As we resume the formal sessions of the Dancing with Systems learning journey this Wednesday, September 17, we want to pause and honor what has already been surfacing through our time together. Across the first six sessions, certain threads have woven themselves into a tapestry of insight and practice—threads that connect Dana’s legacy with the lived experiences of our guest speakers, and with the journeys each of you are on.
What follows are the core themes that have consistently risen to the surface—truth-telling, transformation, visioning, collective action, care, joy, and more. They remind us that systems thinking is not only an intellectual discipline, but also a profoundly human one. These themes point us toward ways of being: how we speak, how we act, how we sustain ourselves, and how we connect with one another in service of change.
As you read, we invite you to reflect on where these themes resonate most strongly with your own practice. Which of these feels most alive for you right now? Which might serve as a guidepost as we move into the next phase of our journey—applying systems thinking in context, and deepening into Dana’s invitation to dance with complexity?
1. Truth-Telling and Speaking Truth to Power
This emerges as perhaps the most powerful recurring theme across all sessions:
Katy Shields emphasized how Dana was willing to speak truth to power, even when faced with resistance
The challenge of speaking publicly about the growth paradigm; criticism in professional contexts
Hunter Lovins' direct confrontations with established systems
The necessity of challenging dominant narratives, even at personal cost
2. The Journey Metaphor and Personal Transformation
Every speaker emphasized transformation as a journey:
Katy transformation from linear economist to systems thinker
Kate Raworth's journey from frustrated economics student to creating Donut Economics
Hunter's consideration of "quitting" before finding renewed purpose
The course itself framed as a "learning journey" where participants meet at the level of their journeys
3. Vision as Essential for Change
Dana's insistence on having a positive vision of what we're moving toward, not just what we're against
Katy: "If you don't have a vision of what we could have, we will not bring anyone along"
Kate's literal illustration of a new economic goal
The importance of spending time imagining and visualizing life in "the donut"
4. Systems Thinking as Dance, Not Control
Dana's "Dancing with Systems" principles - staying humble, being a learner
Recognition that we're stewards of complexity, not controllers
The need for intuitive sensing of which leverage points are accessible at any given moment
Systems as messy, nonlinear, turbulent, and beautiful
5. Both/And: Local Action with Global Consciousness
Acting locally while thinking globally
Dana's work from her farm while addressing planetary issues
Barcelona's street transformations as part of global Donut Economics
COP-X's approach: solve locally in your own way, connect globally
6. The Power of Collective Action Without Ego
Moving beyond charismatic leadership to servant leadership
Hunter: "It's not about me, it's about you"
Kate's work with active change agents rather than trying to convince skeptics
Recognition that "we are the ones we've been waiting for"
7. Paradigm Shifts Require Identity Shifts
Paradigms are also identities (Marta's insight)
The challenge of letting go of old paradigms that define us
Katie's personal journey of identity transformation
The highest leverage point is often the hardest to access
8. Self-Care as Revolutionary Act
Dana's tragic final lesson about not taking care of herself
Hunter: "If you go down, now you're a problem for everybody else"
The need to know what sustains us personally
Taking time in nature, with community, for restoration
9. The Question of "Enough"
When is our work enough?
Hunter's wrestling with retirement vs. continued commitment
The tension between feeling we're never doing enough and burnout
Finding meaning through pledge/commitment rather than measurable impact
10. Playfulness and Joy as Strategic Tools
Kate's circus performances and use of props
The importance of making complex ideas accessible through play
"Strategic mischief" as a way to disarm traditional power structures
Fun as essential for sustaining long-term commitment
Key Insights for Learners to Carry Forward
Start Where You Are: You don't need perfect knowledge to begin. As Hunter said, "hop in wherever you can."
Look for Accessible Leverage Points: While paradigm shifts are powerful, work with whatever leverage points are available to you now.
Build Community: None of this work happens in isolation. Find your "hundred people" (Dana's concept).
Tell Stories: Good communication changes how people perceive the world, not just what they know.
Embrace Uncertainty: "We're literally making it up as we go along" (Hunter on COP-X) - and that's okay.
Honor Different Forms of Knowledge: From technical systems mapping to embodied wisdom, all forms of knowing matter.
These themes weave together to create a rich tapestry of systems thinking that is both intellectually rigorous and deeply human, honoring both the complexity of our challenges and the creative potential of collective action.
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