In Memoriam: James Stark

James Stark was quite a human being, and was many things to many people. A short list would include: creative visionary, artist, systems thinker, creative-solution-finding builder, teacher, mentor and guide. A gardener tending the inner landscape and making beauty and love visible on the land. A loyal, devoted friend and love, brother, uncle, godfather. A cosmic trickster wizard. 

 

James’ legacy is enormous, amplified by the profound effect he had on so many. He facilitated countless circles in programs like Ecology of Awakening, Ecology of Leadership and Art of Vitality, generously holding space for and mentoring many. 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 an electric, generative connection that was channeled into developing models of healing and wellness, connected to nature, to community, to love. He mentored us in the complexity of stewarding 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.

 

James deeply loved the land, and held as sacred his relationship thereto. It was very meaningful for him to maintain the relationship with the Commonweal Garden over the seven years after RDI’s departure, doing everything from co-facilitating programs to mowing the lawn, and so many things in between. In the wake of his passing, a beautiful process of reconnection-to the Garden, between different realms of influence and engagement, between those who'd become estranged-has unfolded for many in his extended community. New opportunities to deepen into connection, to cross-pollinate, to collaborate are opening.  An annual James Fest is being planned, to keep this beautiful spirit alive and well in our hearts. He has mentored or inspired so many of us in some way, carrying the seeds that we are now sowing in our lives with prayers for what is to come.

 

So this fund will go to support the Commonweal Garden, honoring James’ legacy of creating and tending a place to come together in circles, on the land here in the Commonweal Garden. Cultivating connections, doing our inner gardening, evolving community structures, and enjoying the sparkly playful magic of being alive. James knew better than most the magnitude of the joyful and hard work of tending this land so that it is able to hold people in their healing. And he knew, better than anyone I’ve ever met, what it takes to bring vision into being. 

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Your contribution to this fund will be held in sacred trust that we will carry James’ legacy forward, tending this land, cultivating collaborations, deepening our connections, working for healing with love in our hearts.

 

Thank you for joining your light with his in this way.

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Written with love, gratitude and humility by Anna O'Malley