About
History of Symbiotic Culture Lab
Symbiotic Culture Lab is an outgrowth of 40+ years of experience in developing practical community tools to transform bioregional community into ecosystems of collaboration. We learned some very deep, but at the same time very practical methods of building community. One of our inspirations is the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement in Sri Lanka, a 60-year-old effort involving 15,000 villages and now active in 5,000+ bioregions. The second is the work we’ve done translating those principles in different urban areas of the West.
Two unique features of Symbiotic Culture: first, the foundational importance of universal values and principles in community-based social and economic development. Second, the importance of transforming what we call “tribalized silos” --- the fragmentation of society into competing organizations --- by using a method we call Symbiotic Networks. Over the years, we have received many inquiries about sharing what we have learned with other communities. In 2022, we have launched trainings to communities around the world, including in the United States, Europe, and Africa to start their own Symbiotic Networks.
Symbiotic Culture Lab
Symbiotic Culture Lab connects innovators and experimenters --- pioneers of a new culture. Our audacious vision is a global Commonwealth of Empowered Regional Economies. We work to help build up "micro" bioregional ecosystems, aggregating all of the spiritual, cultural, social, and economic capital within and between existing nonprofits, for profits, government, and social enterprises. We share tools that work on building symbiotic culture at the level of an individual, a neighborhood, and bioregion --- through scalable teams --- pods. And we create alliances with other networks from local to global who are in alignment with Intentional Mutual Benefit in all relationships.
Community Networked Approach
Imagine if there was a simple way to Connect and Amplify the Goodness already happening locally into highly connected networks of community empowerment? We did it, and it works! We provide training in our unique “social technology” called Symbiotic Networks that can transform “tribalized silos” and fragmentation of sub communities into aligned community ecosystems of organizations. Symbiotic networks are “scaffolding”, not the building itself. It’s a gentle structure allowing the building to be built. It helps brings the separate tribes together, releasing creative energies and a collaborative culture can emerge.
Planetary Ignition of Goodwill
Let’s pave the road for scalable, emergent solutions. What works in one region works elsewhere as bottom-up grassroots movements being to erupt everywhere at the same time. Thousands of local communities, simultaneously, participate in an unnamed eruption of Spirit and hope — as regional and global networks emerge organically, tied together through a new bottom up, but global trading system, a countervailing power to the centralized global system.
About Richard Flyer
Energizer, Connector & Community Builder
It’ been a journey of 50 years, with 40 years experimenting in community of one kind or another, to figure out the most relevant form of service I can offer. I’m now launching Symbiotic Culture Lab globally, to support local bioregions who want to learn how to practice symbiotic culture and build symbiotic networks and communities. My book 1Tribe: The Birth of the Symbiotic Age, will be coming out in late Fall 2022. I will continue to write stories, blogs, and make videos of the new world emerging.
Born in San Antonio, Texas; then “grew up” in Alexandria, VA, then Monterey, CA, off to Santa Cruz, CA, San Diego, CA, off to Reno, NV, then, Sri Lanka, Kauai and Oahu, HI. Currently, working on various regenerative projects, in Sri Lanka, and a syntropic food forest project in North Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii and Local Food System Network in Oahu. Dividing time in Southern Germany, and Hawaii.
Had a major “spiritual awakening” as a 12 year old that led me to become the person I am today. Met some amazing teachers along the way. A Vietnam Veteran in San Diego who taught me about Christianity and service. Early 1980’s a Zen mediator in San Diego introduced me to meditation and dream work, and to an Aztec/Christian medicine woman/shaman in Mexico who taught me what Love and Service in action is; and a Tibetan Buddhist Rimpoche who taught me meditation. Finally, met Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, who founded the Sarvodaya Shramadana movement in Sri Lanka, who has put it altogether in one of the world’s largest grassroots, mass movement. My wife Marta, who has shown me what unconditional love is and being a true life-mate and soul-mate. Went through 3 life phases: Formation, from 1971-1991, building inner character and values, guided by teachers. Application, from 1991-2022, putting into action what I learned. And now I am in Activation, being available globally to support local bioregions in their own empowerment, to to build a new society as local communities collectively envision them.