Dan McTiernan is the founder of the Embodied Permaculture Project, an initiative at the leading edge of sustainability, rooted in the premise that true systemic change begins within the body. His work, which spans collaborations with the UN’s Conscious Food Systems Alliance, to the creation of a transformative self-study course, offering a radical reimagining of how we relate to land, food, and each other.
At the heart of Dan’s philosophy is the term “embodied permaculture”, a deepening of traditional permaculture practices. While permaculture, a contraction of "permanent agriculture," is already a systems-based, holistic approach to design that acknowledges the interconnectedness of all life. Dan observed that many practitioners still approach this work from a place of disconnection; from their bodies, from nature, and from each other. “Embodied permaculture,” he explains, “is about coming home to the body so that we can come home to the world.”
This disconnection, he argues, stems from a long cultural history, beginning with the advent of agriculture. The transition from nomadic, hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities created a foundational split: nature was no longer something we belonged to, but something to control. Over time, this mindset has embedded itself into every layer of society, from our concrete environments to the very language we use. “Even the Oxford English Dictionary,” Dan points out, “defines nature as something that excludes humans.”
To counter this, the Embodied Permaculture Project draws upon embodied practices that restore inner peace and flow, what Dan describes as “psycho-emotional energetic work.” In his experience as a coach and facilitator, many changemakers burn out because they neglect this inner dimension. His approach supports people to release inner tension, cultivate safety, and develop a deeper sense of connection, both internally and with the wider world.
Dan’s work also introduces the idea of connectivism, a term he coined to describe a way of creating change that emphasises relationship over opposition. Traditional activism often sets itself against something: governments, corporations, or ideologies. But connectivism invites us to acknowledge our interconnectedness, even with those we disagree with. “There is nothing outside of our wholeness,” he explains. “If we can recognise that, we can build bridges rather than barriers.”
A central pillar of the project is its educational offering, which evolved from an eighteen-month programme involving twenty permaculture practitioners across Europe. The resulting self-study course condenses these insights into a nine-week journey that blends grounding, somatic awareness, and systems thinking. Participants are guided through a rite-of-passage style process, helping them to integrate new ways of being into everyday life.
Ultimately, Dan’s message is clear: sustainable change cannot be achieved through external action alone. It requires a transformation of our inner landscapes, how we feel, how we connect, and how we embody the truth that we are nature. In a time of ecological crisis and widespread disconnection, The Embodied Permaculture Project offers a compelling invitation to return home - to ourselves, and to the Earth. Discover more about Dan´s project and Alef Trust´s range of Conscious Community projects, by visiting their main website:
🌍 https://www.aleftrust.org/alef-applie...
#EmbodiedPermaculture #RegenerativeLiving #SystemsChange #WeAreNature #Connectivism #ConsciousCommunity #BodyAndLand #EcoEmbodiment #SustainableFuture #InnerTransformation #SomaticEcology #PermacultureDesign #EmbodiedActivism #AlefTrust #CCI #ConsciousCommunityInitiatives #YouTube #YouTubeStudio
Информация по комментариям в разработке