On The Ecology of Power
Can we master the Science of Provocation?
~
In March I wrote a private Letter to 100 of my most trusted contacts, allies and friends.
I shared that after October 7th I couldn't write or publish anything anymore. Seeing conflicts and hate-inducing narratives spread like fire across families, communities and especially "change-makers" was a big wake-up moment for me.
In the impact and climate change space we love to consider ourselves "conscious". Our campaigns, projects, and identities tend to revolve around 3 main points:
- we see what's truly happening
- we know exactly why it's happening
- we know what should be done to correct the course of events.
I used to resonate with that. I even used to identify with that.
But the last few years taught me the delicate and dangerous difference between being conscious and being righteous.
This is where you'd normally see me going on a tangent of insights, reflections and examples – but after October 7th, I lost any interest in intellectualising my way through this.
I had to reckon with the fact that I myself fell into the "knowledge creates change" story. But that, today, some times, can be just that. A story.
And a trap.
I obviously believe in the power of knowledge.
But I also know that knowledge without discernment, aligned action and integrity is just information.
And in the 21st century, and most especially in a year like 2024, information without clarity is a weapon – that keeps us overwhelmed, numb, distracted, or reactive and constantly ready to get at each other's throats.
Ultimately propagating the same damage. Over, and over, and over again.
~
It's been 35+ years of life on this planet and I still haven't managed to feel deeply uncomfortable about something, and just ignore it.
I couldn't write or publish, so my question became: what lies beyond the information and awareness game? Or, more precisely:
What are the traps we fall into? What do they exploit within us and how can we neutralise them – to reclaim our power and clarity, and do what's really ours to do?
6 months later – after reviewing 4+ years of experience, 35+ clients cases of my 1:1 work, and uncountable tools and techniques, I emerged on the other side with a (very different kind of) answer.
The first group program on Power, Purpose, Pain and the hidden dimensions of Wealth.
It's called The Ecology of Power.
What I love about the process that led me to it is that, once I pulled away from the information game and traps, everything became very simple:
- when we say "that's wrong" what we mean is "hurtful"
- when something feels wrong, it provokes us
- when something provokes us we (tend to) react to it – from pain, unhealthy states, dissatisfaction and a craving for significance and power-over
We react to those (incentivised, monetised) states, and the result is what we call "the current system".
So while we believe we are fighting it, what we're actually doing is feeding it.
It became clear to me that the antidote lies in building emotional and somatic awareness of these mechanisms, and the cognitive ability to respond to what provokes us – with clarity, alignment and integrity.
In other words: mastering the Science of Provocation.
~
The Ecology of Power is not a course.
It's an online, 10-week hands-on program focused on practice and applied knowledge.
We work in a small group of 6–7 people with tools from somatic and cognitive science, nature and evidence-based protocols, as well as ancient traditions. The core program gets tailored to the group’s specific profiles and needs.
My goal is simple: I want to make these tools and practices more accessible, and test formats that are inclusive, adaptive, regenerative, and that meet people where they are — including bursaries, localised prices, co-designed schedules, etc.
We start next week, on May 21st.
The deadline to apply is this Friday the 17th – you can find here the program details and the application form.
My hope is that more and more people who feel this same way will develop the courage and strength to build and hold spaces where we can re-claim our vitality and do what's truly ours to do.
My commitment is to be one of them.
I hope to see you there.
Because if the game levels up, then so must we.
Abrazo,
~M
