Perhaps the most basic tendency of the human mind is to get fixated on things. We ruminate about things we (or others) have done; we worry about things that may happen in the future. We also build up an idea of what kind of person we are – what opinions we hold, what values we stand for – and grow…
Meredith Monk opened the 2015 Artist and Buddhist Contemplatives gathering with a group vocalization of “AH.” This first sound of the gathering arose out of the silence and moved through all the participants together in a circle in the main hall at Garrison. And it proved a beautiful inspiration for Robert Thurman’s impromptu exposition on “A” during his talk that…
The beautiful words you will read below arose in the consciousness of participants in my recent writing workshop at the Garrison Institute. The workshop was based on Healing Rhythms of Words, my system of creative, psychological, and spiritual growth through rhythmical writing. Each of the brief passages here offers a glimpse into one moment of our weekend-long journey through different language…
The term “neuroarchitecture” may sound like an industry buzzword, but in the rapidly evolving and intersecting world of technology, science, and design, it’s an idea worthy of greater attention. This burgeoning field applies the scientific rigor of neuroscience to the world of design, seeking to better understand how humans perceive and experience built spaces at a biological level. The ultimate…
The wisdom of our ancestors should be cherished. Those ancient bags of bones earned their knowledge by suffering through eons of abhorrent hygiene, repulsive cuisine, and horrendous wifi. Thus we should totally preserve the sayings passed on down to us. But also, it might be time to tweak them. After all, our ancestors created these sayings in times of abhorrent…
Renowned teachers and authors Ethan Nichtern and Sharon Salzberg will be leading a retreat on “Real Change” at the Garrison Institute on December 14-16, 2018. We talked with them recently about the nature of both personal and social change, and how creating supportive communities is essential to the practice of Real Change. Nora Boxer: Why do we paradoxically both want change…
Dr. Otto Scharmer is an action researcher who co-creates innovations in learning and leadership that he delivers through classes and programs at MIT, MITx U.Lab, the Presencing Institute, and through innovation projects with organizations in business, government, and civil society around the world. He is the author of Theory U, Second Edition and co-author of the newly released Leading from the Emerging…
On the Pathways Toward Planetary Health – the interconnected road to ecological civilization, Half-Earth, regenerative economics, and pervasive altruism – there must be awareness and a bedrock of underlying values. There must be an ethical framework and a capacity to generate solutions. There must be a basic morality. But there also must be something good to eat. And plenty of…