By 2016 Invoking the Pause Grant Partner ARC:KE:i

"I try not to find the form too soon. Instead I try to think about it as an idea without a shape."
Maya Lin, Boundaries. New York. 2000.

Here in the Pacific Northwest, someone seeking to pause, to reflect, might be said to be 'stepping out of the river.' Our rivers, including the mighty Columbia, have shaped and continue to shape our language and culture, as do the geographic features of so many communities around the globe. Why step out of the river? A fish in a river does not know it is in a river because the river surrounds it. Only by being out of the river can the fish see the eco-system in which the river exists, with its dynamic balance of destructive and creative forces. We sought a Pause to see Innovation Ecology's contextual system: the essential 'bridge' between the hard and soft systems that accelerates communication and learning by communities working towards resilient, low-carbon futures. Our aim was bringing our seed concept into a flowing, self-nourishing reality capable of supporting communities in the critical work they must do together to thrive. » Read More