cosmic trickster wizard
In honor of our beloved James—a gardener tending the inner landscape and making beauty and love visible on the land—we have created the James Stark Memorial Fund to support the Commonweal Garden, currently stewarded by the Natura Institute of Ecology and Medicine.
James’ legacy is enormous, amplified by the profound effect he had on so many people. He facilitated countless circles in programs like Ecology of Awakening, Ecology of Leadership and Art of Vitality, generously holding space and mentoring. He has held us in our grief and healing and supported us in doing the inner work that is required to live a vision-led life. He modeled recognizing something in our world or lives that needed changing, and then, changing it. From evolving community structures like radio stations, land trusts and farmers markets to being a driving force in the blossoming permaculture movement in his partnership with Penny Livingston while co-directing Regenerative Design Institute (RDI) in the Commonweal Garden, he made things happen. He considered the Garden, quite beautifully, a vision nursery. A place for people to come, learn skills, do their healing work, be inspired, and go live the lives they are meant to live.
James modeled beautiful intergenerational wisdom sharing, collaboration, and creative exchanges. In the transitional time in the Commonweal Garden, as RDI was leaving and Natura, founded and directed by Anna O’Malley, was coming into being, James again generously stepped into mentorship and creative collaborative partnership. Turning their attention to another landscape in deep need of healing, the healthcare system, James and Anna had a generative connection that was channeled into developing models of healing and wellness, connected to nature, to community, to love. He mentored the Natura team in the complexity of holding a complex site like the Commonweal Garden, and in the many roles that come along with it. He gracefully followed Anna’s lead, stepping back and giving her space to lead in his true wise elder form.
Your contribution to this fund will be held in sacred trust that we will carry James’ legacy forward, tending the Commonweal Garden, cultivating collaborations, deepening our connections, working for healing with love in our hearts.
Thank you for joining your light with his in this way.
To donate in James' name to Natura Institute for Ecology and Medicine, use the form, below. You can donate by credit card, below, or send a check donation to: Natura Institute's James Stark Memorial Fund, Commonweal, PO Box 316, Bolinas, CA, 94924 (please note on the check that the donation is in honor of James Stark).
Commonweal is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit, public benefit organization (tax I.D. #94-2366094). Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. We never share your personal or credit card information. Have questions or need help? Call us at 415-868-0970 or email us.
