None of us works alone.
We all do our work standing on the shoulders of giants, and I am no exception. I owe a deep debt of gratitude to these teachers, mentors, and friends.
Chris Carver, US Olympic Coach in Synchronized Swimming, and Betty Hazel, Past President of Synchro USA, played a vital formative role in my life as an athlete. These extraordinary coaches fostered creativity, discipline, and a commitment to excellence that has served me well throughout my life.
I am indebted to the Program in Human Biology at Stanford University – and in particular to Dr. William Durham and Dr. Robert Sapolsky – for schooling me in the complex and interrelated nature of mind, body, culture, and ecology. These two gentlemen shaped my understanding of the world at a very impressionable age, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to study with them. While at Stanford I was also fortunate to have the support of Dr. Joel Westheimer, who awakened my enduring interest in the art, science, and practice of experiential learning.
Dr. Richard Strozzi-Heckler, founder of Strozzi Institute, and Staci Haines, founder of generative somatics, introduced me to the world of somatics and ultimately to my life’s work. My studies with them woke me up, changed my life, and brought me home. Mere gratitude is not enough.
Since then I have gone on to deepen my studies of embodied mindfulness with Wendy Palmer, Ginny Whitelaw, and Suzanne Roberts, among others. I am grateful to call these wise teachers my trusted colleagues and friends. I am particularly grateful to Suzanne for helping me expand my capacity to work for social justice.
Jay Fields is a deeply appreciated friend and companion along the path of embodied learning. A former teacher-of-yoga-teachers, she now teaches nurses, firefighters, business people — and me! — how to embody greater resilience. I also still regularly call upon the wise teachings of Lynne Minton, my first-ever yoga teacher, and Larry Hatlett, one of my all-time favorite yoga teachers.
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to study directly with Paul Hawken, Karl-Henrick Robert, Chris Laszlo, and Fritjof Capra. Each has influenced my thinking on the role of science, organizations, and institutions in creating solutions to the deep problems we face in our era. Chris in particular has been an active advocate of my work and has championed my efforts towards positive social change, and I look forward to our ongoing collaborations.
I am grateful to my colleague Alan Fogel both for our treasured friendship and and also for sharing a living example of how fun and fascinating research can be. Richard Boyatzis has been a trusted guide on the research path as well; his mentorship has consistently sharpened my thinking and opened many doors.
Finally, in gratitude to Rupert Spira, I offer nothing more or less than the silence of pure awareness.
Mille fois merci, and a deep bow to each of you.
