Echoes From The Future, Vol. 1
This blog is the first out of a series of my own journey into the 2nd cycle of the Catalyst Lab. This first part talks about learning how to listen to the echoes of the future through a collective network. It gives emphasis on the first step that preludes crystalizing a project - a step that is often overseen by society and the one that seems to be a must into real systemic change.
As catalysts, we want to shift and move the world, making new perspectives emerge!
The path entails developing an ability to see/listen through the clouds that might be blocking our vision and be able to imagine the future that could emerge out of it.
Realization - During a dialogue in module two of the Catalyst Lab cycle 2020/21 I realized that, even though all of the catalysts are working on very different SDG topics, we are essentially doing the same work and tackling the same or similar root causes of one or more of the three big divides (ecological, social, spiritual, see here) we’re facing as hu[wo]man beings at this very moment of disruptiveness in the first quarter of the 21st century.
Understanding our common ground – I also realized that understanding this common ground was an important starting point of developing a common vision for the world we are longing to create, with our minds and hearts. A common gift we all have is that we can hear echoes from the future, sounds from the future that represent the wish for the generations to come. It’s like having the ability in certain beautiful moments to open a window that already shows us how the world might be. We imagine this future everyday from the windows of our homes.
The network - The Catalyst Lab is a common home, where we can share these visions of the future on a collective level. The framework allows us to unleash the power of our collective intelligence to truly align all our individual ideas, prototypes and / or (future) projects into a common direction guided by the same & common northern lights.
The medium - Beyond the first realization, what also emerged is that we, catalysts, changemakers, innovators or whatever you want to call us, might not necessarily be the actors/actresses that will act, but we might be the medium through which systemic change will take place. And as the medium, we need to operate from a network that we’ve woven together and continue to weave into this beautiful fabric of the future.
The ultimate question is: what if we align everything we do as a medium of systemic change under the same polar light? What if we get to believe that everything is already there? What then will be left to do?
Operating from a truly common & collective ground, from the sources of our heart is what I deeply wish for.
to be continued….
Music that might inspire to sense more into this:
Pink Floyd (1971): echoes (from the album ummagumma)
Transatlantic: the world we used to know (from the album the absolute universe, 2021)
Blogppst by Marco Gyger, Catalyst Lab 2
Marco Gyger, LinkedIn is just fine – no other social media anymore in my life
Listen to my monthly 3 hour radio show (in Swiss German) where I dig through my treasure chest of music always centering around one specific topic and where I tell stories about the songs and artists, anecdotes and biographical notes. Beginning in May 2021 there is a monthly podcast/talk in the show that focuses even more on systemic, societal and cultural change https://www.kanalk.ch/portfolio_page/68-radieauchapeau/
“the chapeau archives” to listen back to all the shows https://soundcloud.com/chapeau/