Learning from Living Systems: Nathalia Manso on Regenerative Learning

Living Systems Learning from Living Systems:

Nathalia Manso on Regenerative Learning

In the Atlantic Forest of Rio de Janeiro, Nathalia Manso is weaving something essential: connections between inner transformation and systemic change, between ancient wisdom and contemporary leadership, between humans and the living world.

As an Ecotuner and Regenerative Learning Facilitator and member of our Ecological Belonging Network, Nathalia creates immersive experiences that invite us to remember what modernity has taught us to forget—that we are not separate from nature, but expressions of it. Through practices drawn from Deep Ecology, Ecopsychology, and ancestral wisdom, she guides leaders and changemakers toward a regenerative mindset, one that honors sensitivity, grief, wonder, and our fundamental belonging to Earth’s living pulse.

What is the heart of your work, and what inspired you to begin it?

Nathalia Manso: “The heart of my work lies in remembering our true nature—that we are part of a greater intelligence—so we can regenerate our ways of being, thinking, and acting within a living world. I create bridges between inner transformation and systemic change for leaders, changemakers, and teams.

What brought me to this path was realizing that the root of the many problems we face is a profound crisis of disconnection and a belief in separation. The symptoms we see—ecological, social, spiritual—all emerge from this same place.

My work seeks to transform the mechanistic, fragmented worldview into a regenerative mindset. By integrating what has been separated—mind and body, reason and emotion—and using nature as our teacher, we cultivate capacities that allow us to find creative, resilient responses to the challenges of the metacrisis.”

Nathalia’s work is rooted in the landscapes of Brazil, particularly the Atlantic Forest, the biome that has shaped her sensibility since childhood. This connection to place runs deep through everything she creates, drawing from Brazil’s relational and cultural richness, a country woven from many ancestries, contradictions, and possibilities of coexistence.

How does your work nurture a deeper sense of ecological belonging?

NM: “I seek to cultivate connectivity through experiential practices that deepen the relationship between our inner and outer nature. This often means creating spaces where people slow down enough to listen more deeply—to the land, to their bodies, and to their own intuition.

Through embodied experiences like nature walks, collective rituals, and practices like Forest Bathing, participants begin to feel their interconnection rather than only think about it. I’ve witnessed again and again how a simple moment of awe or quietly observing a more-than-human being softens the boundary between self and world.

At the core is the strengthening of relationships of reciprocity, reverence, and wholeness with the living Earth. When we understand that the notion of a separate individual is an illusion, we awaken our ecological self. This shift transforms how we lead, learn, and re-imagine organizations.”

Can you share a moment or challenge that brought this to life?

NM: “There isn’t a single story, but a pattern I’ve witnessed many times: people arrive feeling tired, anxious, or disconnected, and then something subtle begins to shift. It shows up in softened eyes and deeper breaths, in silent tears or laughter returning. This might happen while sitting quietly with a tree or sharing a story in a circle.

What often follows is a visible change in how they relate, with more gentleness, curiosity, and care. These small awakenings ripple outward, strengthening relationships and inspiring a renewed sense of purpose and participation in life.”

The heart of Nathalia’s work lies in a simple yet profound recognition: The ecological, social, and spiritual symptoms we see in the world all emerge from this same place—a forgetting of our fundamental nature as participants in a living system. This understanding led Nathalia to study Regeneration, Ecopsychology, Deep Ecology, and ancestral wisdom traditions that remind us of who we truly are. With nature as teacher, she helps people learn from living systems to reframe how we see ourselves, our relationships, and our actions in the world.

What is the most critical lesson you have learned that should be shared?

NM: “I have been reflecting deeply on the importance of having safe collective spaces to honor our pain and grief. A profound learning on this regenerative path is recognizing that death is an intrinsic part of life’s process of renewal. This means learning to process the pain that moves through us collectively, and to compost what must be left behind so that new ways of being can emerge.

Healing the wounds of separation may be our greatest collective challenge, and for that, we need community.

Ultimately, the most important lesson has been recognizing that we don’t need to save, solve, or fix the world. We are simply participants in, and expressions of, a living system in the ongoing process of transmutation. This frees us from the heroic narrative and gives us the humility of those who are part of something much greater.”

What small, first step would you encourage others to take in their own community?

NM: “A simple first step is to begin noticing the place where you live with new eyes. Start building a relationship with your surroundings as if they were part of your extended community.

Practices of attention, presence, and deep listening—like Sit Spot (regularly sitting in the same place outdoors)—help resensitize our senses. Forest Bathing invites us to slow down and perceive the forest and its beings as teachers.

Above all, ecological belonging is about allowing ourselves to feel. Reclaiming sensitivity is revolutionary—it reconnects us with both beauty and grief, reminding us that to belong is simply to be in relationship.”

Connect with Nathalia:

You can find Nathalia on LinkedIn and Instagram, or reach out directly by email. She’s always open to connecting with kindred spirits, synergistic projects, and initiatives that align with regenerative and relational ways of working.

Learn More About Ecological Belonging

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