Spencer Neilson first came to the Regenerative Design Institute in Bolinas in 2007 to participate in a "Coyote Tracks Teacher Training" facilitated by Rick Berry, and has been participating in our community ever since!  He returned for Jon Young's "Art of Mentoring,"  the "4-Seasons Permaculture Design Certfication" and the "Ecology of Leadership," where he is now on the "Facilitation Path" with James and Christopher.  Here are some words from Spencer on what his journey has been like with RDI:

Teaching kids out in the woods –
Earth science, awareness, survival…
Coyote Tracks Teacher Training creates a shift
Rick and Matt Berry guide the guides,
now the Trickster evolves:
More questions, more primitive skills.

A summer being mentored followed by Art of Mentoring,
the evolution continues –
ways of Seeing, ways of Being slowly morph into 8 shields.
Jon Young tells a story of which we are all a part.
Paul Raphael, Mala Spotted Eagle, and Mahealani are all elder guides,
teaching kids will never be the same.

4 Seasons of Permaculture Design:
this way is so familiar,
as Penny, Lydia, and Dave guide the great remembering.
Now rooted in Marin, homeschool nature programs sprout –
Teaching Permaculture, Awareness, Tracking, Healing.

James plants the seed even deeper – inner permaculture and community gardening.
My Ecology of Leadership journey begins with a 5-day immersion
as James and Christopher lead the dance.

Round 2: I’m assisting with 4-Seasons 10, on the Facilitation Path with EOL 5 & 6.

My learning goes deeper, my teaching does too.
Farming food (read more)
growing youth (read more)
tending the inner garden…

Regenerative Design has been restored as the operating system.

From teaching kids on trail
to perma-cultural mentoring youth and adults,
designing my days in relationship to the whole
this Regenerative Design journey
has brought elders, mentors, wisdom, visions, and leadership
into my way of Being and Seeing.

In Gratitude…