Cooperate with others to meet the 21st Century Challenge

Teddy Roosevelt once observed, Men of great wealth often don’t know much beyond the source of that wealth. “You expect a man of millions, the head of a great industry, to be a man worth hearing,” but as a rule they don’t know anything outside their own business.”
We all want a sense of belonging without sacrificing our sense of self, but how do we do that?  How do we free ourselves from the need to conform and to repress our creativity in order to belong in an intimate relationship, family, or work situation. The energy that drives personal growth lies in the polarity between two very human drives, to be ourselves and to be connected to others. These drives manifest most dramatically in our one-on-one and group relationships. Most of us could benefit from a wider repertoire of skillful alternatives in our relationships at home or at work. Often we react based on patterns from our family of origin or from an emotional wound suffered earlier in life. The most effective way to avoid this cul-de-sac is to pursue an integral approach to psycho-spiritual development. 

Since all of us are in a myriad of relationships where we are called to express our unique talents, and at the same time to participate according to group norms, we are all faced with the simultaneous challenge of reconciling autonomy and belonging.  Very few of us are able to skillfully express the fullness of our being in a way that engages us in genuine connection and helps the groups we are part of evolve further along the spiral of development. Only by creating a harmony between our deep desire to belong (to another, a family or a larger community) with our ambition to actualize our creative talents can we move beyond the unsatisfying dilemma of isolation or enmeshment.

the Universe - and in particular planet Earth – is a communion of subjects,
not a collection of objects.  If we don’t learn that – nothing is going to work               


The IRL's unique educational experience comes at just the right time.
It seems increasingly clear that the current systems and structures of American life no longer provide a clear path forward for future generations. Vast stores of new knowledge are available to help us forge solutions to these challenges. New approaches in how we relate to each other and to the planet are called for. 

When we pay attention, we realize that nature wastes nothing and that
as old structures collapse, they become fertile ground for the next creative
emergence. This ReGenerative principle applies to the personal, social and environmental challenges that confront  us all.

Our program is for you if: 
    >  you are a college or high school graduate wondering what to do next
    >  you are interested in making a difference in the world 
    >  you want to be part of a community of like-minded individuals
    >  you are looking for meaningful work where you can earn a good 
     >  living and love what you do
    >  you are interested in working on the land or connecting with nature
    >  you love food and the art of eating
    >  you want to find and keep a meaningful intimate partnership
    >  you want to develop satisfying personal and professional relationships
    >  you want you to feel energized when you wake up in the morning

“We are at the terminal phase of 65 million years of the Cenozoic era since the dinosaurs went extinct. We are not just passing into another historical period or another cultural modification. We are changing the chemistry of the planet. We are changing the bio-systems.  [W]e are terminating … 65 million years of life development.

… [W]here do we go from here?… [W]e go from the terminal phase – if we survive it – into a really sustainable world.  We will be passing from the terminal Cenozoic into what I call the Ecozoic. And the primary principle of the Ecozoic is that the Universe - and in particular planet Earth – is a communion of subjects, not a collection of objects. If we don’t learn that – nothing is going to work.

… [The] beauty of the universe … came into being without human consultation… [T]he universe will never function that way again.”
Interview clip by teacher Ram Dass (Richard Alpert) in 1991

Starting Points for Healthy Relationship

Communication and shared vision and values are important components of a healthy relationship. It is also helpful to remember that relationships are a yoga or spiritual practice that can help us better understand ourselves. Those things that most annoy us in our intimate relationships, friendships or with colleagues at work are very likely unresolved parts of ourselves. By learning to look inside each time something outside troubles or annoys us we can accelerate our psycho-spiritual evolution.

Even when we are different we can learn to

    Re-pattern the reptilian brain to move beyond fear 
    Develop a deeper sense of safety even under stress
    Dare to soften in the face of difference or disagreement
    Try on new perspectives without being attached to a single point of view
    Loosen  our harsh judgments of self and others
    Become curious about our repeated patterns of self-sabotage 
    Develop a sense of humor in the face of relationship challenges
    Express our authentic self without giving up a sense of belonging
    Find the deeper harmony beneath this tension of apparent opposites
    No longer become trapped in either claustrophobia or isolation
    More fully integrate our mind and body
    Experience true communion without sacrificing our authenticity 

Whatever role we play in society, at work or at home; whether leader or follower; whether married, single, parent or child we can engage in the dynamic dance of independence and connection in a way that accelerates our soul’s evolution.