Hutchins’ Work Invites His Readers on a Journey from “Goal-Orientation” toward “Whole-Orientation”

Our primary “impact” in the world comes not from what we do in the world, but who we are. We’ve explored this idea before – in previous newsletter additions, in an article I wrote called “Healing Systems (and Self) Through Golf”, and even in our popular guest article from Parker Cohn called “Bee the Change” (written for Earth Day, four years ago… time flies when you’re regenerating!).

I wanted to make space in our Driving the Green blog to distill and integrate what I’m learning from a book called “Nature Works: Activating Regenerative Leadership Consciousness”, written by inspiring author and business coach Giles Hutchins. In the foreword to this book, Galahad Clark, Co-Founder & CEO of innovative footwear brand Vivobarefoot cites Giles Hutchins’ philosophy as a major contributor to Vivo’s regenerative and life-affirming business model.

Fundamentally, Hutchins’ work emphasizes that The Root of Regeneration is embodiment. While he accurately diagnoses the many dis-eases of our modern culture, Hutchins also offers detailed, practical, and personal solutions for addressing them. Hutchins does so by skillfully interweaving lessons from ecology, biology, indigenous wisdom, gnostic spiritual teachings, organizational culture theory, psychology, quantum physics, and monomythic self-development (AKA “The Hero’s Journey”).

His general theme of evolving one’s mindset from “Achiever” to “Regenerator” summarizes the work rather well:

The core concepts of this book are familiar across cultures:

Life is seasonal.

The seasonality of life occurs at multiple levels: biologically, physically, spiritually, and culturally. Just as leaves change, so does the psyche of an individual, as does the popular expression of a cultural collective. This points to many opportunities for realignment, and while the outer work of biophysical regeneration (carbon sequestration, soil health cultivation, facilitating ecological flows, etc.) is an urgent necessity, this challenging time period for humanity is as much about inner growth and a re-volution of consciousness.

Life is relational.

Life is about relationships. Biophysical regeneration is also about relationships between organisms that serve a larger whole of diversity-within-unity (e.g., the biosphere, the Soil Food Web, etc.). As above, so below.

When we are “out in nature”, nature is also in us.

The general idea that we’re a perpetrator of offense against a victimized “nature” is itself a flawed paradigm borne of perceived separation. We come from nature. The human mind separates us from it (though only perceptually), AND this same rational tool can also heal our connection to it. Hutchins’ book shows how.

Why Golf? Play is the Root of Regeneration.

What I have reflected on above is not to downplay the potential consequences of failing in climate action and cultural change: if we do not get our act together, then nature will just evolve into a new whole that does not include humanity. Revolution, or evolution — we have some choice in the matter.

Hutchins quotes anthropologist Gregory Bateson:

“The creature that wins against its environment destroys itself.” – Gregory Bateson.

What have humanity’s victories against its environment brought it? In the short-to-medium term (nanoseconds, really, on a geological scale), humanity has earned itself longer lifespans, the ability to escape gravity, and access to regular meals (for most). Humanity has succeeded in its rational enlightenment to the point that “developed” civilizations suffer mainly from dis-“eases” of having too much (and doing too much). Humanity buffers itself so significantly from nature that it undercuts its greatest fundamental needs.

Golf can bring us back to those needs.

A Movement of Regeneration through golf can “heal” (or “bring into wholeness”) both the individual psyche of its players, AND the dichotomies of the collective culture within which golfers play. The player practices and integrates a way of being that is relational and interconnected while “transcending-but-including” goal orientation (and what Hutchins outlines as the “achiever” mindset). The golfer senses that integration through a blissful state of “flow” (what all athletes know as “the zone”). Ironically, losing the appetite to achieve makes the achievement effortless (and more enjoyable). See: Scottie Scheffler in 2024 (humble, surrendered to the divine and oriented toward the whole of life, and utterly dominant at playing golf).

With practice, flow becomes as effortless as nature. With investment into nature, golf courses can also create an environment for golfers to experience more “flow” (thus leading to “cash flow” for that golf facility). We can drop the “achiever mindset”, orienting ourselves away from narrow self-interest and toward the greater whole, and the ironic result will be a win-win-win for humanity.

In Summary:

The lessons in Hutchins’ book “Nature Works” are absolutely profound, IF one takes the time to:

“Practice, Practice, Practice; Integrate, Integrate, Integrate”

One such Way is through playing golf – hearing its deeper calls for self-development, honoring its emergent ethics, and dying to the present moment in order to affirm life as a Whole (Being-in-Flow).

Nature Works: Activating Regenerative Leadership Consciousness (Book Review)