About

This website provides resources and information on "transformational spaces", also known as "deliberately developmental spaces". It is part of a wider effort at Life Itself, in conjunction witbbbuuh Fetzer, Ekskaret, and Commonweal to gather data on and eventually build a field for transformational spaces.

Our focus is on an initial "survey of the field", and to map stakeholders and programs and start forging connections and awareness.

What is a transformational "deliberately developmental" space?

The first sketch of a definition was in the original essay was:

Physically colocated groups together for a sustained period of time with a conscious engagement in multidimensional developmental praxis.

Enlarging on this there were three specific characteristics:

1. Space. These environments are spaces in both a physical and temporal sense. They are a site for a group to live, work, practice and engage with one another with shared time that can be dedicated to these ends.

2. Developmental. These environments are explicitly developmental spaces: their practices and activities revolve around fostering the growth of participants “ontologically”, both individually and collectively. As discussed above, ontological development is a shorthand for sustained development in the capacities which enable us to make sense of and engage with the world around us, particularly in how this relates to our own inner states. This can extend to more traditional education but also, and arguably more importantly, the domains often covered by spirituality and personal development such as emotional intelligence, self-knowledge and so on.

3. Deliberate. Development is intentional in that both the creators and participants are consciously orientated towards ontological development. This may not be the exclusive focus (as it is with. traditional monasticism, for example). However, it should be a clear, conscious and central component of their participation.