MANIFESTO



MANIFESTO


Developmental Spaces for a time of Crisis

We call for the creation of transformational "deliberately developmental" spaces. Spaces that cultivate the capacities to respond to the profound challenges we face.


Spaces grounded in the revolutionary research of the last half century about our personal and collective potential for growth and transformation.


These spaces can take a multitude of forms from courses and programs to physical environments such as new forms of monasteries or universities.

Please share this with others who feel called to this revolution in the world.

We face a polycrisis

We face a polycrisis

We face a polycrisis

We are experiencing a polycrisis that is a metacrisis: a constellation of escalating and interwoven crises ranging from ecosphere degradation to political polarization.

Crucially, these crises are interlinked both in source and solution, linkages which travel all the way down to how we envision ourselves, our societies and our civilization.

This calls for new ways of being in the world

This calls for new ways of being in the world

This calls for new ways of being in the world

A response to this crisis therefore calls for new ways of being in the world – ways sufficient to bring forth collective movements adequate to addressing this crisis at the level and scale required. Such a transformation in being is essential and foundational.

How then, can such a transformation come about?

Our understanding of human development is evolving

The last few decades have revolutionized our understanding of the potential for human development. We now have substantial evidence on three key points. First, that our development is multi-faceted: including psychological, biological and cultural dimensions. Second, development can be lifelong, continuing throughout adulthood. Third, continued development is neither guaranteed nor straightforward and deliberate effort is often required, especially in adulthood.

Mainstream institutions reflect little of this

However, at present, we are almost exclusively raised and educated in mainstream institutions and culture that integrate little of this revolutionary understanding and its potential.

Need for new kinds of space grounded in this revolution in our understanding of developmental potential

We need new kinds of spaces grounded in this revolutionary understanding of our developmental potential. Spaces explicitly informed by – and supporting – sustained, multidimensional and multi-level inner growth, both personally and collectively.

Going forward, this developmental aspect should be a conscious and central part of the environments we create for everyone from eighteen to eighty. These spaces will provide the opportunity for individuals and communities to grow in the profound ways needed to hold the complexity and challenges we currently face.

These spaces can take many forms ranging from courses or programs to physical environments such as new forms of monasteries or universities.


A source of hope

We are at the point where we have the research to support this, as well as the ideas, methodologies and tools to make it a reality.

Ultimately, if we see each other differently we may be able to make the difference that has been missing.

We can retain our commitment to redressing deep and long standing social injustices whilst also being able to come together to address the profound crisis we face – a crisis which includes and also transcends any of those individual issues.