drawing on their unique strengths. Zak solicit help from the crowd while Ra-Kit makes her way back to the Spiritual Frontier to coordinate a last ditch effort. Sampson continues to provides strength and heart. Even the once-chaotic crowd rallies to help, inspired by the team’s unshakable resolve.This is Flow in action—not the absence of difficulty, but graceful navigation through it. Each setback sharpens their focus rather than derailing them. They are “in the zone,” individually and together.But Flow doesn’t just happen in fiction or fantasy. Around the world, real young people are doing the same.Real-World Flow: Young Eco-Guardians in ActionUganda: Solar Suitcase PioneersIn Uganda, students working with the nonprofit We Share Solar experience Flow while building life-changing technology. These students assemble “solar suitcases”—portable, solar-powered kits that provide light and power to off-grid schools and clinics. The process demands concentration, teamwork, and technical skill.These youth aren’t just following instructions; they’re solving real-world problems. They’re engaged in something meaningful and urgent—providing light to communities that often go dark when the sun sets. The pride and purpose that arise from seeing their work power a classroom or deliver safety during a birth is the essence of Flow.Learn more: wesharesolar.orgColombia: Restoring Land, Reclaiming PurposeFundación Tierra Grata empowers rural youth in Colombia to bring sustainability and dignity to their communities through eco-sanitation, solar power, and environmental education. In one project, teens apply agroecology and permaculture practices to restore degraded farmland.They dig compost trenches, build raised beds, plant native species, and teach their neighbors about sustainable practices—all while reconnecting with the land and their own capacity to create change. With every seed planted and every workshop delivered, they’re tapping into purpose-driven Flow.More on their work: tierragrata.org/Which story resonated most—Zak’s fictional challenge, the Ugandan solar students, or the Colombian land restorers? Let’s keep the conversation going below.The Pivot: Flow After DisappointmentJust a few days ago, I submitted a detailed book proposal for One Cause to a publisher I deeply admire. I spent weeks—months—crafting that vision. Less than 24 hours after submitting it, I received a thoughtful but firm rejection. It stung. I felt deflated for a moment, wondering: was it worth all the many hours and the effect?But then I remembered something I’ve been learning over and over again: in moments like these, we have a choice. I chose to purposefully pivot.I reread the publisher’s comments. I listened to what they saw clearly. And I got back to writing this very chapter—this one you’re reading now. Because Flow doesn’t always show up in the easy wins. Sometimes, it’s what we find after falling down and deciding to get up anyway.Thanks for reading One Cause! This post is public, so feel free to share it with anyone curious about how Flow can be a bridge to personal and planetary transformation.Your Flow ChallengeSo what about you?When have you felt fully alive and focused? What project or purpose could pull you into that space again?Start small:* Write or draw about your last Flow moment.* Choose one small project that excites you.* Eliminate distractions, set a clear goal, and give it your all.You don’t have to change the world all at once. You just have to begin.Flow into Community: A 4% StretchHere’s the truth: writing these articles is one thing. Inviting you into a shared journey? That’s something else entirely.Lately, I’ve felt the nudge to create more opportunities for real conversation—with you, the reader. To open the door for this movement to become… well, a movement. And yet, just beneath that impulse lives a fear. The fear that I’ll put out the invitation and no one will show up. Or maybe worse—that people will show up, and I’ll have to lead the dance.But here's what I know from Flow—and from the science of change: transformation doesn’t require a heroic leap. Just a stretch. Just 4% beyond your comfort zone.That idea comes from peak performance researchers and thinkers like Brian Johnson, who highlights this principle in The Philosopher’s Notes and in his Optimize +1 wisdom series. It’s also woven through the work of Steven Kotler. Why 4%? Because it’s the optimal edge—enough challenge to grow, not so much that it triggers overwhelm. It’s the edge of Flow itself.So here’s my 4% stretch: I’m planning a live, virtual conversation space—something like an online Earth Listening Circle, modeled after the one I recently hosted locally that brought together hearts and minds around the themes of One Cause. We’ll create space to reflect, share, and imagine regenerative futures together.And I’m stretching in other ways too. My wife Ann and I are “right-sizing” our lives—transitioning to the downstairs level of our home, moving from a spacious four-bedroom, three-bath space to a much more compact one-bedroom, one-bath layout. We’re making room—literally—for our daughter, her husband, and our two young grandkids, Logan and Piper. We’re choosing community over convenience, simplicity over space. And yes, it’s definitely more than a 4% stretch… but that’s the nature of living into a new vision.Now It’s Your TurnWould you be willing to stretch with me? Not 100%, not even 10%. Just 4%.Maybe that means:* RSVPing for this upcoming call.* Forwarding this article to a friend with a note: "This made me think of you."* Journaling your next Flow goal.* Sharing your reflections in the comments.Whatever your stretch is, let it be real. Let it be yours. And let it move you closer to the world you want to help create.Because the current is already flowing. We just have to say yes to riding it together.What’s your 4% stretch right now? I’ll go first in the chat thread—would love to hear from you.Coming SoonIn our next article, we’ll explore how Flow moves beyond an individual's superpower—and becomes a collective force. We’ll look at what happens when groups of people enter Flow together—especially when united by a shared purpose like healing the Earth. And as part of that next chapter, we’re also exploring a virtual Earth Listening Circle-style gathering later this summer. Think of it as a live experiment in Group Flow: a chance to step into community, share stories, and imagine what’s possible—together. Stay tuned for more details.Let’s keep flowing forward.The next article explores Group Flow and info on our first virtual gathering and how you can participate. Subscribe to stay connected—this is how movements begin.P.S. In an effort to live true to the guiding principles within the Four Great Truths, here are a few photos. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

How one simple question about a backyard weed revealed a radical new story—and a path toward regenerative living for eco-conscious families.What if our culture wasn’t built on conquest, consumption, or control—but on love?In this special feature from the upcoming One Cause book, we explore the concept of Priya Culture—a regenerative, reverent, and relational way of living. It might just be the key to remembering what the Earth has always known and shared with us…if we’d only been listening.A Whisper from the WeedsI never expected a weed to whisper the name of a culture.But that’s what happened—well, sort of—during a conversation about ground-ivy (aka creeping Charlie), a plant known for its persistence and its tendency to spread in places gardeners might not want it.I was wondering whether to let it run wild in our future food forest. It wasn’t a strictly botanical question. It was one of relationship. Of invitation.And then, something clicked. Or maybe it bloomed.As I reflected on the nature of this tenacious plant—uninvited but not unwelcome—I asked ChatGPT what to make of it. And from that thread of inquiry, a new word emerged:Priya — Sanskrit for beloved. Dear one. That which is cherished.Instant resonance. It wasn’t just a pretty word. It felt like the name of something I’d been circling around for quite some time. The kind of culture we could be creating. The kind of future the Earth has always loved.I took it into meditation. I listened. I remembered.And what came back was this:Priya Culture is not something new. It’s something ancient and sacred that’s trying to be remembered.This article is about that remembering.What Is Priya Culture?Priya Culture is a conscious, regenerative way of life rooted in love, reverence, and reciprocity with all beings.It invites us to live as if the Earth were our beloved—not a commodity, not a resource, not a backdrop—but a sacred partner in the great dance of life.It asks us not to abandon progress, but to redefine it.Not to feel guilty, but to walk with grace.It’s not about perfection. It’s about participation. Alignment. Intimacy.A Priya Culture is one where we:* See the sacred in the soil.* Listen to the wind like it has something to say (because it does).* Understand that compost is not waste but alchemy.It’s both mystical and practical. Rooted in the rhythms of nature. Guided by story. Held in community.Core Values of Priya Culture* Sacred Interconnection – All beings are woven into a web of mutual belonging.* Sufficiency as Sacred – Enough is a feast. Simplicity is a form of devotion.* Reciprocity over Extraction – Giving back sustains the whole.* Stewardship, Not Ownership – The Earth is not a possession, but a trust.* Belovedness of All Beings – Every creature and element is kin.* Intergenerational Wisdom – Children, elders, ancestors, and future ones all have a voice.* Living by Story and Ritual – We remember who we are through ceremony, through myth.* Regeneration as Default – Healing is the fruit of right relationship.Myth: The First Rememberers(This short myth serves as emotional anchoring—a timeless remembering from a village that could have been ours.)Long before asphalt covered the ground and clocks governed the day, there was a time when humans and Earth spoke the same language. Not just of words, but of water and wind, fire and seed. In that time, the people lived in circles, not straight lines. They measured time by the moon’s changing face and the migration of birds. And they remembered: all life was kin.In one such village—nestled where the river bent like a cradle and the trees whispered lullabies into the sky—a child named Amani was born. Her name meant peace, but her arrival stirred a different feeling. She did not cry at birth, nor open her eyes for three days. The midwives were worried. But the village elder, a woman with hair like owl feathers and hands stained with healing herbs, simply smiled.“She is listening,” the elder said. “She is remembering.”When Amani finally opened her eyes, the villagers swore they saw a reflection of stars—not just the night sky, but ancient starlight, the kind that shines from the inside out.As she grew, Amani did not speak much. But animals came to her. Plants leaned toward her. And when she walked barefoot, the earth seemed to hum beneath her feet. While other children played games of chase and pretend, Amani sat by the river with her grandmother, learning the songs of stones.One day, the rains stopped. The river thinned. The crops failed. The elders gathered to pray, to dance, to plead. Still, no clouds came. The people began to forget. They blamed one another. They turned their backs on the rituals. They spoke of leaving the land.That night, Amani had a dream. In it, she stood in a desert where nothing grew. A voice, older than time, whispered:“You have forgotten the Way of Belovedness.”She woke before dawn, walked to the village square, and lit the ceremonial fire that had not burned in many seasons. Then, in the language of her ancestors—the language of wind and root—she sang.One by one, the villagers emerged from their homes. They didn’t understand the words, but they felt them. Something stirred.Elders began to weep. Children sat in stillness. The wind changed.Rain came that evening—soft, steady, enough to give the roots another chance.From that day on, Amani taught not through lectures but through presence. She invited others to greet the sunrise, to bless the water before drinking, to speak to the seeds before planting. Slowly, a new way of life—really an ancient one remembered—began to take root.They called it the Way of the Beloved. Others, later, would name it Priya Culture.And from that one village, it spread—not as a law or a religion, but as a remembering.Because something in all of us still knows:The Earth is beloved. And so are we.This myth, though fictional, speaks to a deeper truth—a remembering that lives in our bones. May it stir something in you, too.Reflections and ApplicationsWhat if our days were guided not by production schedules and profit margins, but by the seasons, the cycles, and the sacred?What if the Earth were not our property to use, but our partner to cherish?This is the invitation of Priya Culture.In the rhythms of everyday life, the Green family is beginning to discover what it means to live into this way of being—not as a grand gesture, but as a quiet unfolding.Emma has started naming the trees in their backyard. Lucas is questioning his buying habits. Sarah and Daniel are lighting candles on Fridays and calling it a sacred meal. Nancy and Robert are teaching, writing, repairing, remembering.Priya Culture isn’t something they’ve “achieved.”It’s something they’re growing into.And maybe that’s the point:To grow—not toward perfection, but toward belonging. Toward belovedness.Your Turn: Questions for Reflection* Where in your life do you already feel the whisper of this culture?* What would it look like to honor those whispers with your attention, your care, your gratitude?* What rhythms or rituals are you being called to remember?You don’t need to start a movement. You are already part of one—if you’re listening. If you’re loving. If you’re remembering.Priya Culture isn’t a destination. It’s a relationship. A remembering. A way of walking.Let’s walk it together.What does Priya Culture stir in you?Reply in the comments or forward this to someone who’s part of your remembering. 🌿If this article resonated, consider sharing or subscribing. This movement is made of moments—and you’re one of them.“We are not creating a utopia. We are remembering a way of living that the Earth has always loved.”Brad P.S. Major step forward in sharing One Cause with the rest of the world. After months of working on the 14 points of Berret-Koehler submission guidelines, I finally completed the proposal and sent it flying to them via email. Now comes the next challenging part. Waiting patiently for weeks or months to hear back from them. Meanwhile, I will continue to write the chapters and post them here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

I know I’ve been a bit obsessed with caterpillars and butterflies lately but here’s one more story about them which was written months ago as part of this One Cause series. Also, don’t miss two new feature being premiered today: one intended to encourage more connection and conversations within this community, and a second one especially designed for young ones being premiered today.Now, imagine a caterpillar. It spends its days munching leaves, living a life it’s perfectly suited for, never questioning its place in the world. In fact, they develop a voracious appetite. For example, a monarch caterpillar can eat 200 times its weight in milkweed leaves. Some species even gain 20% of their body weight in an hour.Then one day, something shifts. It stops eating, forms a chrysalis, and begins a transformation so radical that it emerges as a butterfly—a creature almost unrecognizable from what it once was. This process, metamorphosis, isn’t just an extraordinary feat of nature. It’s a powerful metaphor for the moment we find ourselves in as a planet, a people, and a generation.Right now, the world is in its chrysalis phase. The old ways of thinking, living, and being are breaking down. The stories we’ve relied on for centuries—stories of separation, domination, and consumption—are crumbling under the weight of their consequences. It’s messy. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s absolutely necessary.A New Story EmergesFor centuries, we’ve lived by a story of separation—a story that says: “I am me, and you are you. Nature is out there, and we are here. What happens to the Earth doesn’t affect me.” It’s a story that has allowed us to clear forests, pollute rivers, and fill the skies with carbon without stopping to think about the consequences. But as the world shifts, another story is emerging—a story of connection, of interbeing.This concept of interbeing is eloquently discussed by Charles Eisenstein, Bayo Akomolafe, and Alnoor Ladha in their trialogue, On the Cusp: A Trialogue About the Shift. They remind us that everything is connected. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat—it all ties us to the Earth and every other living being on it. For a long time, this idea might have seemed abstract, but now it’s becoming tangible. We see it in the way pollution travels across oceans, in the way climate change affects ecosystems thousands of miles apart, and in the way a single tree can support an entire web of life.For young readers, think about the last time you planted a seed, recycled a bottle, or simply paused to notice the birds outside your window. Whether you realized it or not, you were practicing interbeing. You were part of the story of connection.But here’s the thing about stories—they don’t just exist. They’re created, told, and retold. And every single one of us has a role in shaping this new story.Embracing the ChrysalisThe chrysalis phase of metamorphosis is a messy, mysterious process. Inside that cocoon, the caterpillar essentially dissolves into goo before reforming as a butterfly. It’s a time of profound change, and frankly, it looks a bit chaotic.Sound familiar?Our world is experiencing its own chaos. The climate crisis, social inequities, political divides—it can all feel overwhelming. But what if, instead of fearing this mess, we embraced it as part of our transformation? What if we saw it as an opportunity to imagine new possibilities and let go of old ways that no longer serve us?Eisenstein, Akomolafe, and Ladha suggest that uncertainty isn’t something to solve; it’s something to explore. When we step into the unknown, we open the door to creativity and discovery. For young readers especially, this idea might hit home. Growing up is its own kind of chrysalis phase. You’re figuring out who you are, what you believe, and how you want to show up in the world. And just like the caterpillar, you don’t have to have it all figured out yet. The beauty of uncertainty is that it allows you to grow into someone you might never have imagined.Crisis as CatalystHere’s the truth: the challenges we face are immense. The planet is warming, species are disappearing, and ecosystems are unraveling. But here’s another truth: Crises are often the birthplace of transformation.In nature, a forest fire can look like devastation. But in the ashes, seeds that have waited years for sunlight finally have the chance to grow. Similarly, the crises we face today can clear the way for new ideas, systems, and ways of living. It’s not easy, but it’s possible.In their trialogue, the three thinkers explore how moments of crisis often ignite transformation. These moments create openings for rebuilding—not just to what was, but to something better. For example, during the pandemic, people around the world discovered just how interconnected we are. Communities rallied together to support one another, and cities saw cleaner air as cars sat idle. These glimpses of change remind us that even in the hardest times, there’s potential for renewal.Your Role in the TransformationNow, here’s the exciting part: you’re part of this transformation. Whether you’re 12 or 25, a parent or a grandparent, your actions matter. You don’t have to do everything, but you can do something. And those somethings add up.Maybe it’s starting a compost bin in your backyard. Maybe it’s speaking up about climate action at school or organizing a community cleanup. Or maybe it’s simply changing the way you think about your relationship with the Earth.What do you imagine your transformation might look like? How about sharing it with our community here by leaving a comment below? New Feature: Every legitimate comment will enter you to win an autograph copy of Rainforest Shaman (book 1 of the Eagle and the Condor series). That’s how much I value hearing from you. You deserve a reward. The Eco-Guardian Team—Zak, Tess, Iya, and their companions—are navigating this transformation too. They’re learning to challenge old narratives and create new ones, just like you. And the Greens family shows how these ideas can play out in everyday life, from small decisions at home to bigger conversations about the future. Their stories remind us that no matter where you are or what your life looks like, you can be part of this journey.A Butterfly in the MakingAs we wrap up, let’s return to our butterfly. It doesn’t become something new overnight. It takes time, effort, and a willingness to change. But when it emerges, it carries the gift of transformation—not just for itself, but for the world it inhabits.Our world is on the cusp of something extraordinary. And you? You’re part of that. The choices you make today, the stories you tell, and the actions you take all help shape the world we’ll emerge into.This isn’t just a story about challenges. It’s a story about possibilities, about hope, and about the beauty of becoming something new. The chrysalis is messy, yes—but oh, the butterfly it holds.So, what will your role be in this transformation? Let’s find out together.Introducing: Eco-Guardian Training CampI’m excited to share the second new feature that’s been quietly growing behind the scenes—Eco-Guardian Training Camp, a special section written just for our younger readers. These short entries are delivered by members of Zak Bates’s Eco-Guardian Team and are designed to bring the ideas of One Cause to life in ways that are simple, soulful, and practical.Since these will be part of the book, I thought… why wait? Why not begin sharing them here with you, my Substack family, as they emerge?Today’s post includes the first new one: a moonlit fireside chat with Iya and Ompa on the power and mystery of transformation. I hope it speaks to your heart—and maybe even the heart of a young reader in your life. If so, please share it with them.Eco-Guardian Training Camp with Iya, Ompa, Logan, Piper…& You?The moonlight flickers gently through the canopy as Iya, Listener of the Forest, sits cross-legged near the glowing coals of a jungle fire. Ompa, her father and a respected shaman, adds a pinch of dried leaf to the flames. It crackles—not loudly, but with the sound of something ancient remembering itself.Iya’s voice softens as she speaks to Logan and Piper, who sit wide-eyed beneath the stars. But the words feel like they’re meant for you, too—like a secret passed along from heart to heart.“There is a time in every transformation,” she says, “when nothing makes sense. When the old is falling away, and the new has not yet arrived. It’s easy to feel lost then.”Ompa nods. “The caterpillar does not become the butterfly in a day. Inside the chrysalis, it melts. It dissolves into something unrecognizable—until slowly, something new forms.”Iya leans in closer.“If you feel unsure or confused right now, you’re not doing it wrong. You’re doing it right. The world is changing. And you are part of that change.”Practice for the Path:* Find a quiet moment this week—maybe before bed or after a walk—and draw your own “chrysalis.”* Inside it, write or sketch how you’re growing. What old thoughts or habits are melting away? What new ideas are starting to form?Ompa adds one last ember to the fire. The sparks rise like fireflies.“Remember, my young friends,” he says, “you are never alone in the chrysalis. We are transforming together.”P.S. And… please cross your fingers for me. This week I’ll be submitting a massively comprehensive book proposal for One Cause to Berrett-Koehler Publishers—an independent publisher whose mission is to connect people and ideas to create a world that works for all.More soon… and thank you, as always, for walking this path with me.With gratitude,Brad(Eco-Author, Grand-Dude, and Co-Creator of One Cause)Unleashed - W. Bradford Swift & One Cause is for those who know we’re meant to live in deeper harmony with the Earth—and each other. If this vision resonates, subscribe to receive weekly reflections and bold possibilities for our shared future. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Are You Ready to Become a Trimtab in Your Life?If you’ve ever seen an oil tanker or a massive ship, you might wonder: how does something so immense ever change direction? It turns out, the answer lies in a small, often-overlooked component called a trimtab. A trimtab is a tiny rudder attached to the main rudder of the ship. While small, it plays an outsized role in steering the entire vessel.By adjusting the trimtab, a tiny hydrodynamic force is created. This force makes it easier for the main rudder to turn, which in turn allows the ship to pivot more effectively. In essence, the trimtab provides leverage, enabling a massive ship to change course with minimal effort. Without it, maneuvering something so large would be nearly impossible.This little piece of nautical engineering became a life metaphor for one of my greatest heroes, Buckminster Fuller. Fuller was an inventor, visionary, and relentless advocate for systems thinking—seeing how interconnected parts shape the whole. He believed that even the smallest, most intentional actions could create ripples of change far beyond their immediate scope. So much so that he had the word TRIMTAB engraved on his tombstone.Why? Because Fuller saw the trimtab as a symbol of hope and responsibility. It reminds us that we don’t have to overhaul the entire system singlehandedly to make a difference. By being thoughtful and strategic—by focusing on the points of leverage—we can steer even the most unwieldy systems toward positive change.Trimtabs in ActionThink about this: Rosa Parks refusing to give up her bus seat might seem like a small action. But that moment became a trimtab, amplifying the civil rights movement and steering the course of history. Greta Thunberg sitting outside the Swedish parliament with a hand-painted sign became a trimtab, catalyzing a global climate strike.The trimtab isn’t the end goal—it’s the small, strategic action that sets larger changes in motion. And often, we don’t know ahead of time which of our actions will become trimtabs. That’s part of the mystery—and the magic.But when we act from a place of alignment—with our values, with the Four Great Truths—we increase the likelihood that our ripples become waves.The idea of a trimtab resonates deeply with the mission of One Cause. Tackling the Climate Crisis might seem overwhelming—it’s a global ship, after all, with the weight of centuries of harmful systems and habits. But what if this movement, this book, and the conversations it sparks could act as a trimtab? What if it’s the small shift that helps humanity pivot toward a more regenerative and sustainable course?You Could Be a TrimtabThe beauty of the trimtab metaphor is that it’s not reserved for visionaries or global movements. Each of us can be a trimtab in our own way. It might be through a conversation that changes someone’s perspective, a decision to live more sustainably, or even by supporting larger efforts that align with our values.Here are a few examples of small beginnings that turned into powerful trimtabs:* In Washington, D.C., what began as one neighborhood compost project grew into the Community Compost Cooperative Network, managing over 50 local sites and processing up to 50 tons of organic waste each month. A tiny shift in one backyard rippled out to a city-wide sustainability model. (Learn more)* In Queensland, Australia, a few high school students at Emmaus College sparked a change by launching a simple school-wide clothing swap. Their small action expanded into a culture shift around sustainable fashion education among peers. (Read the story)* What started as a small backyard garden in Des Moines, Iowa, became Sweet Tooth Farm, supplying thousands of pounds of food annually and pioneering a community compost pickup service. A personal project that filled a public need. (Explore more)* Seed Savers Exchange began when a few everyday gardeners in Iowa shared heirloom seeds with one another. Today, they preserve over 25,000 plant varieties, protecting biodiversity across the country. A humble trade turned into a heritage-preserving powerhouse. (Visit their site)* Across the UK, teen-led groups like SwopItUp began by organizing clothing swaps in schools. Their efforts blossomed into a national campaign that combines youth leadership with climate awareness. (Check them out)* In India, a local seed-saving effort among female farmers grew into Vanastree, a collective that now empowers rural women through sustainable agriculture and biodiversity protection. It started with a seed—and a circle of care. (More here)* Quietly but powerfully, families around the world are switching to credit unions and ethical banks that refuse to fund fossil fuel projects. A small change in where they bank is sending ripples through the financial system. (Find out how)These may seem small—but they’re placed at points of leverage. They are trimtabs.As Buckminster Fuller put it:"Call me trimtab."Trimtabs in My Own LifeI’ve started to notice a few trimtabs showing up in my own life.One of them began with a simple choice: inviting my grandson Logan to spend Fridays with us at our home. We call it a daylong playdate with Grand-dude and Grandma. On the surface, it’s just family time. But beneath that, something bigger is forming.As we spend time in the garden, plant seeds together, and talk about ideas like reciprocity, we’re getting a taste of what life could be like when his whole family moves here to live with us at the Loving Homestead. That weekly rhythm has helped anchor our vision and fuel our resolve.Another trimtab moment? Hosting our first Earth Listening Circle at Highland Lake Cove. It started with a small group, gathered in nature, listening deeply. But I can already sense it expanding—toward greater connection, community resilience, and a sense of local belonging I hadn’t quite known was missing. That one circle might be the start of something more… or even something transformative.Truth x Truth x Truth x Truth = RegenerationThe Four Great Truths—Interconnection, Sufficiency, Reciprocity, and Stewardship—aren’t just ideas to ponder. They are powerful levers, especially when practiced together.They are spiritual and practical trimtabs.Each time we choose to compost instead of trash, or share instead of hoard, or listen instead of control, we are shifting the direction of the ship.We don’t have to change everything all at once. But we can change something—with care. And that changes everything.A Closing InvitationIf the world feels too big to shift, ask yourself:“Where is my trimtab?”What’s the small action that, with just the right placement, could help turn the tide?Take it.Trust it.And if you’re unsure, start by listening.Nature will guide you.And you just might find that one small shift was enough to change the course.P.S.What’s been a trimtab in your life lately? Hit reply and share it with me. I’d love to hear the small steps you’ve taken that became something more.After all, that’s how movements begin—with small, courageous, purposeful acts. Just like yours. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

I slept well last night—which feels like a small miracle these days. (How about you?) I woke with a renewed sense of clarity. It’s time to write the next One Cause article. But not just another installment. This one feels different. More urgent. More personal.We’ve walked together through the Four Great Truths over the past month. Each one revealing a facet of the deeper story we’re living into:* Interconnection: Everything is connected. Every action matters.* Sufficiency: There is enough—when we remember we are enough.* Reciprocity: Life thrives through give and give.* Stewardship: We are caretakers, not controllers, of this living Earth.But what happens when these aren’t just ideas we believe in… but truths we live? Remember, we started with the Be, Do, Have On Purpose Perspective Model. That who we are (which includes our beliefs both individually and collectively) shape what actions we see possible to take, which gives us our results.So, what happens when we replace the 4 Great Untruths with the 4 Great Truths, and equally important, we move from the head to the heart—to our hands?Synergy of Truths: A Regenerational LifestyleSomething powerful happens when these truths converge—not in theory, but in practice.Synergy starts to amp up our results: Truth x Truth x Truth x Truth doesn’t just equal a better world but a regenerative future.This synergy leads to what we might call a regenerational lifestyle—a way of being where care replaces consumption, collaboration replaces competition, and purpose becomes as vital as breath. It reshapes how we relate… how we raise children… how we vote, shop, garden, spend time, and tell stories. And most importantly, it calls us home to what matters.We begin to reclaim our role as imaginal cells—the agents of transformation inside the chrysalis of this collapsing civilization. (More on that metaphor in a future article!)It’s a lifestyle we’re just beginning to remember. In fact, many haven’t yet been introduced to such a possibility which is why I am encouraging you to share this article/podcast and the One Cause movement with others.We’re creating a movement to a new regenerative future and way of life so please share this article. It’s a simple action of ‘reciprocity.’Do the Great Untruths Just Disappear?Here’s the rub: The Great Untruths don’t vanish overnight. After all, we’re surrounded by a culture shaped by them. So, they linger. They whisper. They try to seduce us back into old patterns:* “You’re on your own.”* “More is better.”* “Take whatever you want.”* “Control is everything.”But every time we act from the Great Truths, we weaken the grip of those old myths. We realize that we’re never completely alone but always connected to nature and others. We embrace the truth that we have enough as we learn how to share, and that we’re more mindful of the resources nature is ready to share with us as we grow into being stewards of the earth — Eco-Guardians-in-training.Earth Listening Circles: From Insight to ActionThis is why Earth Listening Circles matter. Not just as events, but as practices.In fact, your first Circle might be just you. One person. Sitting with the Earth. Listening. Asking, “What would you have me know?”It reminds me of something my first coach taught me long ago:Insight + Action = Growth & Development.That’s what Earth Listening Circles offer: a sacred space to receive insight—from the land, from your heart, from the living world—and then to act on it. And with each action shaped by the Great Truths, a regenerative future begins to emerge. Living It: Our Story from the Loving HomesteadHere on our little mountain homestead in North Carolina, we’re doing our best to live these truths.Last week, our grandson Logan came for a full-day adventure with Grand-dude and Grandma. It wasn’t a formal lesson—but as we planted seedlings together, I introduced him to a new word: reciprocity.He’s four. That’s a big five syllable word, and he got it. With muddy hands and wide eyes, he started to grasp that what we give to the Earth comes back to us in ways both delicious and profound.Recently during our first Earth Listening Circle, I scouted some wild blackberry canes at Highland Lake Cove. My friend, who owns the land, welcomed me to dig a few up. Those berry plants will soon join the growing food forest we’re cultivating here at home. Reciprocity scores again.And our larger family dream is coming closer too: Amber, Justin, Logan, and little Piper joining us to co-create an intergenerational haven we’re calling the Loving Homestead.We’re not doing it perfectly. But we’re doing it together. And that, to me, is what living the Four Great Truths looks like.Real-Life Ripples: Beyond Our BackyardLiving the Four Great Truths doesn’t require a perfect plan. It just takes a willingness to try. We’re not alone in this. Here are just a few ways others are living into these truths:* A public school in Oregon transformed its lawn into a pollinator corridor—inviting bees, butterflies, and students to learn side by side.* A Detroit neighborhood turned a blighted lot into a thriving permaculture garden that feeds dozens of families.* In Atlanta, a group of teens created a clothing swap and art-for-activism collective, reducing waste and raising awareness.* A Vermont seed-saving library is reviving ancestral crops and holding workshops on food preservation and land care.Each one is small. But each one is also seismic because they’re rooted in connection, sufficiency, reciprocity, and care. These aren’t big institutions or governments. They’re people like you. Listening. Acting. Regenerating.An Invitation Into the Now WhatSo here we are. You’ve read the truths. You’ve felt their pull. Now comes the invitation: Start small. Choose one. Try it on. Live it this week. Plant it like a seed in your own life and see what grows. Then, come back here and share what the experience was like.And to further support you, here is a Bonus Assignment: Join an Earth Listening Circles (When I see enough interest, I’ll be facilitating them online, and yes, they work that way as well). Or take a quiet walk with the intention to truly listen. Or talk to your kids about sufficiency.Every small act becomes a ripple. Every ripple becomes part of the Great Turning. Together, we’re not just imagining a better future. We’re living it.P.S. A Regenerative Step You Can Take TodayRecently, Ann and I watched Common Ground—a documentary about soil, soul, and the future of farming.One thing it reminded me: regeneration doesn’t require acres of land. It starts right where you are. (Our own lot for the Loving Homestead is no more than half an acre.)* Plant herbs in a window box.* Shop from a regenerative farmer’s market stand.* Start composting.* Learn your food’s story.It all counts. It all heals. And the Earth responds.Let’s show her we’re listening to her.Brad (Eco-Guardian-in-training) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

From Domination to StewardshipBack in 2011, when I first began writing Dominion Over All—the eco-fantasy novel that launched the Zak Bates Eco-Adventure series—I opened with two quotes that have stayed with me ever since:“God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” — Genesis 1:26That then begged this question:“But what does ‘dominion’ really mean? It is traditionally interpreted as ‘to subdue’ or ‘to rule over.’ When taken to an extreme, it can include oppression and exploitation. However, an exploited planet Earth does not leave humanity richer. Perhaps there is a deeper, more sustainable aspect of dominion that includes a sense of service to one’s fellow creatures and even a compulsion to protect those who cannot protect themselves.” — The Christian Science MonitorNow, whether or not you come from a Christian background, the idea of “dominion” as permission to dominate the Earth has been baked into many modern cultures and systems. But what if that interpretation was never the original intention?The Hebrew word translated as “dominion” in Genesis 1:26 is רָדָה (radah). While often rendered as “rule over,” its usage in scripture is layered. In some passages, radah refers to harsh rule, but in others—like Psalm 72—it reflects compassionate leadership and protective care.Even more revealing, Genesis 2:15 uses two different Hebrew words—abad and shamar—to describe the human role in Eden: “to work [serve] it and to keep [protect] it.”So from the very beginning, it seems our role wasn’t to control or exploit the Earth, but to care for it with reverence. To be stewards—not masters.And that brings us to the Fourth Great Truth.GT#4: Humanity as Stewards, Not MastersThe Fourth Great Truth tells us that our purpose on Earth is not to dominate nature but to care for it. We are not its overlords—we are its guardians. True leadership, true greatness, is about serving life, not exploiting it.This directly challenges one of the Four Great Untruths: the myth that “Technology Will Save Us.” Technology is a tool—but it is how we use it, and to what end, that defines its value.All around the world, we are witnessing a quiet revolution:* The global rewilding movement is bringing life back to landscapes—reintroducing native species, restoring watersheds, and creating wildlife corridors that reconnect fragmented habitats. These efforts support both biodiversity and climate resilience. Learn more about rewilding here.* Regenerative farmers are learning to grow food in ways that heal the land—enriching soil, protecting pollinators, increasing biodiversity, and even sequestering carbon. Their practices are a hopeful alternative to the extractive model of industrial agriculture. Explore regenerative farming practices.* Communities are rising to protect rivers, plant forests, and bring back traditional knowledge in service of renewal. From citizen-led river cleanups to forest guardianship programs led by Indigenous groups, people are rediscovering their place in nature’s web. See stories of grassroots restoration.And in the realm of imagination, in Dominion Over All, young Zak Bates and his wise, flying dog companion Sampson, alongside the last living magic cat Ra-Kit, learn that being a leader isn’t about controlling others. It’s about protecting what matters—especially those who cannot protect themselves. Their adventures take them deep into the heart of ecosystems in peril, where their courage and humility allow them to serve as bridges between human and animal worlds. They don’t save the world by force. They help it heal through partnership, listening, and love.And that’s what this truth calls us to now. Not to save the world. But to help it thrive.What if being a hero wasn’t about saving the world—but about helping it thrive?That’s a question I hope every reader will carry with them.Living the Great TruthsStewardship is not a lofty ideal. It is a daily practice—a way of walking through the world with awareness, humility, and care.And it starts close to home.Here are a few small steps we can take:* Start a compost pile or community garden.* Support local regenerative farmers who grow food in ways that restore the Earth.* Choose purchases that give back more than they take—businesses that support reforestation, fair trade, or ocean cleanup.* Spend time with young people outdoors. Teach them how to care, how to listen to the land, how to feel part of the great web of life.The Ripple Effect: Even the smallest actions have power. One school that plants pollinator gardens. One family that turns their lawn into habitat. One teenager who organizes a clothing swap instead of buying fast fashion.It matters. You matter.The Green Family Weaves It TogetherOne sunny Saturday in early spring, the Green family gathered in their backyard, gloves on and shovels in hand. Their lawn had once been just grass—but this year, Sarah and Daniel decided it was time for something more. Together with their neighbors, they were building a shared garden. Each raised bed, carefully filled with compost and seedlings, represented a piece of their new story: sufficiency, reciprocity, care.While her parents worked the soil, Emma knelt beside a patch of wildflowers. She was tracking bees for a school project, marveling at how their tiny wings helped nourish entire ecosystems. “They’re like Earth’s little messengers,” she told her mom. “And we’re their helpers, right?”Lucas, now sixteen, had just returned from the local thrift store where he’d set up a clothing swap with friends. “It’s kind of wild,” he said. “Turns out you don’t need to buy new stuff to feel good about how you look.”Later that evening, Nancy and Robert sat on the porch swing, watching their grandchildren play in the dusk. “I think this is what stewardship really means,” Robert said softly. “Not big speeches. Just… how we live, day to day.”Nancy nodded. “And what we choose to pass on.”Reflection and InspirationWhich of these Great Truths resonates most with you? How might you start living it today?Choose one and begin. Keep a journal. Start a conversation. Or join an Earth Listening Circle in your community.Because the truth is, you don’t have to save the world. You just have to care for your corner of it.And that, dear Eco-Guardian, is enough to change everything.BradP. S. If you are a lover of animals or have a 10-16 year old boy or girl who loves animals and to read, I heartily recommend my own book, Dominion Over All which was inspired by Severn Cullis-Suzuki. In 1992, then just twelve years old, Severn gave a speech at the UN with the same sense of urgency as Greta's speech in 2019.P.S.S. A Powerful Step You Can Take TodayOne of the simplest, most powerful ways to reduce your carbon footprint—and give Mother Earth a fighting chance to recover—is to embrace a more plant-rich diet.Food production accounts for up to a third of planet-heating emissions. But the good news? Every bite we take is an opportunity to choose differently.You don’t have to go vegan overnight. Just consider these steps:* Cut back on beef: Replacing even half of your beef intake with plant proteins can slash your dietary emissions by 20%.* Try plant-based dairy: Swapping to soy or almond milk can reduce emissions by 8%.* Shift toward a vegetarian or vegan diet: These options reduce your food-related emissions by 48–69%.It’s not about perfection. It’s about intention. Every small shift matters.And when you do it with love—for your health, your family, and your home planet—it becomes more than a diet.It becomes an act of stewardship.Learn more about climate-friendly eating here.There’s a shift unfolding—and it needs your voice, your vision, your care. One Cause is more than a newsletter. It’s a movement. Join us as we remember how to be stewards of the Earth. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe

Today is Earth Day.A day that for decades has been about honoring the Earth. About planting trees, cleaning up rivers, hosting school fairs, and pretending for just a moment that we’re all aligned around something so obvious it shouldn’t even need saying: this is our only home. Let’s protect it.But today, on Earth Day 2025, I find myself not just planting seeds of hope—but fighting to keep the very soil from being sold out beneath our feet.Because this year, Earth Day arrives just days after a devastating Executive Order was signed by President Trump—an act so sweeping in scope and so cold in its consequences that it may mark a point of no return for life as we know it.Let’s be clear about what this order does: It declares that unless environmental protections from the past century are explicitly re-approved—one by one—they will simply expire. Gone. Not voted out. Not repealed. Just vanished by default.Let that sink in: The Endangered Species Act? Sunset. The Marine Mammal Protection Act? Gone. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act? Nullified. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act? History. The very laws that brought the bald eagle, gray wolf, California condor, and hundreds of others back from the brink will disappear into a legal void unless reauthorized by the very agencies now pressured to do the opposite.This is not deregulation. This is ecological euthanasia.And while the language of the order speaks of "innovation," "prosperity," and "modernizing energy policy," the result is painfully clear:Unleash American Energy = Unleash American Extraction.The Earth is not a warehouse to be looted. It is a living, breathing web of life—and that web is being torn apart at the exact moment we need it most.I’ll be honest. It’s hard to write and read this today. I’m angry. I’m exhausted. And I’m grieving.I’m grieving not just for the creatures whose fates hang in the balance, but for my two young grandchildren, Logan and Piper. They are 4 and 2 years old—still small enough to see magic in a butterfly, a bird’s nest, or a whale’s tail. And unless something changes, they may grow up in a world where those wonders are memories of a broken age their grandfather tried—and failed—to protect.This isn’t policy. This is suicide with a legal signature.We are living through a metacrisis—a convergence of ecological collapse, economic instability, cultural fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection. But this Executive Order? It accelerates every part of it. It doesn’t just ignore the climate crisis. It pours gasoline on it and strikes a match.And here’s what’s almost as chilling as the order itself:Where is the outrage? Why is this not front-page news? Why isn’t every network broadcasting emergency coverage? Why are we not seeing hundreds of thousands of people filling the streets in protest on Earth Day of all days?Have we already given up? Or have we been hit with so many of these Four Great Untruths-style gut-punches that we no longer recognize when we’re being dealt a fatal blow?Is this silence fatigue? Or resignation? Or just the dull ache of a collective nervous system that's been overloaded one too many times?Whatever the cause, the silence is deafening—and dangerous.So what do we do on Earth Day, when it feels like the Earth itself has been put on death row?We don’t give up. We sound the alarm. We speak the truth. We refuse to normalize insanity.Because the moment we go quiet is the moment the looters win.And even now—especially now—there is power in our refusal.Let this Earth Day be a turning point. Let it be the day we declare: We will not let our children grow up in a world where puffins and porpoises, wolves and whales, and the very laws that protect them are all extinct.Call your representatives. Take to the streets. Join or start an Earth Listening Circle. Say what must be said, even if your voice shakes.Because if there’s still breath in our lungs and love in our hearts, then it’s not too late.Not yet.And that, my friends, is the fragile spark of hope I carry today.Let’s fan it into flame.—BradP.S. If you want to read the Executive Order for yourself, it’s publicly available on the White House website here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/zero-based-regulatory-budgeting-to-unleash-american-energy/P.S.S. On a happier note, today’s pictures are the Loving Homestead first official act as my son-in-law and I plant three semi-dwarf apple trees. One more step forward in creating a regenerative future for generations now and those yet to be born. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wbradfordswift.substack.com/subscribe