I have been a business and strategic consultant to mining companies since
1971. I dropped out of college, where I was studying philosophy, to study
Buddhism full-time in 1970, then went to join my father in his business
when he became ill. I have continued since in both pursuits, studying and
teaching Tibetan Busshism and the Shambhala tradition taught by Chogyam
Trungpa Rinpoche, and building one of the leading strategic planning
consultancies to the non-ferrous mining industry. I have also been
involved in non-profit organization development throughout much of this
period.
Along with several other long-time Buddhist teachers who work as OD
consultants, facilitators and trainers, I am involved in starting an
institute that will offer training in collaborative learning disciplines
as part of a curriculum that also includes basic meditation
(mindfulness/awareness) practice and contemplative arts. The premise here
is that these streams of discipline share in common an appreciation of
uncertainty and the need to let go of fixed views; of interdependence and
the far reach of cause and effect; and of the largely untapped resources
of intelligence and decency existing in us all. Thus meditation seems to
be a way to strengthen oneself in applying learning disciplines by
plumbing their depths; it also brings a more spacious view that allows us
to make the best of techniques without being enslaved by them.
Contemplative arts bring together intention and action, or mind and body,
which brings both joy and very welcome simplicity.
That's the idea. I'm very interested in comments from people who have
had experience in bringing these streams of practice together, as well as
from those who might be intrigued by the idea and have comments to offer.
With thanks,
Michael Chender