Living (or Complex) Systems Thinking Resources

All pieces below how deeply influenced my thinking with respect to understanding how to create change toward flourishing of all life. Maybe they are also helpful to you.

Concepts and Frameworks

• Iceberg Model for Systems Thinking
  Climate change is only the tip of the iceberg. This concept helps frame systems thinking beyond surface-level events.
  🔮 Vanasupa & Barabino (2021)

• Patterns and Properties of Living Systems
  A comprehensive list of patterns and living systems properties. The last page of this paper contains an extensive list worth exploring.
  Mark Kroening (2025)

• Feedback Loops and Causal Loop Diagrams
  Understanding feedback loops is essential for systems thinking. Mastering causal loop diagrams is a key skill that enhances systemic understanding.

  • Overview of Causal Loops: 🔮 Read more
  • Effort and Broken Feedback Loops: 🔮 Read more

Key Theories and Models

• Resilience and Innovation Loops
  An insightful paper on how resilience and innovation cycles function within ecosystems and how they apply to social (complex) systems as well.
  • Download the paper (Holling, 2001)
  • 🔮 Marble on the same topic
• Adaptive Cycles in System Transformation
  Adaptive cycles help us understand how to transform systems effectively.
  • 🔮 Read more
• Autopoiesis: The force of systems to maintain an reproduce themselves Understanding the life force within living systems in nature and society
  • 🔮 Read more

Practical Tools for Systemic Change

• Leverage Points and System Interventions
  A crucial list of intervention points to guide systemic transformation.
  🔮 Explore the framework

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