As one who lives in both the extroverted arena of improvisational theater and the introverted realm of contemplative practice, I sometimes feel a bit schizophrenic. Earlier this fall, I traveled directly from a San Francisco conference with the Applied Improvisation Network—more than 220 charismatic, rollicking folks from all walks—to a quiet group retreat on Bainbridge [more…]
The Bay School Model of Mindfulness
Every so often a sweet little synchronicity opens doors of exploration. Just this past week, one such moment led me to a small school intertwining themes of mindfulness and mindset, right here in San Francisco. After another fine improv show at Bay Area Theatersports (BATS) last Sunday, I complimented Katherine Riley, one of the performers, [more…]
I Want to Sing!
Life stirs so many emotions large and small, each on opportunity to experience more of our humanness. Funny that a Spontaneous Broadway improv class could open a new window into their wisdom. From mindfulness practice, I realize that I am more than my emotions. Moving from “I am angry” to “I feel angry” gives me [more…]
Mindset 101
Trying to get a glimpse of your own mindset is like inviting a camera to see its own lens. Or like asking a fish to see the water it swims in. It’s tough to gain perspective on something we’re embedded within. That said, the task is not impossible—and taking it on offers a crucial first [more…]
The Transformative Failure Bow (Part 2 of 2)
The previous post discussed the history and varied application of The Failure Bow, a well-loved improvisational theater technique for returning to the present moment after a seeming mistake. This post, Part 2, explains recent body chemical research that shows how and why the Bow works—and argues for its wider application for creating and spreading confidence, [more…]
The Transformative Failure Bow (Part 1 of 2)
The Failure Bow has a long and treasured history in the world of improvisational theater. Recent research demonstrates that there’s a life-changing reason why. This two-part post will show you how the technique can interrupt feelings of shame and self-defeat; deliver greater confidence, clarity, and calm—and activate waves of resilient joy. For more on changing [more…]
Confidentiality vs. Privacy (Continued)
My new friend and colleague, Al Bellg, wrote a thoughtful response to my last post about the differences between committing to confidentiality and honoring privacy when trying to welcome the soul. His powerful questions and insights deserve a wider audience so I thought to share them here. You’ll see another round of my own thoughts [more…]
Confidentiality vs. Privacy
I used to think that welcoming the soul into group conversations required a promise of confidentiality. The late Rachael Kessler, pioneer in the field of social and emotional learning and author of The Soul of Education, changed my mind. For sure, a spirit of confidentiality helps. When we share unfiltered truth, we’re letting masks drop [more…]
An Invocation for Silence
At Northfield Mount Hermon, the New England boarding school where I teach, we often begin all-school meetings with a few words of reflection or provocation and then a minute of silence to sit with what we’ve heard. At the beginning of each academic year, when the community re-forms anew, we sometimes decide to open the [more…]
First Idea: Forego or Follow?
I heard several provocative guidelines for excellent design when our Applied Improvisation group toured Stanford’s graduate Institute of Design (d-School). One principle stood in particular contrast with a foundational tenet of improvisational theater. Now, a day later, I still find myself trying to make sense of the tension: should we follow a ‘first idea’ or [more…]
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