The Art & Practice of Shaping A More Beautiful Mind with David Whyte

With his compelling blend of poignant poetry, humour and insight, poet and philosopher David Whyte will look at the way we can shape a more beautiful mind and therefore a better and perhaps more beautiful life, both for ourselves and others. This shaping is done through asking more and more attentive and you could say more and more beautiful questions: relying less on engaging the will and more on a way of being in the world that awakens a rested, alert intelligence with the courage to simplify, to act, and to have a life worth living at the center of our all our endeavours.

David will also look at the role of the imagination as a faculty of perception, a central integrative intelligence able to discern the complex patterns that surround human beings. To pay attention to this unique intelligence requires courage, as it often reveals both our fears and the internal and external changes that are needed to meet newly understood circumstances.

This event is in person only. Please reach out to vpedi@ualberta.ca if you require any special accommodations for attending the event.

About David Whyte

David Whyte grew up with a strong, imaginative influence from his Irish mother among the hills and valleys of his father’s Yorkshire. He now makes his home in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The author of twelve books of poetry and four books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including living and working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, Amazon and Himalaya. He brings this wealth of experience to his poetry, lectures and workshops.

David’s life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in three normally mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings that most poets inhabit, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry and the world of vocation, work and organizational leadership.

David Whyte is one of the few poets to take his perspectives on creativity into the field of organizational development, where he works with many European, American and international companies. He is the recipient of two honorary degrees: from Neumann College in Pennsylvania and Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia.

In organizational settings, using poetry and thoughtful commentary, he illustrates how we can foster qualities of courage and invitation; qualities needed if we are to respond to today’s call for increased creativity and adaptability in the workplace. He brings a unique and important contribution to our understanding of the nature of individual and organizational change, particularly through his unique perspectives on Conversational Leadership.