We are living in a time of profound social, ecological, and technological change. Each day in the modern world, market-driven media, algorithms, and artificial intelligence are rapidly diminishing our evolved capacities to sense, relate to, and make meaning of the world.
Oika refers to the intelligence of nature that is also within us. When we ground our story in the story of nature we better understand who we are, feel more at home and are guided by an authentic and expansive form of nature’s intelligence.
Perhaps paradoxically we need to restore our deep connection to nature’s intelligence in order to withstand the coming windstorm that will come with artificial intelligence. By giving nature a voice through science, art and cultural communication, we initiate projects that cultivate more flourishing for all peoples, all places and our whole planet.
The future is beautiful, or there isn't one.
We are in a wicked mess. Any sober analysis of our situation reveals systemic dysfunction across personal, social and planetary scales. Oika sees these patterns as originating from a false separation of humans from nature. The same thinking that disconnects us from nature also disconnects us from each other.
The cumulative impact of this fiction has brought us to our shared moment of crisis and uncertainty. The only certainty now is that we are all in this together.
But! We live in a cosmos that also lives in us. This universal truth becomes personal through intimacy with nature. Not just the grand nature of galaxies, oceans and rainforests, but also the small nature accessible in backyards, bodies and open minds. Oika believes this kind of intimacy with nature also presents a way to realize a better future.
We are witnessing a revolution where science is revealing a long-forgotten meta-pattern. It is a pattern familiar to animals, children, mothers and indigenous perspectives. This is not about any particular science, but how all the sciences are validating a consilient story that is everyone’s story. Oika presents this story and the implicit principles upon which to build a new reality.
To restore reciprocal flourishing, we must rediscover this story as our story and the intelligence embedded within us. Oika is this intelligence of nature as felt and expressed through humans. Through science, art and the creation of culture we align our creativity with nature to discover, decipher, heal, and feel the nature to which we belong.
Dr. Rich Blundell is a scientist, adventurer, philosopher and surfer. He has developed Oika as a living philosophy that draws on deep ecological principles and cosmic evolution to be a source of wisdom for our time.
Humans have grown homesick. Oika is a set of ecological principles and practices that can help heal the world by reminding us of how good it feels to simply be earthlings.
Social and economic crises are two sides of the same ecological coin. Humans are injuring the planet and each other needlessly. Culture created this mess and must help clean it up. Oika is an invitation to create art with more capacity to heal than hurt.
We believe cultural leadership must be ecological leadership. Our science-based, arts-driven programs help early-career optimists and the mid-career disillusioned open co-creative relationships with nature to generate new ecological prosperity.
Dr. Rich Blundell