What is a (deliberately) developmental space?

We advocate for new kinds of environments - "developmental spaces" - to support the deep, sustained multidimensional inner development that is critically needed.

Many existing programs or activities from parenting to school clearly involve some form of (inner) development. So what differs about what we are proposing:

• Integrated: grounded in a multidimensional ontological development model derived from over a hundred years of science (and thousands of years of wisdom traditions). It is multidimensional in recognizing multiple independent, interacting lines of development e.g. cognitive, psycho-emotional, spiritual etc. It is integrated in that it seeks to address all of these different aspects.
• Sustained: nurturing deep and sustained change that integrates into “daily life”. More below.
• Accessible: designed to be proximate to and integrated with the mainstream – in contrast to, say, monasteries which have provided one kind of sustained developmental program for thousands of years.
• Intentional/deliberate: in this program nurturing and supporting personal and collective development is an explicit goal and a central aspect of the program’s design and delivery

What is (inner) development?

We are all clear that children develop in substantial ways: not just physically but mentally. There is now substantial evidence that adults can continue to develop in multiple dimensions of their being – cognitively, emotionally, and even spiritually.8

We use the term “being” (and ontological) rather than, say, psyche/psychology or consciousness because we think it better captures the entire spectrum from body to mind to spirit. We also want to avoid the“mind/body” divisions that are often implicit when we talk about psychological development – much cognition is embodied etc.

What is sustained development?

Most simply put sustained means going “from states to traits”. That is, going beyond having a one-off experience of a capacity – a “state” – to having that capacity ongoingly sustained – a “trait”.

For example, a child when first learning to stand may only manage this for a few seconds. This would be a temporary state not a trait, it would not be sustained growth. Sustained growth would be when they are consistently able to stand.

Similarly, we want to nurture sustained adult development. For example, many of us may have had powerful experiences on retreat or at events, yet can find it hard to maintain and integrate those insights once back in our “daily lives”.

What is multidimensional (growth)?

Multidimensional means encompassing multiple dimensions of our “being” e.g. cognitive, psycho-emotional, moral, spiritual etc.

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

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.