Dear friends,
We are in a time between worlds, and many of us feel it before we can name it. Everything we’ve published over the past few years—the conversations, the essays, the gatherings—has been an attempt to sit honestly with that feeling and ask what comes next. Today, all of this culminates in a new name: Seeds of Renaissance.
Below, you can read more about what’s new at Seeds of Renaissance.
You may also join us for the launch of a new series of weekly Global Connection Calls starting tomorrow, Thursday, 29th October, 20:30-22:00 CET:
Join the Global Connection Call →
Why seeds?
A renaissance doesn’t arrive all at once. It begins small, in soil that’s been turned over by loss and hope: a conversation, a practice, a group of people meeting once a month to work out what comes next.
We wanted a name that says that plainly. We aren’t announcing a new world. We’re tending the first green shoots of one, and we don’t have it all figured out. We’re working it out together, with your help.
Our new mark carries the same idea that we started years ago. A swallow, the bird whose return means spring is coming after a long winter, rises through a circle of fingerprints. Many hands around something taking flight.
What Seeds of Renaissance is…
Seeds of Renaissance is a movement of people making sense of this moment and practicing what comes next, together.
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A Media House: where we make sense of things: the podcast and YouTube conversations, essays, our white paper series, a printed magazine, and our newsletter.
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Gardens of Change: where we practice together: WhatsApp chats, monthly Global Connection Calls, courses, and events.
Nothing you value is going away. The conversations, the writing, and the community are all still here, now under one name, one look, and one home. The podcast you may know as Over the Mountains is now simply the Seeds of Renaissance podcast.
Where to find us now:
Our new home on the web is seedsofrenaissance.org. The old Second Renaissance links and URLs will bring you there.
Our YouTube channel is the best place to watch and listen to our new podcast episodes, and you can now find links to our white papers and essays on their own dedicated pages on the new site.
Join us! We have online courses with proven practices people can implement into their existing life, community, and interests, while in-person meetups and online events such as our monthly Global Connection Call provide the necessary opportunities for community and the skills to build Gardens of Change.
Next call: Thursday, 29 October, 20:30–22:00 CET
If you haven’t already, follow us. It’s the easiest way to hear about new conversations, gatherings, and what we’re growing next.
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Instagram: @seedsofrenaissance
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X/Twitter: @SeedRenaissance
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Facebook: Seeds of Renaissance
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LinkedIn: Seeds of Renaissance
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BlueSky: @seedsofrenaissance
And if any of this has meant something to you, the kindest thing you can do is pass it on to someone who feels what you feel.
Thank you for being here, through the old name and into the new one.
With warmth,
Sylvie, Rufus, and the Seeds of Renaissance Team and Community
Press pack
Writing about Seeds of Renaissance? Our press pack has the story, our logo and images, and who to contact.
FAQs
What is changing?
The Life Itself project “Second Renaissance” is now Seeds of Renaissance. At the same time, Life Itself is moving into the background, and most if not all of our public communication will happen under the Seeds of Renaissance name. Our social media accounts have been updated to reflect this, as well as our newsletter. Our podcast Over the Mountains will also be renamed Seeds of Renaissance, and all of the existing episodes of Over the Mountains are available everywhere podcasts are streamed and on our YouTube channel.
Why now?
Human civilization has always been a story of transformation – of old worlds dying and new ones being born. We are living through such moments. The crises of our time – ecological, political, social, spiritual – are not separate emergencies to be managed one by one. They are the symptoms of a civilization whose foundations are cracking. And as in every great turning, crisis carries within it the seed of rebirth.
What does Seeds of Renaissance offer, and what is it doing?
Seeds of Renaissance (SoR) has two main areas: a media house, which includes a podcast, essays, a magazine, a newsletter and videos; and gardens of change, which include courses, meetups, research and interest groups.
Together we will make the art, ideas and actions for what comes next. We are not waiting for a new world, we are already practicing it.
Is Seeds of Renaissance a religion or a spiritual group?
Our work is mystical, political, ethical, spiritual, religious and artistic. Our manifesto is non-sectarian; it is to be alive and not to be set in stone, dead and irrelevant. We are committed that our dreams of utopias do not turn into nightmares.
Why did Second Renaissance change its name?
This Life Itself project, Seeds of Renaissance, began under the name Second Renaissance, which came from our understanding of this moment: not a return to the past, but a genuine rebirth drawing on all that has come before. We have since determined that Seeds of Renaissance better captures what we set out to do. While we see a renaissance forming, it cannot be quantified or defined by one group and instead must be seeded and stewarded by those willing to tend civilizational rebirth. Both the name of the project and the podcast will change to Seeds of Renaissance moving forward.
Do you still use the name “Second Renaissance”?
Our project, formerly called Second Renaissance, is now Seeds of Renaissance; the essays as well as some other materials may keep the original name to preserve the original idea and the history of the movement and vision. We now use the term “Second Renaissance” to name this time between worlds.
When does the change take effect?
Our new website, seedsofrenaissance.org, launched on October 28, 2026, and all of our social properties have been updated to reflect the change, including our podcast.
What happens to the Second Renaissance website?
Our previous website, secondrenaissance.net, will now redirect to our new website, seedsofrenaissance.org. Everything will be migrated over, but should you find you’ve lost access to any of our materials or previous releases, please contact us.
Is Life Itself going away or rebranding as Seeds of Renaissance?
Life Itself will continue to operate. What is changing is that its public-facing work around ideas, media, events and community is moving into Seeds of Renaissance. Life Itself continues as the originating collective and current steward of Seeds of Renaissance, and as its own experiment in shared life through its hubs and community.
Why does Seeds of Renaissance have its own name?
Seeds of Renaissance is deliberately plural and larger than its founders and its stewarding organization, Life Itself. It is designed to grow into a much wider movement where other people can develop real ownership, agency and projects without having to join Life Itself.
Who is Seeds of Renaissance for?
Seeds of Renaissance is for people who: are disillusioned by the crises of modern civilization; sense that something new is trying to emerge; want to participate in bringing forth a new paradigm; seek meaning, depth and wisdom; are intellectually curious but also practically hungry; and are searching for grounded hope. If you feel something is shifting and want to explore and connect with others, come and join us.
Do I need to join Life Itself to take part in Seeds of Renaissance?
No. Seeds of Renaissance is not a funnel into Life Itself. You can participate in, contribute to and help shape Seeds of Renaissance without ever becoming part of Life Itself.
What is Life Itself?
Life Itself is a collective committed to practical action for a radically wiser, weller world. It began over a decade ago hosting community hubs in Berlin (Germany), London (UK) and Bergerac (France), providing spaces for collaboration, research initiatives and special projects. Seeds of Renaissance began in 2022 as a wider movement aimed at outreach for revolutionary ideas to take shape through podcasts, white papers, a magazine, courses and community spaces of belonging known as the gardens of change.
What happens to Life Itself local groups and hubs?
Local groups will remain stewarded by Life Itself and no changes are planned. The hubs stay with Life Itself as its own experiment in co-living and shared work.
What happens to the Life Itself research group?
The Life Itself research group will become the Seeds of Renaissance research group, and the Life Itself Research newsletter will become Seeds of Renaissance Research.
What happens to Life Itself’s Developmental Spaces and Praxis Hub?
Developmental Spaces remains a distinct, autonomous Life Itself initiative with its own website, Substack and mailing list. It is connected and complementary to Seeds of Renaissance but is not being folded into it. Praxis Hub similarly stays under the Life Itself umbrella as its own project.
Will Life Itself still have its own website?
The Seeds of Renaissance website, seedsofrenaissance.org, is the main public destination for most of the Life Itself initiatives. A Life Itself website will remain as a smaller, institutional site covering the collective’s history, its hubs and shared life, governance and legal information, its stewardship role, and its other initiatives.
Who is behind Seeds of Renaissance?
Seeds of Renaissance was created by the founders of Life Itself. Its stewards are Sylvie Shiwei Barbier, a ritual artist and co-founder of Life Itself, and Rufus Pollock, a researcher, writer and entrepreneur. Their commitment to seeding a renaissance is fused in love and a shared commitment to act with wisdom and care to bequeath a better world to the next generations, including their own children. They, along with a team, work to produce the content provided by the media house and facilitate the courses and monthly Global Connection Calls.
“Our embodiment in living is one of the greatest ways we plant the seeds of a renaissance. It shows that there is a way to be on a powerful spiritual path while raising children.” – Sylvie Shiwei Barbier
What happens to the Life Itself WhatsApp groups?
The existing Life Itself WhatsApp groups will likely be renamed Seeds of Renaissance in the weeks following the relaunch, to avoid confusion. You can stay where you are for now.
I’m on the Life Itself newsletter on Substack. What happens now?
The Life Itself newsletter will become less frequent and more focused on specific Life Itself activity. Current subscribers will now receive the Seeds of Renaissance newsletter, which will take over much of the Life Itself newsletter’s past function, including links to new white papers, podcast episode releases, course offerings and more.
I subscribed to the Second Renaissance newsletter on Substack. What happens now?
The Second Renaissance Substack is being renamed Seeds of Renaissance. There is no action required.
What is happening to the Over the Mountains podcast?
The Over the Mountains podcast is becoming the Seeds of Renaissance podcast. Over the Mountains was retired as a show name in October 2026, concluding season one of our podcast, but episodes will continue under Seeds of Renaissance, starting with season two on November 4, 2026.
Where can I listen to the new Seeds of Renaissance podcast?
The Seeds of Renaissance podcast is available for streaming through our YouTube channel and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or through RSS. The Over the Mountains podcast Substack will be retired, and all show notes and other episode information will now be available on seedsofrenaissance.org.
What does the logo mean?
Our mark centers the swallow, whose flight announces the arrival of spring and the promise of brighter days after a period of darkness. Surrounding the swallow are radiating fingerprints, like seeds, arranged to mimic the rays of the sun heralding a new dawn. The colors red, white and black represent life, death and transition.
How do I get involved or support the work?
You can listen to or watch the Seeds of Renaissance podcast on our YouTube channel, follow us on social media, sign up for our monthly newsletter via our website, buy a copy of our magazine, take part in a course or join our monthly Global Connection Call.
What is the Global Connection Call?
The Global Connection Call is a ninety-minute online gathering for those who sense the old world is ending and want to help seed the new. You can sign up for the call via our events page.
Where can I find Seeds of Renaissance online?
Visit seedsofrenaissance.org, or find us on these social media platforms:
- YouTube: @seedsofrenaissance
- Instagram: @seedsofrenaissance
- Facebook: Seeds of Renaissance
- X/Twitter: @SeedRenaissance
- LinkedIn: Seeds of Renaissance
- Linktree: @seedsofrenaissance
- Luma: Seeds of Renaissance
- Bluesky: @seedsofrenaissance
Is there a poster or announcement I can share on social media?
Yes: our press pack has the announcement, our logo and images.
How would you describe Seeds of Renaissance to the press?
Seeds of Renaissance is a media and movement-building project exploring what a wiser, more regenerative civilization could look like. By combining long-form analysis, practice courses and community gatherings, we are building a web of like-minded people across the globe, ready to help a new paradigm emerge.
