Integral Voices

Meridian University

“Things fall apart; the center cannot hold“ wrote Yeats about 100 years ago in his poem “The Second Coming.” While in the deafening incoherence of an unraveling center, inquiring and transforming conversations necessarily move to the edge. Edges are associated with danger, crisis, complexity, possibility, the unknown, and unknowable. We are now in edge times as never before. Protected from the noise, a dialogic commons is a place that nurtures generative listening.  A listening where the powers of resonance foster the emergence of creative imagination and a re-sacralizing coherence. Integral Voices convenes dialogues at evolving edges to catalyze a renaissance of real human development and the seeding of possible worlds. Integral Voices is produced by the Center for Transformative Learning at Meridian University. View the full archive of conversations at https://meridianuniversity.edu/integralvoices.

Episodes

  1. Solidarity and Crisis: What Can We Learn About Development from the African Context?

    09/13/2024

    Solidarity and Crisis: What Can We Learn About Development from the African Context?

    This episode of Integral Voices is an invitation to the dialogue and inquiry intended at the upcoming Integral African Conference. The conference is an opportunity to further our understanding of human development while drawing on the gifts and conditions of the African context. The conversation circles the theme of the role of solidarity in engaging the cascading crises that is the current global reality. Each of the panelists featured in this episode are speakers at the upcoming conference. Panelists Panel Moderator: Aftab Omer, Ph.D. is the president of Meridian University which offers degree and professional programs globally, emphasizing the power of transformative learning. He is a sociologist, psychologist, developmentalist, and futurist. Raised in Pakistan, India, Hawaii, and Turkey, he was educated at the universities of M.I.T, Harvard and Brandeis. His publications have addressed the topics of transformative learning, dialogic capability, developmental power, cultural leadership, civil society, generative entrepreneurship, and the power of imagination. Aftab’s advising work focuses on team development and on leveraging the creative potentials of conflict, diversity, and complexity. — Dr. Rica Viljoen is the convener of the upcoming Integral African Conference. a Jungian-coach,  systems psycho dynamically-informed consultant and post-merger-and-acquisition specialist. She is widely published. The book Spiral Dynamics In Action is translated in 9 languages. She consults to organisations  on Inclusive, and multi-culturalism. Her purpose in life is to help people to find their authentic voice. (Rica’s internet prevented participation in this episode). — Ruan Viljoen is a professional oganisational development practitioner. He specialises in Rogerian, Humanistic and psycho-analytical group process facilitation. With more than 10 years consulting and facilitation experience. Ruan currently holds the position of Director of Business Development at his current company, Mandala Consulting. Ruan is personally trained by Dr Don Beck and Dr Loraine Laubscher in Spiral Dynamics and adaptive intelligence and he is an expert on the Change State Indicator and Integral Values Map (IV-Map) instruments that describe adaptive intelligence. — Paddy Pampallis - consciousness activist - brings extensive experience to the conversational reality of all relationships.  Founder/director of Integral Africa, The Coaching Centre, her work is grounded in core wisdom approaches to change, development and healing. The Integral U (Ubuntu) Theory has emerged through decades of immersive, transformative learning experiences run publically and in-house, for leaders and students in learning to become more fully humane and connected to self, others, systems and our environment.  The IU conversation guides the way. — Vusi Vilakati, PhD, specializes in African spiritual consciousness and leadership practice, humanism, corporate activism, social purposes, and theology. With extensive experience in organizational consulting, learning and development, leadership development, coaching, and mentoring, he is passionate about future-fit leadership for Africa’s holistic and sustainable advancement. — Luvuyo Madasa is an experienced development professional and current Director of ReimagineSA NPC - a public benefit organization rooted in the principles of Ubuntu. His work involves convening various stakeholders to collaborate on developmental programs designed to enhance the well-being of South Africans, reinforcing the goals of democracy and equitable development. Website: https://www.reimaginesa.com/

    1h 1m
  2. Another World is Possible: Unlearning and the World We Create

    04/05/2021

    Another World is Possible: Unlearning and the World We Create

    Hanno Burmester's soon-to-be-published book by Perspectiva Press, Unlearn: A Compass for Radical Transformation, offers a doorway into understanding the role of "unlearning" in transformative change and transformative leadership.   The panel conversation will also draw on Tomas Björkman's books The World We Create and The Nordic Secret, Monica Sharma’s book Radical Transformational Leadership: Strategic Action for Change Agents, and Indra Adnan’s forthcoming book The Politics of Waking Up: Power & Possibility in the Fractal Age.   Hanno Burmester works at the intersection of societal, organisational and individual transformation. He is author of the book Unlearn. A Compass for Radical Transformation (Perspectiva Press), and a frequent speaker at international events and conferences. As Policy Fellow at the Berlin-based think tank Das Progressive Zentrum, Hanno designs, writes and facilitates around the future of democracy. With his company Unlearn, he helps companies transform towards cultures of self-organisation. Dr. Monica Sharma, a physician and epidemiologist, worked for the United Nations for 23 years, directed programs for whole systems transformation and leadership development world-wide. She led teams for policy, strategy and programme development in over 60 countries, building multi-stakeholder partnerships. Currently, she works with United Nations, universities, management institutions, governments, non-governmental organisations, civil society, business, media, and other organizations. She created a unique response model based on extensive application –a conscious full-spectrum response model- and generated equitable and sustainable results on several Sustainable Development Goals, worldwide. Monica Sharma is the author of the award -winning book “Radical Transformational Leadership”.  Tomas Bjorkman is an entrepreneur in financial services, media, property and banking. He founded Investment Banking Partners AB and served as chairman of EFG Investment Bank. In 2009, Tomas established the Ekskäret Foundation in Stockholm, which aims to facilitate personal development and social change. A special focus of the foundation is supporting the development of social entrepreneurs and the understanding of the complexities of social change. The foundation operates a conference and retreat facility on its island Ekskäret in the Stockholm archipelago.  Indra Adnan is Co-initiator of The Alternative UK political platform and been writing consistently about soft power, public diplomacy and the power of attraction and relationship in international relations for over a decade, in major UK and US publications. Indra has consulted to the World Economic Forum, Indian, Finnish and Danish governments, NATO, the Scottish Executive and the Institute of Contemporary Arts amongst others. She wrote over seven years for The Guardian and The Huffington Post. Her book The Politics of Waking Up: Power & Possibility In The Fractal Age will be published by Perspectiva Press in May 2021. Aftab Omer, Ph.D. (Moderator) is a sociologist, psychologist, futurist and the president of Meridian University. Raised in Pakistan, India, Hawaii, and Turkey, he was educated at the universities of M.I.T, Harvard and Brandeis. His publications have addressed the topics of transformative learning, cultural leadership, generative entrepreneurship and the power of imagination. His work includes assisting organizations in tapping the creative potentials of conflict, diversity, and complexity. Formerly the president of the Council for Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychologies, he is a Fellow of the International Futures Forum and the World Academy of Arts and Sciences.

    1h 22m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

“Things fall apart; the center cannot hold“ wrote Yeats about 100 years ago in his poem “The Second Coming.” While in the deafening incoherence of an unraveling center, inquiring and transforming conversations necessarily move to the edge. Edges are associated with danger, crisis, complexity, possibility, the unknown, and unknowable. We are now in edge times as never before. Protected from the noise, a dialogic commons is a place that nurtures generative listening.  A listening where the powers of resonance foster the emergence of creative imagination and a re-sacralizing coherence. Integral Voices convenes dialogues at evolving edges to catalyze a renaissance of real human development and the seeding of possible worlds. Integral Voices is produced by the Center for Transformative Learning at Meridian University. View the full archive of conversations at https://meridianuniversity.edu/integralvoices.