Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Louis Vollebregt

Louis Vollebregt joins George Kinder on Facebook Live to discuss the Golden Civilization Conversation movement, which they have both been leading on a global scale.

They discuss their collaborative work in Life Planning and the early development of the Golden Civilization Conversations. George credits Louis for being the first person to encourage George to apply the EVOKE® Life Planning process with civilization, and recalls him saying, “George, why don’t you life plan civilization. It works so well with people. Why don’t you do it with civilization?” As a grandparent Louis feels the importance of delivering a “A Golden Civilization” so his grandchildren can thrive. The two recount the Golden Civilization Conversations they have experienced and the elements visions all share, including freedom, resource abundance, safety, a sense of belonging, and kindness.

Louis is a Registered Life Planner® at Means in Progress, based in the Netherlands. He is lead trainer for the Kinder Institute of Life Planning for the EVOKE process, and has been conducting this work for 10 years. He and his wife Anita lead trainings in both English and Dutch.

Please read more about Louis here: https://www.louisvollebregt.meansinprogress.nl/

Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Joel Levey

Today, George interviewed Joel Levey, of InnerWork Technologies, Inc., about his thoughts on A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness.

Joel opens the conversation by citing Einstein’s notion that we are not going to find solutions to complex problems at the same level of consciousness that created those problems and suggesting that with leadership gaps in business that currently exist, there is a real need for deeper wisdom in the world. This leads to a thought-provoking conversation about wisdom, mindfulness, authenticity, fiduciary, and corporate priorities. Joel also mentions a line from the book, “if we want a civilization that is universal reaching out into all realms, we must start with profound respect for all living beings.”

Joel is co-founder with his wife Michelle of Seattle-based InnerWork Technologies, Inc., a firm that specializes in developing and renewing organizational cultures in which team spirit, community, creative intelligence, life-work balance, and inspired leadership can thrive. The Leveys serve on the national advisory board for the Institute for Health and Productivity Management as Chairpersons for the Center for Corporate Culture and Organizational Health. Over the past 25 years they have worked with over 200 leading organizations, many medical centers, professional organizations, world class and Olympic prize winning athletes, community service and youth groups. As faculty for ICOD (International Center for Organization Design), the International Institute for Innovation, the Performance Edge, and members of the World Business Academy, their work with change strategy teams from large organizations focuses on building synergy between personal, professional and organizational change, creativity and development.

Please read more about Joel at http://wisdomatwork.com/BALANCE/authors.html

GREETINGS FROM THE GOLDEN CIVILIZATION!

“I can re-claim my own idealism and innocence, and it brings me the power!”

— Joan Luzier

I was one of a group of 10 people who participated in a weekly conversation based on George Kinder’s latest book, A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness. Over the course of four weeks, we were lucky to have George Kinder himself facilitate a series of what he called “Golden Civilization Conversations.” The conversations posed questions to the group about what we each thought was needed to create a Golden Civilization, including “What do we want to see happen in the world to restore sustainability, equality, kindness, etc.?” Whatever any of us came up with was welcomed and added to a board divided in three vertical parts. The board captured answers to three main questions:

• “What is important to creating a Golden Civilization?”

• “What are the obstacles do we see?”

• “What can we do about creating our vision?”

The discussions were wonderful! Each of us contributed ideas to all three questions. Getting to the action part was a wake-up call and a means of catharsis for everyone. The action could be as basic as being kinder or wishing to be kinder. Some of us came up with wonderful action ideas and plans that we could do in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, countries, and for our planet.

One of the best parts for me was George’s charge to live our vision of a Golden Civilization every day, every moment. This has shown me that there are many, many times in every day that life itself has many moments of a Golden Civilization if I look for it. I can also see that there are so many ways that my life and my world are very far from the Golden Civilization in the larger scale. I have much more clarity and empowerment to not accept the unacceptability—and to stand up to power. There is much to do, much to learn, and I know I don’t have to do this alone. George teaches freedom. I found my own sense of corruption in the sense of cynicism and exhaustion toward power. I can re-claim my own idealism and innocence, and it brings me the power!

 And it was really fun!!!

 Joan Luzier

Open University academics discuss A Golden Civilization with George Kinder

George Kinder sits down with Open University academics Jonquil Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Personal Finance, and Alan Shipman, Lecturer in Economics, along with host Karen Foley for a stimulating discussion on the topics raised in his latest book, A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness. The Student Hub Live interview dives into George’s background in financial advice and developing the Life Planning methodology and how he’s applied the theory behind Life Planning to revisioning civilization.

Alan Shipman says that A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness is "a rather innovative approach" to looking at the world from both an individual perspective and as a whole "and how action taken by individuals can actually produce the world we want."

Video credit: Open University and Student Hub Live

A Golden Civilization starts in Falmouth, UK

Registered Life Planner® Jeremy Squibb with support from Andy Coote and Amanda Hudson were pleased to introduce George Kinder to the Cornwall community with a LifeTalk in Falmouth on creating a vision of A Golden Civilization.

Why activism at any age is commendable

Written by Dr. Charlie Easmon

Medical Director of Your Excellent Health Service

Condorcet on Voltaire. ‘He seemed to recognise only one glory, that of avenging humanity, and rescuing victims of oppression.’

Greta Thunberg started her climate campaign whilst in her teens. Some great contributors to humanity took much longer to start their activism. One fascinating case in point is the French literary lion and perceived leader of the enlightenment Voltaire. He was not a perfect man by any means but his contribution to the collective good must be admired.

Voltaire took an assumed named in his 20’s. His father was a successful lawyer who sent him to one of the best schools in France and wanted his son to follow in his footsteps but Voltaire had a literary calling and rebelled. Initially his rebellion cost him dear as he was cut off from family funds and temporarily disinherited. He experienced real poverty for many years including some time in London.  In his 30s he had some lucky business ventures and inherited family money. He used his money well and became fabulously wealthy. He consorted with Kings especially those of Prussia and France. He hated the system of France with its tyrannical approach to law and morality and found that the ‘Ancien Regime’ and the Catholic Church had too much arbitrary power over people’s lives. In those days torture of the cruellest kinds was used to extract ‘evidence’, which he and others realised was no such thing.

He was prone to a few literary anti-establishment  ‘digs’ here and there but he was also capable of great sycophancy to the powers that be when it suited his interests  and he would often deny authorship of critical texts. In his 50s he developed an interest in injustices of the law and became effectively a campaigner for reform and restorative justice. Any of the one in there American black males likely to end up in the US prison system would love to have had and would benefit from an advocate with Voltaire’s  incisive ability to reveal absurdities and to focus on fairness. However, his real advocacy for poor people’s quality of life came later when he became a feudal landlord and developed a keen interest in the health and lives of those on his estates, some of whom where refugees. He lived into his 80’s and in the last 20 years of his life was revered by many previously poor people for the work that he had done to help them learn new skills,  get decent jobs, justice, better housing and better food. He enjoyed doing it and he teaches us that no matter where you re on the age scale you can be an advocate for a kinder world and a golden civilisation. 

The quotes below show Voltaire at his most humane:

‘Prejudices are what fools use for reason.’ 

‘To be free and to be loved, is something that the kings of the earth do not have.’ 

‘I really hate a country where the sanctimonious hypocrites can lock up a philosopher.’ 

‘I do not have a sceptre, but I do have a pen.’ 

‘To have pleasure, you need a bit of passion, a great and interesting purpose, a determined desire to learn, which occupies the soul continuously. It is difficult to find, and does not come without effort.’ 

‘How I love people who say what they think! People who only half-think are only half alive.’ 

‘...perish the infamous prejudices which dishonour and brutalise human nature, long live reason.’ 

Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Rosemarie McKinnon

George interviews friend Rosemarie McKinnon, Registered Life Planner® and assistant trainer for the Kinder Institute about her thoughts on A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness.

Rosemarie discusses her enthusiasm in creating A Golden Civilization now and ways that she thinks we can all commit to that. Listen below to hear her thoughts on things that we can all do in our every day lives to help us get closer to A Golden Civilization.

Rosemarie is a Certified Financial Planner and Registered Life Planner®.

For more information about Rosemarie, please visit: https://advisor.investorsgroup.com/en/rosemarie_mckinnon#about

Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Anne Johnston

George interviewed Golden Civilization conversationalist and Registered Life Planner®, Anne Johnston!

Anne discusses her experience in the Golden Civilization movement and life planning, and her vision for a Golden Civilization. She talks about her work as a life planner and the importance of creative time. Anne mentions one of her favorite lines from A Golden Civilization: ”financial advice as I understand it, teach it, and practice it financial advice is explicitly designed to deliver individual dreams of freedom and entrepreneurial spirit into the world,” and the she and George delve more deeply into the idea of entrepreneurial spirit.

Anne has received recognition for her work in wealth management. Anne spent twelve years at UBS where she led Imagine, an innovative wealth team. She started her career on the municipal bond trading desk, then equipped herself with advanced technical credentials in planning, investing and special needs consulting. She is a Registered Life Planner®.

More information about Anne can be found here: https://createdwealth.com/about/meet-anne/

Listening is at the heart of a Golden Civilization for these 5-Day grads

Participants of the Kinder Institute of Life Planning’s 5-Day training welcomed George Kinder for an afternoon program. He presented his latest work by describing the “Map of Mindfulness,” key points of his latest book, A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness, and the structure for Golden Civilization Conversations. The group of Life Planning trainers and students then created their own vision of “A Golden Civilization.” Perhaps it is no surprise to those familiar with the Life Planning training, but listening was a key element to the group’s conversation and the commitments that came out of the conversation.

The Map of Mindfulness – George Kinder

Click on the photo below to watch George Kinder design the Map of Mindfulness.

Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Julian Powe

Yesterday, George interviewed his longtime friend Julian Powe about his involvement with the Golden Civilization movement.

Julian hosts a strong and active Golden Civilization Conversation group in London, where his leadership and deep wisdom has made them a model for conversations happening everywhere. Listen to their Facebook Live interview to hear about the group that Julian is leading and the work that they have done. He discusses his group’s mentality that in order to help make a difference as a leader, one first has to examine and manage their inner resources.

Julian is a global consultant, trainer, and facilitator with an extraordinary interest in, an understanding of, conversation. He uses training he has learned from the Kinder Institute in his practice as a change management and leadership consulting.

You can find out more about Julian here:

https://trustedadvisor.com/consultants/julianpowe

Golden Civilization Conversation: George Kinder and Stacey Tisdale

George spoke yesterday with top financial journalist Stacey Tisdale as a part of his Facebook Live Golden Civilization Conversation series.

Listen to hear Stacy’s thoughts on how media and financial services might function in A Golden Civilization. Stacey opens the conversation by speaking about how she discovered Life Planning and George’s work. They discuss themes such as mindfulness, bias in media, George’s 3 questions, the sharing economy.

Stacey is an accomplished on-air financial journalist with 20 years of experience and behavioral finance expert who has been featured in incredible publications & programs such as The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Oprah Winfrey Show and NBC's Today Show to name a few. Stacey is the president and CEO of financial media and education content provider Mind Money Media Inc., and also authored a book titled The True Cost of Happiness: The Real Story Behind Managing Your Money.

More information on Stacey's accomplished career can be found here: https://mindmoneymedia.com/stacey-tisdale-biography/.

Media and Financial Services in A Golden Civilization – Facebook Live with Stacey Tisdale

George Kinder is joined by on-air financial journalist and media expert Stacey Tisdale for a Facebook Live conversation. She shares her expertise in media and behavioral finance and describes how they might function in a Golden Civilization.

Open University holds a couch conversation with George Kinder

10th June #StudentHubLive Trailer:

“Inequality, wars, climate change, democracy, and chaos-- the world we live in today seems completely out of balance. And we all agree that something has to change. But can a whole nation, let alone a whole planet, find the will to put right some of today's ills?

On the tenth of June, I'll be interviewing George Kinder, and from The OU, Alan Shipman and Paul-Francois Tremlett, who specialises in the interface between religion, politics, and social change.

Kinder, sometimes called the father of life planning, is renowned in the world of finance for pioneering a different, more professional way for financial advisors to work, using listening skills to help clients envisage the future they really want and then work on removing obstacles to achieving it. In his new book, A Golden Civilization, Kinder turns this method towards the much bigger challenge of moving society as a whole to a whole new economic, social, and political order that he claims will deliver greater equality, peace, sustainability, and what Kinder calls freedom for all. In this live interview, we'll be discussing Kinder's ideas about how democracy, the media, markets, leadership, and even ourselves need to change if we are to share a vision of, and achieve, a golden civilization. This wide ranging topic will be of interest to many, particularly those studying economics, finance, business studies, social policy, philosophy, and religious studies. Join us online and take part in the live chat on the tenth of June.”

The Fourth Question

Camino De Santiago Trail

The dictionary definition of the verb evoke means to bring a feeling, memory, or picture into the mind. 

‘the smells, sounds and colours evoked pleasant memories of his childhood’.

As a life planner, through the EVOKE process, I invite you to tell the living story of your life.  I get the privilege to listen to your past, present and, in particular, the yet to be written story of your future.

Telling your life story is important because every story has the power to inform, inspire, guide, persuade, entertain, educate, open hearts, create laughter/tears, heal and transform.

In times past, elders in traditional communities, through stories, fairytales and myths, passed down through the generations their customs, culture and wisdom to ensure survival of the community.  Rituals and stories helped the individual to see the world more clearly and equally make sense of their ‘place’ within it.

In modern times, such cultural traditions, in many ways, have been lost.  The industrial age undermined our connection to nature and the individual is now left to fathom out by themselves how to transition through never ending change.  Ecological crisis, climate change, ethnic conflict, global warfare, financial debt crisis are all examples of immediate challenges for today's communities.

The EVOKE life planning process involves answering four questions.  The first three questions ask you to consider your life: 

1) I want you to imagine that you are financially secure, that you have enough money to take care of your needs, now and in the future.  The question is...how would you live your life?  Would you change anything? Let yourself go. Don’t hold back on your dreams.  Describe a life that is complete, that is richly yours. 

2) This time you visit your doctor who tells you that you have only 5-10 years to live. The good part is that you won’t ever feel sick. The bad news is that you will have no notice of the moment of your death. What will you do in the time you have remaining to live?  Will you change your life and how will you do it?

3) This time your doctor shocks you with the news that you only have one day left to live. Notice what feelings arise as you confront your very real mortality. Ask yourself:  What did I miss?,  Who did I not get to be?  What did I not get to do?

The fourth question goes beyond your life and asks you to contemplate your vision for a better world future and what you can do to create the world you would wish to live in.

4) Imagine you are the wise elder of your family and community.  What world you would like your grandchildren, great grandchildren, great, great grandchildren to live in?  What lifestyle changes/actions (large or small) can you take today to ensure the sustainbility of the human family and natural world around you for generations to come? 

Whilst walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago pilgrimage path a few years ago, I met Paul.  He told me the following story:

‘On my first Camino ten years ago, an elderly man in his eighties would always be the last person to arrive at the hostel. I watched him almost collapse into his bunk bed for the first three consecutive nights of the Camino journey and because of his frailty, during each of those nights, I was convinced that he was going to die in his sleep   And frighteningly, on each arrival, he was more exhausted than the day before.

I finished my Camino walk in Santiago de Compostela 790km/500 miles later, toured around the Galicia region and returned back to Santiago.  By now it would have been around seven weeks since I started the Camino walk in St Jean Pied-de-Port.  Anyway, one afternoon, I went for lunch in a restaurant.  Whilst I was eating, the door opened and, you never guess what, in walked that old man.  Our eyes connected with an intensity: you remember the pilgrims from the beginning of your Camino.  I got up from the table, walked over to him and we hugged each other.  He told me that he had just arrived into Santiago de Compostela and finished his Camino that morning. I cried in that moment and I also learned an important life lesson: 'age is not a barrier to doing anything if the will is there.’

If ‘age is not a barrier to doing anything if the will is there’, what will you do today to transform your world and the world around you?  

After all, to evoke the story of your life may well be your greatest legacy of all.

Adam Wells | Life Planner & Personal Coach | El Camino Ltd 
http://adamwells.com 

Golden Civilization Advisory Group Zoom Call

Big thanks to the conversationalists who could join us on for our recent call to review the progress of the Golden Civilization Conversation movement! Here are some of the highlights:

Key Points:

• Prior to hosting the initial GCC meeting, consider if you'd like to continue to host future on-going meetings or if you'd like the group to continue but with another facilitator. If it is the latter, then the following bridge was suggested:

  • Ask: "Can we see a show of hands of who would like to attend a second meeting?" (Usually, 3/4 of the room raises their hands.)

  • Ask: "Who would be willing to host the space for the next meeting?" (Usually, one person will raise their hand.)

  • Ask: "Who would be willing to facilitate the meeting?" (Usually, one person will raise their hand.)

  • Say: That's wonderful! Let's make sure we have the email addresses of those that would like to gather for a second meeting. We'll put <name of future host> and <name of future facilitator> in touch with Lora Woodward from the office and she'll provide you with additional resources and support.

• As groups evolve they may develop a major focus project as well as additional projects that help address the challenges presented in the Obstacles.

• The group's vision statement represents the core theme that the group is engaged in.

• When navigating negative or hot-button topics, consider doing one of the following:

  • Put the word/phrase on the board as you have been doing with other suggestions (this avoids judgment and treating one suggestion differently from others).

  • Ask a clarifying question to get toward the quality: "What are the qualities that ______ would bring? or "What are the virtues of _____ that we can add?" or "In your vision of a Golden Civilization, what would it mean?"

  • Ask permission to reframe the suggestion or ask the attendee to reframe it.

  • Ask permission to place the suggestion under Obstacles or Actions, if more appropriate.

We hope to see many of you on our next check-in call!

Economics & Democracy in a Golden Civilization

George Kinder discusses the main themes of his latest book, A Golden Civilization and the Map of Mindfulness. Contrasting the current model of civilization and its systems for economics and democracy, international thought leader George Kinder paints a picture of what is possible for civilization within a generation. Mr. Kinder's "Golden Civilization" is rooted in mindfulness practice and the wisdom that comes from being present. He encourages audiences to start living into the vision of a Golden Civilization immediate and watch it manifest.

Golden Civilization Conversation, Facebook Live with George Kinder and Lora Woodward

George Kinder speaks with Lora Woodward, Publicity and Program Manager for Kinder Institute of Life Planning, about Golden Civilization Conversations and the simple structure's roots in Life Planning. Lora shares her experience attending the very first Golden Civilization Conversation and the value of on-going conversations. Stay connected with the conversation movement by joining the group's Facebook page— A Golden Civilization.

Charlottesville Converses Civilization

“The gift of the evening was a chance to dream, to reconnect with hope. I can’t wait to have a Golden Civilization at my dinner table with my family! ”

— Conversation Participant

The First Spectacle Pond Conversation Continues

Something is stirring on Spectacle Pond. Exactly eight months after George Kinder encouraged his friends and Kinder Institute staff to join him in a small cabin by the pond for an experimental first attempt at a Golden Civilization Conversation, he has gathered the group again for another experiment of sorts. Seven individuals close to the work of George Kinder gathered around his dining room table on a windy, gray day that was more reminiscent of a New England March than the current middle of May. The meeting opened with an inner listening exercise led by Kathy Lubar followed by revisiting the qualities of a Golden Civilization that were part of the group’s original vision. George invited the group to add qualities to their original vision that would make the vision more complete. George then read the vision poem that came out of a Golden Civilization Conversation that Julian Powe hosted in London last November. To imagine groups all over the world having similar conversations that aim to uplift and inspire action is incredible! The group discussed obstacles and challenges to adopting their vision and followed it with the actions they felt were possible. The group committed to meeting again in July and inviting others to join the conversation.