A few years ago, I was in Mexico, surrounded by people from each of the continents on Earth, from all age ranges and very different ancestral lineages. One particular night during this planetary gathering, we had decided to share some of the typical food from our countries of origin and we were talking spontaneously; some of us in front of the fire, and others in smaller groups. From the vastest to the smallest I could perceive connections “weaving” in the midst of seemingly everyday interactions. Thanks to being one of the people who would do the recording and audiovisual production of this Planetary Meeting of Ecoversities, I had the opportunity to interview and talk with many of the participants. Obviously each one answered my questions in a different way and had its own particular richness… however, at the same time, they had deep similarities and very similar DNA; as if millions of years ago our molecules had belonged and orbited harmoniously in a particular constellation of stars, and despite the fact that our terrestrial origin was very distant, in the depths of us the same essence lived within us. At least that's what I felt that night, looking up at the starry sky and easily seeing the Milky Way vividly above us.

When I mention that we were a pretty diverse group it's because we really were. Several of those present belonged to ancient ancestral traditions from different parts of the world. There were activists also present from very diverse backgrounds; some came from more academic and intellectual contexts, others more from artistic fields, there were also permaculturists, various “healers”, the facilitators of different group processes… but all willing to learn with an open heart and embracing the present moment as a gift of nutrition for our Souls, to continue our pilgrimage and mission on this Living Earth.

In the midst of that stimulating and almost utopian context, a question constantly echoed in my heart: How could it be possible that, being so diverse, we have such a similar essence? What really unites us so deeply? Who is behind all this?

My feeling was that each of the participants were part of a Great Tree. Each one was a different and particular branch, but we shared the same essential nature and “we were being woven” by a Cosmic Dream much greater than ourselves.

Since then, these questions have continued to inhabit my heart, and over the years I have been able to think-sense (corazonar) a lot on an individual and collective level about what has emerged regarding this “living fabric” that intertwines us, dances between us and articulates to co-create Other Possible Worlds. I will share some inputs that have been manifesting throughout this time more precisely below.

The first thing I would like to say about this is that this “Articulating Force” has invited us to weave ourselves together in a profound way; from the essence of our Souls, to be companions on the path, sharing from vulnerability and admitting that we need to (un)learn in order to continue walking. This has meant constantly finding ourselves in uncomfortable, unforeseen and tense situations, but it has been precisely in those places where we have been confronted and seen more clearly what we still need to master in ourselves.

The second thing that has become evident to me on this path is that we weave ourselves in different and particular ways. Some have become more involved in sharing ideas and dreams, accompanying each other in the midst of designing utopias and intellectually developing plans towards Good Living. Others have found in the midst of this “living fabric” spaces to heal, to “co-feel” and collectively process the pain of living in a world that faces latent poly-crises, the frustration of not being understood in the midst of a dominant culture of consumption and self-centeredness. In that sense, for many the Ecoversities Fabric has been a planetary family to which they belong and feel sheltered in the midst of the tensions of life.

For others, this “living tapestry” has allowed us to join forces and materialize tangible actions in our own territories: (un)learning journeys, collective constructions, publications, audiovisual projects and the creation of ventures that required a small push to get started. For some, it has been a door to explore a new way of relating to Mother Earth and the entire Hoop of Life, remembering ancestral stories, and recovering the wisdom of using medicinal plants and ways to heal ourselves naturally. In the same way, many of us have been nourished by respectfully sharing different experiences and perspectives of spirituality, enriching our worldviews and helping us find deep meaning in the midst of the critical moment we are going through.

So there is not just one way to weave, it is very diverse and particular. It even frequently happens that with certain people you manage to connect from a more conceptual level; while with others you are sharing the deep path of the Soul. And, evidently, these bonds and ways of weaving ourselves are as unique and diverse as each human being.

In that sense, recently at a General Assembly I had the opportunity to co-facilitate a “collective heart-felt” (Sense-Making) exercise around the question: As Ecoversities Alliance… What gift do we have to offer the world? How can we do it better?

For the vast majority of those present, the most tangible and notable gift had been the possibility of meeting other “ecoversitarians” in different latitudes of the planet: diverse people who are re-thinking Life, articulating processes of (un)learning, people that are navigating their own transformation, unschooling, de-colonization on a personal and community level. For practically everyone, the main gift has been to (co)inspire together, and cultivate relationships of trust that encourage us to continue sowing hope and tending to our relational gardens in our own contexts; manifesting those Other Possible Worlds that already live in our hearts.

Additionally, another of the tangible gifts of this “living tapestry” has been to connect and co-create with others. That hasn't always been easy. The diversity of perspectives, criteria, sensibilities and ways of doing things has required that we remain “teachable” and with enough flexibility to seek meeting points and harmony to “untie the knots” of the fabric.

In that sense, sharing time and experiences with other weavers (ecoversitarians) has helped me to know both their strengths and their “personal challenges”; even identifying their archetypes, their interests and knowing who to ask for advice depending on the challenge I am going through, on a personal level or also for some community processes. Linking yourself with a “living tapestry” requires commitment and attention; but it also expands you and connects you with a collective intelligence capable of nourishing you in very powerful and, in a certain sense, unexpected ways; that they go beyond what you could imagine.

Obviously, this also requires a learning process. It is rediscovering how to be part of a collective organism, finding your own ways of contributing and giving to others, while learning to receive and ask for support when required. It frequently involves learning to compost the dominant organizational logics (pyramidal, hierarchical, departmental, controlling and rigid,) making space for new ways of collaboration and mutual support where we are constantly invited to put the Care of Life at the center; the health of relationships being the main indicator of whether we are truly moving towards the place we have been invited to go together; and not any other “deliverable” we have committed to.

In the midst of this (un)learning, I must also warn that a “living tapestry” can sometimes seem like a labyrinth with many threads, knots and different patterns and colors intertwined in different directions, which is quite different from a traditional organization with its hierarchical governance system, with fully defined roles and objectives. In my particular case, one of the keys that has helped me navigate through these uncertainties and “cha-ordic” processes has been to identify the people behind the structures and seek to connect in a personal, relational and deeper way. As big as a “planetary alliance” may seem, behind each “node”, each service circle, a small work group… there are people. And for me, what has motivated me most to continue being part of this great family is cultivating close relationships with those who have similar vocations to mine and with whom we can find together ways to put them at the service of others.

At the beginning, I shared about my feelings about being in Mexico in the middle of such a magical and mysterious Planetary Meeting; I used the metaphor of a tree with different branches, but with the same trunk (shared DNA). Several years have passed since then, and probably now it would be better to describe it as (cosmic) seeds planted in different latitudes of this beautiful Living Planet; each one with its mission and specific fruit to offer in its context, but sharing nutrients with its intertwingled roots and pulsating together in the Service of Life.

Continuing with that perspective, in this “living tapestry” there are many conversations, underground interactions (mycelial connections) that could easily go unnoticed. However, they are precisely those that enable the possibilities for roots to connect (rhizomatic connections) and together they support the structure so that an entire forest can exist (Biosystemic Connections).

Likewise, what we long to co-create requires concrete interactions with other weavers, cultivating nourishing interactions that strengthen genuine trust. This is the fertile soil for collective processes to emerge that can be sustained over time, and that with care and perseverance can organically become planetary initiatives that show the concrete manifestation of Other Possible Worlds.

Since August of last year (2023) I had the wonderful experience of participating in the first in-person GTA Assembly, and I feel very grateful for the privilege of contributing to the audiovisual production of that flourishing living tapestry that continues to expand and articulate important connections between weavers of different parts of the Planet.

In the same way, at a national level (Ecuador), I actively participate in a wonderful living tapestry in my own country (www.MushukAway.red) and from my own experience, which has helped me navigate and stay active in these various “living tapestries” is to see them, in some way, as manifestations of Life reinventing itself.

I am convinced that many of these ecosystems of care and (un)learning are emerging throughout the Planet; each one with its particular characteristics; but all at the Service of Life. And my only explanation is to recognize that, in a certain sense, we do not belong to ourselves… we are the Living Tapestry itself, that which “weave us together” is not outside of us, it is that same Latent Energy that makes our hearts beat… we are the very manifestation of Life, re-structuring, harmonizing… quickly seeking equilibrium and recovering balance in the midst of this critical and vulnerable moment at a local and planetary level.

I mentioned at the beginning that part of the contributions I make in these “living fabrics” is storytelling (audiovisual) and for that, I usually also do interviews, so I would like to finish by asking you a question:

In your own life… How are you cultivating those caring relationships? How are you weaving together with others in Service of Life? Is there a specific action you think you would like to propose? Are you already articulating it?

I hope, with all my heart, that what you long to co-create, you manage to weave it together with others with love and perseverance. That dream you have, most likely, is not only yours; It has been planted in your heart and it is time for it to germinate and flourish… nourishing it collectively.

Marco Andrade: Marco (@MakariosAnand) is a Soul-tivist, collective intelligence facilitator, and audiovisual producer. He lives in Ecuador with Nina, Nico and Luana. He shares his life with them (un-schooling) exploring the path of constant unlearning to embrace a ReExistence in harmony, where we can all flourish. He is co-founder of @ElNidoCasaAbierta and actively articulates the National Network of Alternatives @MushukAwayEcuador. He is also related to planetary networks such as the @EcoversitiesAlliance and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives (GTA). Nowadays, he is working passionately on a FrameWork called “The Flourishing Compass” exploring what implies to put Life at the Center in all dimensions of existence.