Category: Featured

Taking the Side Streets in Shanghai

Posted on by David Pearl

Marc Lewis (@SCA2Dean) is the Dean of School of Communication Arts 2.0 one of the most successful – and definitely most funky – advertising schools on the planet.  SCA2 has woven Street Wisdom into their curriculum and now Marc takes this ‘learning tool’ to Shanghai for our first ever event in China:

Even before I write this post, I can feel myself blush a little bit.  I don’t want to brag, boast or big myself up, but I must tell you that I have the very best job in ad land.

This is the time of year in which I feel most grateful for my job, because my students are all beginning to flower just in time for their Portfolio Day.

Every day is great though. For example, David Pearl leads a Street Wisdom with each new intake. It is usually a life-changing, unforgettable moment for some of the students.

During SCA’s school holidays, I teach and train students and faculty at WPP School Shanghai. I love learning how to teach to different cultures, and the school trusts me to help them shift from ‘Chinese Style’ teaching to the unorthodox ways that we do things.

So I don’t just have the best job in ad land, but I also take the best busman’s holidays.

I took Street Wisdom to Shanghai last month.  (Thank you David for letting me be the first person to run a Street Wisdom session in China)

This is a video of me and my team briefing the students in the school carpark.

https://youtu.be/S6iyeCFH8Wk

What I love the most about my job is that I can learn from the hundreds of teachers that visit my school, and I can learn from my students.  I want to share something that I learnt from one of my Chinese students.  Let’s call her J.

J comes from a very wealthy family.  She is building a relationship with her parents, but her mother feels very guilty for things that happened in J’s childhood. Her parents have been compensating for this guilt by removing all financial pressures. J doesn’t need to work.  She is very talented.

J was at a critical juncture in her academic journey when we ran Street Wisdom; living in very basic student dormitories a long way from home, working hard, impatient not to be seeing immediate progress.  Questioning her circumstances.

J’s wisdom didn’t come from what she saw on the street, but from what she felt. She noticed that she had fallen into the habit of walking main roads to get around. Roads with traffic lights that make crossing streets a bit safer, wide pavements – it all felt so easy.  When she walked for Street Wisdom she took side streets, no traffic lights, dodging scooters, crowded.  Much harder. More exhilarating.

She told me that what she learned, from Street Wisdom, is that she is at a crossroads.  She could take the safe streets and rely on the financial generosity of her parents.  Or she can take the road that makes her feel alive.

And never look back.

Thanks J, and thank you David for innovating such a brilliant learning tool.

Generation W

Posted on by David Pearl

23rd June.  It was Referendum Day in the UK – a day we were all supposed to be thinking about the next generation.  So it was great the young ones were involved when we decided to host a family Street Wisdom at London’s Southbank Centre.  Simon, Kate, Seren and Raya live on an idyllic cliff-top in Cornwall.   So why did they come all the way to the big, rain-filled city to experience a Street Wisdom?

My wife and I are at crossroads in our lives, with big questions about which way to turn. The idea that the answers are right there in the streets (and even within us) intrigued us. Also, we love where we live, and we were excited by the prospect of discovering new ways to interact with our community, as well as meaningful games to play with our children. 

Simon, a social entrepreneur who has worked with the Dalai Lama in the past, is no stranger to the wisdom traditions.  So what was his take on this urban wisdom experience?

As with all of the greatest wisdom, the Street Wisdom experience was beautifully simple. There was something about having permission to interact with strangers; to notice what drew my heart; to slow right down; and to open to the story of the streets, that was very powerful. I found myself submitting to something universal, noticing clues about my path all around me. At the same time, I felt empowered by the process to skilfully navigate the journey by following only that which appealed to my heart. This paradoxical potion of submission and free will was a beautiful thing to savour, and it has shed a luminous light on my own life moving forwards. The conversation I had with a mother and daughter on the streets, speaking about heartache, love and loss to a stranger, is something that will always stay with me. From my short Street Wisdom experience, I have re-discovered the magic of the Universe and the magic that lies latent within.  I have also been reminded by the wisdom of our children; to follow their leadership in noticing the world around us, and the simple joy of singing to strangers. I’ve got some way to go before I invite an old man to join me in a rendition of Mary Poppins – but at least I now feel I’m on my way.

We’re curious to see how Street Wisdom can be developed for families, especially ones with younger children.  I can’t remember a more playful event, with Seren (3) and Raya (18 months) taking lead facilitator roles in Stomping Giants, Spot the Graffiti Cat and Flying Umbrellas.   They are the future – and they get our vote!IMG_5836IMG_5853

Lisboa: finding beauty in the after-party debris

Posted on by Claudia Monteiro

street wisdom cafe lisboa

It’s a sign of either sheer naivety or incurable optimism that I chose to host Lisbon’s first Street Wisdom on a Saturday morning at 9am sharp, starting from Mercado da Ribeira’s garden. It’d only been three to four hours since the night’s revellers left for their beds and the signs were everywhere; sticky pavements, abandoned beer bottles, Lisboa lazily waking up to the weekend.

street wisdom slow right down lisboa

And so it felt incredibly special that six humans and one dog turned up to find fresh answers to their questions (the dog does not do social media, and had been tipped off by its human master. Phew).

Despite the enormous differences that make Southern and Northern European folk their own cultural breeds, urban life in the West is made of very similar trappings. Once the group had opened up about their questions, it became obvious that there is no foreign land when it comes to being human in the city.

‘Am I ready to move to the country?’, ‘Does it still make sense to run my business?’, ‘What’s next for me?’ were the sorts of very universal matters we discussed. One of our participants had no questions at all, but appreciated learning how to switch the mindful toolkit on. The majority of participants were on corporate careers, trying to navigate their true sense of self within those structures.

And if you can see beauty in everything, when surrounded by the after-party debris of the biggest outdoor urban rave in Europe (p.s. it happens every Friday and Saturday), then you’re really jamming it when it comes to the tune up. We spotted happiness in a group of drunks wearing less-than-flattering nylon fancy dress onesies, saw jigsaw patterns in the mash of cigarette butts on the pavements, and looked slightly differently onto the groups of pigeons hanging out by the park benches.

street wisdom pigeons lisboa

I always feel blessed and privileged to witness what participants are willing to share at the end of the Quest. Connection is part of what makes us human and yet, somehow, we’ve been socialised into walking anonymously in the city. We swapped tips about where to grow vegetable patches in Lisbon (before checking out to the countryside), learnt about the joy of talking to complete strangers, and opened up about very personal struggles. And we did it without hesitation, before a group of strangers, our only armour being strong expressos and the stunning late Spring Lisbon sunshine.

Lisbon, get ready. We’ve only just started with you.

 

Everything Happens in Birmingham

Posted on by Chris Sollett

Everything Happens Here and All At Once – that’s the opening line of a poem by spoken word artists Polarbear and Simon Turner carved into a granite fountain at Birmingham’s Bullring.  It’s also a great way to sum up our Street Wisdom experience – the first one in the city – hosted by RSA West Midlands.

We began by the famous bronze Bull statue, in blazing sun bustling with shoppers, buskers and market traders.   And ended three hours – was it just three hours? – later in fake candlelight at the mad mashup (part medieval, part ancient Greek, part Victorian with a sprinkling of Tutankhamen) of the Bacchus wine bar.

In my group we have an interesting spread of people, academics and arts/business hyphenates. Many people are here through a connection with the RSA.

The opening warm-up and kick-off on Street Wisdom is so straightforward and gettable, and within 10 minutes we’re off into the ‘tuning’ stage.

I like watching the gradual changes in people as they return, step by step, chatting with them briefly about what happened, in some cases they soften, walk more slowly, deepen their breathing etc. A lady tells me later that she noticed ‘not being slightly irritable’ and enjoyed that state of unhurried travelling. Her default state has become to ‘travel grumpy’ and she was able to reframe it.

Then the quest.  Some great examples of questions ‘What shall I concentrate on for my PhD?’ and ‘How can I sell my services more effectively?’

And finally the sharing at Bacchus.

David points out that the working buzz of these conversations, is the sound of the 18th century coffeehouse;  arenas for debate where the RSA has its roots.   And so eventually our conversations move on to general business/culture/society discussions, mutual interests are outlined, business cards exchanged, etc. It’s good for that, Street Wisdom.

Street Wisdom Birmingham

An insightful suggestion from a senior city planner – that workers, especially executives get out and into the streets (in a mindful way?) and see and feel something of the experience of the locals, or perhaps we should say the ‘end-users’. Who are they exactly? In the commercial centre of Birmingham, competing among at least 4 highly vocal religious groups for the attention of the shoppers and commuters.

I suppose the idea is to try and combine Culture, Business and Society.

As they say, everything happens here….

Comments from participants:

it was all brilliant, inspiring exciting, intriguing and excellently facilitated and wonderful

it was enriching and pleasure filled

Wanderful Copenhagen

Posted on by David Pearl

“It’s not rain – it’s nature reminding us we’re alive!”.  That was my own personal breakthrough moment leading a Street Wisdom in wonderful, wanderful Copenhagen.  Our 12 adventurers had started their Tune Up in bright sunshine. An hour later, just as we started the Quest, the skies opened.  It turned out to be perfect weather for an elemental journey. And it was also really fitting, given this Street Wisdom event was hosted by our new friends Being Human – an organisation that’s best known for taking groups into the wilderness and connecting deeply to Nature for inspiration.

Why did they want to run a Street Wisdom? Founder, Sille Lundquist put it this way – ‘Wisdom is everywhere, if we pay attention to it – this is a belief that Being Human shares with Street Wisdom. Even though we mostly use nature – both the great wild nature, and the small pockets of nature in every city around the world – for nourishment and inspiration, the collaboration was right from the second we met. I got curious and was guided by a playfulness, generosity, depth and eagerness to explore that not only made my day but answered my question – and inspired the people that came along as well! What a wonderful day – being alive in the rain!’

The questions people asked were, as ever, varied.  ‘Should I build the houseboat?‘ was one that stuck in my mind.  Another was ‘My head says yes to the dramatic new job but my body isn’t sure…which of them is right?’  The final sharing, in the warmth of the Atlasbar was just fascinating.  I had to tear myself away so I would get to the airport on time.  But I sense the conversations – and the real adventures – are just beginning.

David Pearl

Inventor of Street Wisdom

IMG_2279 IMG_2269 IMG_2277

Berlin: Street Wisdom – an inspirational training tool

Posted on by Melinda McDougall

 

I took part in a Street Wisdom experience in Stockholm not too long ago and was very inspired by it. I am responsible for the Vattenfall International Trainee Programme and wanted to share this great tool with the international trainees. When the trainee group met in Berlin for their second seminar week, we spent an afternoon experiencing the wisdom of the streets. At first some of these energetic, fast pased young people found it a bit challenging to actually slow down and listen to the streets, but once they actually did, they really appreciated it. So it works, even in a corporate setting. Since this is “share” ware, I am hoping that at least some of them will arrange their own street wisdom experience soon. Let the wisdom spread!

 

Therese Troedsson
Program Manager
Leadership Development
Vattenfall Business Services Nordic

A new year adventure in London’s Borough Market

Posted on by Nick Hammond

We decided to run a  Street Wisdom Adventure at the end of the first week of January, as we knew this would be a time when people would have some big questions in mind and would be looking for some big answers. 

Sandie (@dilgers) my very wonderful co-facilitator and I, met our Twelve Adventurers opposite Monmouth Coffee in Borough Market. The day was very ‘full’ of weather – both foul and fair.  We started with lovely crisp sunshine, followed by heavy rain and then a dry spell ; all with heavy cumulus clouds chasing each other across the sky above our heads.

We had lots of big questions being asked and it was clear, when we met for our round up discussion, that a good deal of inspiration had been gained and some big answers found.

There were plenty of goosebumps created as immediate and powerful connections were made . The smells ,sights and sounds of the Market as it set-up for Friday lunch , provide a rich territory for stimulus and inspiration.

One participant wanted to build better relationships within the family and became aware , inspired by the sight of surrounding scaffolding, that the key was to build events and activities that would enable this. For another person, looking to start a new business, the sight of office workers at computers was a reminder about getting the set-up and structure of a business right.

The sight of a deflated children’s balloon, children on a school trip and a building housing a charity for adolescent girls; created some great connections around belonging,  working with young people and the nature of home. One person felt the process was made more powerful by simply raising his head, looking up,  and seeing the world from a uplifted perspective.

All in all a great gang, a great adventure and a wanderful way to start 2016.

Nick Hammond
@digital_filter
thedigitalfilter.com