Transformation for Outer Change: THINKING (Cognitive Skills). An experiential learning journey

"All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

We are living in changing and challenging times and we are not changing fast enough to leave a sustainable and liveable world for future generations. We face a climate crisis, social and political divisions, a mental health epidemic, technological disruptions, and global health emergencies. We know that the world is not changing quickly enough to fulfil the 17 Global Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). What has been missing are the inner skills and capacities that encourage us to make the shifts required.

To co-create human flourishing on our precious planet we need to collectively think and act differently. To creatively meet the challenges we face we need greater resilience and self awareness. Inner development shifts our consciousness, helping us to unblock the barriers within ourselves to see differently and be differently, so we can act differently…together.

The Inner Development Goals

The Inner Development Goals have been formulated as an inventory of inner skills and qualities that create the conditions to meet the complex societal issues faced by humanity, in particular those identified in the UN's Agenda 2030 and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Developing our capacity for the 5 Inner Development Goals, that of Being, Thinking, Relating, Collaborating and Acting leads to outer systemic change.

Change starts with you. When you change, the world changes.

About this learning journey

This experiential learning journey consists of a series of courses which address the skills and qualities for each of the 5 Inner Development Goals. During each course, practices for personal development are introduced and practised, increasing your capacity for change in your life and in the world.

Course 1: THINKING (Cognitive Skills)

This is an online course consisting of 5 sessions where we look at the qualities and skills associated with THINKING; Critical thinking, Complexity Awareness, Perspective skills, Sense-making, Long-term orientation and Visioning.

Together we'll ....

• Create a safe and generative listening field  
• Learn frameworks and practice skills associated with Being 
• Cultivate greater self awareness and presence
• Reflect upon our individual and collective belief systems 
• Connect to nature and life energy
  

This course will ...

• Consist of a 1.5 hour class online every fortnight
• Provide you with practices to practice at home between classes
• Give you opportunities for reflection in smaller peer groups of 3-4
• Connect you with your peers in a WhatsApp group to be part of a supportive learning community where you can share your experiences

Topics

> Session 1: Critical thinking
Skills in critically reviewing the validity of views, evidence and plans.

> Session 2: Complexity Awareness
Understanding of and skills in working with complex and systemic
conditions and casualties.

> Session 3: Perspective skills
Skills in seeking, understanding and actively making use of insights from
contrasting perspectives.

> Session 4: Sense-making
Skills in seeing patterns, structuring the unknown and being able to
consciously create stories

> Session 5: Long-term orientation and Visioning
Long-term orientation and ability to formulate and sustain commitment
to visions relating to the larger context

Who is the course for?  

Anyone interested in personal development and contributing to regenerative futures - leaders, change makers, students, entrepreneurs, consultants, teachers, practitioners, facilitators, coaches.

What will you take away?

The course aims to increase your capacity to 'be' by introducing you to practices that support you to be more present and self-aware, act with more integrity & authenticity, act with openness, adopt a learning mindset, and help you to get in touch with your inner compass. You will have the opportunity to practice and reflect with a group of peers to help you to develop these skills and qualities.

What is the approach to practices?

Our approach is based on a unique blend of practices including Somatic, Creative, Nature-based and Regenerative practices to weave inner to outer change, and self to collective change. Within this course we will work with Journaling & Reflective Practices, TheoryU & Presencing in Nature, Regenerative Frameworks, Embodied Mindfulness & Movement, Non-violent Communication, and Neuroscience & Polyvagal Theory.

When will it take place?

Dates: Sept 25, Oct 9, 23, Nov 6, 20 at 7 pm - 8:30 pm AEST (Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra) / 10 am - 11:30 am GMT (UK - London) same dates. 5 x 1.5 hour sessions held on zoom fortnightly with some practice homework between classes (about 10 mins a day).

How much will it cost?

The introductory offer for our first course: 

• Individual exchange : $295 (i.e. if you are paying)
  Individual Early bird is $275 available till September 6
  OR
• Corporate exchange : $350 (inc GST) (i.e. if your organisation is paying)
  Corporate Early bird is $325 available till September 6
  * A limited number of places are available in each course.
  
  

Introducing the SCHOOL OF BEING: Regenerating ourselves and our world 

This learning journey is facilitated by the School of Being newly founded by Jax Wechsler and Vivien Sung.

The School of Being is a learning community embodying new ways of seeing, thinking, relating and acting to create a flourishing world. It is a place to unlearn and learn, a space to become conscious of old patterns, structures, values, and beliefs, giving us greater choice in each moment, so that we can live to our fullest potential and collectively co-create a flourishing Earth and living ecosystems. 

The School of Being offers a series of experiential learning journeys which aim to develop inner capacity for a fulfilling life, work. Our courses help to increase presence, the sensing capacity to respond, greater resilience, and unlock greater creativity.

Meet your guides on this learning journey

About Viv

Vivien Sung is a strategic designer, regenerative practitioner and educator who seeks to create deep transformative change to move to new ways of living and being in balance with our living systems. She believes that to create positive futures, inner work is important to create the conditions for long-lasting collective change. She draws upon many years of design practice in visual communication design, participatory design, leadership development, cultural intelligence, as well as regenerative and living systems thinking. Over the past decade, she has grown design and leadership capability in many design students at the University of New South Wales through lecturing, teaching and research. Her practice interweaves creativity and her training as a master energy medicine practitioner.

Vivien grew up in two different cultures, Eastern and Western, which led her to develop a curiosity in cultural patterns, systems, structures and beliefs. She spent a good part of a decade, connecting worlds through experiential learning programs and projects at the intersection of design, culture and health with cultural communities, older people and people with disabilities. She brings her knowledge of Eastern wisdom, studies in Indigenous traditions of the Andes and systemic constellations. She believes there is a need for holistic wellbeing including physical, emotional, spiritual and ecological. She is passionate to bring her embodied knowledge from her healing journey over many years to support planetary stewardship and societal health.

About Jax

Jax Wechsler is a trauma-informed facilitator, strategic designer, regenerative practitioner, educator, and coach passionate about change, inner development and enabling better futures for individuals, society and the planet. She is an avid learner and polymath and has studied and applied Design, Regenerative Development, TheoryU, Systems Thinking, Living Systems, Religious Studies (Aboriginal Religions, Shamanism and Buddhism), Non Violent Communication, Neuroscience, Somatic Coaching and Systemic Constellations. Jax is interested in indigenous and earth based spirituality and healing practices and has spent time training with an indigenous healer in Peru. Jax thrives on cross-pollinating ideas and approaches and often wonders how might we build greater response-ability to meet life and the societal challenges humans face?

Jax has been interested in earth based spirituality for 20 years and over the last few years has been on a personal journey into greater embodiment and new ways of being. Studying neuroscience and polyvagal theory helped her draw a link between intergenerational, personal and collective trauma, personal and collective resilience and creativity. Having worked in social change contexts for more than a decade, Jax felt something was missing. She strongly believes that new ways of being will help humans to develop the resilience, creativity and response-ability to meet the social and environmental challenges we face.