Oika means ecological restoration of people & the places we belong to.
Oika is a science-based, cultural movement to re-establish nature and relational intelligence into daily human experience.
The word Oika is derived from the Ancient Greek word Oikos, which is also the root of the term "eco" (as in ecology and economy).
These two concepts (ecology and economy) have become separated. So we tend to think of ecological health as contrary to economic prosperity. Today, economic wealth is usually gained at the expense of ecological integrity. This is flawed thinking, rooted in a myth of separation, that has led us into an ongoing tragedy of discontent.
Oika aims to re-establish the concept of "eco" back to its original, integral meaning. The programs of Oika bring ecological wellbeing and economic prosperity back into balance and their original, mutually-enhancing state. We believe ecological intelligence is the only way for humanity to maintain long-term viability.
Oika approaches this lofty goal from the bottom up. We start at the level of personal thought first, with the optimistic hope that ecological intelligence will self-propagate to culture.
The primary activities of Oika are education, communication and restoration.
Oika refers to the essential, underlying intelligence of Nature (some Earthlings call it Gaia). This intelligence is ecological, fractal and distributed. That means it arises from the relations between things and traverses all scales. We are immersed in Oika all the time and can experience it. If we pay attention.
But beyond feeling Oika, we can also work with it. Ecological intelligence can be applied as a source of inspiration and creativity in our daily lives and our professional pursuits.
Engaging with the world through the practice of Oika is not a zero-sum transaction. It is cumulative and mutually enhancing. It feels good to cooperate with Oika because when you align with Nature, the world lets you know by opening up new opportunities.
Ecological intelligence is in critical need. Virtually all of the major problems facing humanity arise from a lack of systemic and relational thinking. Oika represents a new and ancient way of social adaptation. It can also provide a new career opportunity for those inclined to understand and teach this reality.
- Ecological education of people through a suite of training programs.
- Ecological communication in culture through a traveling public-lecture series.
- Ecological restoration of places through local regeneration projects.
The Philosophy of Oika
Oika refers to the essential, underlying intelligence of Nature (some Earthlings call it Gaia). This intelligence is ecological, fractal and distributed. That means it arises from the relations between things and traverses all scales. We are immersed in Oika all the time and can experience it. If we pay attention.
But beyond feeling Oika, we can also work with it. Ecological intelligence can be applied as a source of inspiration and creativity in our daily lives and our professional pursuits.
Engaging with the world through the practice of Oika is not a zero-sum transaction. It is cumulative and mutually enhancing. It feels good to cooperate with Oika because when you align with Nature, the world lets you know by opening up new opportunities.
Ecological intelligence is in critical need. Virtually all of the major problems facing humanity arise from a lack of systemic and relational thinking. Oika represents a new and ancient way of social adaptation. It can also provide a new career opportunity for those inclined to understand and teach this reality.
