Glossary
A Big Vision
A Big Vision is what is missing in our society today: a vision is ‘the ability to imagine how our society could develop in the future and to plan in a sustainable way.” (Cambridge dictionary). This Big Vision will guide our development and decision making, and a Vision people can believe in to give them direction and hope. For Life Itself, our work is in the forming of the conversation for a Big Vision:
“Life Itself exists to be an ecosystem, demonstrator and infrastructure for people to live in a weller, wiser world by engaging in new ways of thinking, working and living based on principles that human beings are not their thoughts or feelings. We want to see every single human being liberated (from suffering) and at peace.”
Art Earth Tech
Art / Earth / Tech was the original name for Life Itself. Art Earth Tech renamed itself to Life Itself in 2020.
Authenticity
To be true to oneself.
We use the definition from ‘A ‘Value-Free’ Approach To Values’ by Micheal Jenson and Werner Erhard:
"Being and acting consistent with who you hold yourself out to be for others, and who you hold yourself to be for yourself. When leading, being authentic leaves you grounded, and able to be straight without using force."
Equality Complex
There are many things that do not cause suffering, but an obsession with anything is a source of suffering.
For example: Money is not a source of suffering, but an obsession with money is. Achievement is not a source of suffering, but an obsession with achievement is. Being good looking is not a source of suffering, but an obsession with being good looking is.
Hence our obsession with equality is also a source of suffering, as Thich Nhat Hanh said, "equality is not a source of suffering, but the equality complex (an obsession with it) is".
Read this blogpost for more.
Dominator Hierarchies
See Growth Hierarchies.
Enterprise
A bold undertaking.
Distinct from the synonym for company or any other legal entity or group of people.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is not condoning, can never be earned and is never deserved
It is created in language and means to give as before. It brings freedom.
It an act of creation that gifts freedom.
[Credit: Landmark]
Getting Stuff Done (GSD)
We ship, we do, we get stuff done.
We’re doers as well as thinkers and meditators. We value hard work, commitment, shipping, and getting sh** done.
It takes dedication and effort to be great, to build something big. We want to create extraordinary enterprises and communities – that can not only co-exist with the existing system on its own terms but can surpass it.
Read our guide on how we do that.
Growth Hierarchies
Integrity
Integrity is honouring your word. At the level of character, it means relating to oneself as one’s word: striving to keep your word and being proactive about communicating immediately when you have not kept your word. At a deeper level, it also means keeping present an empowering context.
Note: integrity does not mean always doing what you say – that is impossible if you are playing a big game. In that sense we will always be going out of integrity and getting back in, a practice of communication – "integrity is a mountain with no top".
Landmark
See landmark.
Mindfulness & Zen
Our ontology and philosophy are grounded in Zen and mindfulness.
Key ideas: you are not your thoughts, be here now, non-attachment to views, enlightenment/nirvana (is possible), non-self, interbeing. Primacy of being aka primacy of the right brain.
Multidimensional
As in "multidimensional growth or development".
Multidimensional = waking up, growing up, cleaning up, showing up etc.
Noble Materials
Materials like cotton, linen, silk, wool, cashmere, viscose and modal because of their natural, non-toxic biodegradable properties and touch.
Primacy of Being
Being has first importance before doing, aka primacy of the right brain.
Read these notes on Iain McGilchrist's "The Master and His Emissary" for more.
Religion
See religion
Sangha
A community which shares purpose and practices.
Originally a Buddhist term for spiritual community.
Spirituality
Spirituality is in part a feeling of being connected to something larger than oneself. Religion is in part a collection of beliefs and practices that honor spirituality. A scientific theory that affirms these statements cannot be entirely hostile to religion. [David Sloan Wilson in Darwin's Cathedral]
See spirituality.
Strategy
Strategy or strategic planning is a catch-all term that we use to cover high level planning at different levels and including multiple forms of materials including:
- Vision: Aspirational, long-term picture of a desired future state.
- Mission: Specific actions organization takes to contribute to that vision.
- Theory of change: Roadmap explaining how mission activities lead to desired outcomes.
- Roadmap: Defined steps chosen to execute the theory of change effectively. (NB: often this would be termed strategy but we avoid using this term because of its potential ambiguity)
See https://github.com/life-itself/strategy for more.
Structural-Solutionism
The belief that every problem has a solution based on structural factors.
Techno-Solutionism
The belief that “technology” (alone) can solve every problem (including systemic social issues).
Triangles
See triangles
Ultimate dimension
A term from Buddhist thought where ultimate and relative dimensions are distinguished. Relative dimension is that of the everyday: of the washing up, of ideas and concepts. Ultimate dimension is the transcendental, the trans/supra-rational. The space of being beyond language, thought, concept. Of pure presence etc.
