Summer Update 2: Body-Mindedness Practice Seminar, ACE Leadership, Social Architect Training & other news/events

Dear all,

we hope you are enjoying the summer despite extreme conditions in several areas of Europe.

In this Summer Newsletter, we share information about the following topics:

Invitation to our next Body-Mindedness Practice Seminar (Sept/Oct 2026) and Q&A session (8-9-2026)
Social Architect Training, an offer from the Center for Human Emergence, starting 5 Sept 2026 (in GERMAN)
Join our ACE Leadership Development Program for women in the non-profit sector, now with childcare (Sept-Dec 2026)
Invitation to our Special Anniversary Colloquium "The Future of Integral Studies", November 10, 2026

With best wishes for the rest of the summer
The IFIS Board

1 - Invitation to our next Body-Mindedness Practice Seminar (15 sept, 22 sept & 6 oct 2026 ) and Q&A session (8-9-2026)

Join us on Tuesday 8 sept 2026 at 19.30 CEST for a Q&A convening space. Register here for the Q&A session.

Register for the 3- part Body-Mindedness Practice Seminar (via Eventbrite)

Why Body-Mindedness matters now

We live in times of fragmentation, distraction, and accelerating complexity. Most of us carry more information than we can act on — yet in the moments that matter most, we struggle to access our own clarity, creativity, and agency. We know what we could do. We just can't always do it.

Body-Mindedness is a practice-based approach to personal coherence. It starts from a deceptively simple insight: your body is not just a vehicle for your mind — it is a sophisticated and interdependent guidance system. When we learn to work with it consciously, it becomes one of our most reliable tools for navigating complexity, making grounded decisions, and sustaining our energy and attention over time.

Developed by Michael Keller and Dr. Bettina Geiken as part of the IFIS Academy, and first tested within the EU-funded Cohere+ project, Body-Mindedness has already demonstrated its value as a foundational practice for individuals navigating professional and personal change. Body-Mindedness helps you upgrade an outdated operating system — from the inside out.

Find out more on our dedicated website that describes what Body-Mindedness is and what it is not, the structure of the seminar, practical information, FAQ etc.

If you are looking for some inspiring "summer readings", you might also enjoy reading some blog posts based on previous Body-Mindedness practice seminars and about different "schools" of embodied learning

https://www.ifis-freiburg.de/en/2025-08/why-body-mindedness-matters-learning-essay - With quotes of participants' experience
https://www.ifis-freiburg.de/en/2025-08/body-mindedness-online-live-learning-journey-personal-coherence - Structure and possible results
https://www.ifis-freiburg.de/en/2026-06/embodied-learning-non-exhaustive-compilation-research-practice - A non-exhaustive overview over different "schools" of embodied learning

and/or listen to the conversational video between Michael Keller and Bettina Geiken, the co-authors of this course (click on "Preview" on the upper right of the Canva Screen for full screen view)

For further questions reach out to Bettina Geiken at bettina.geiken@ifis-freiburg.de

2 - Social Architect Training by Center for Human Emergence (in German)

Landkarten sind wertvoll – nicht nur im unbekannten Gelände der Natur, auch in Organisationen. Sie helfen uns, dort anzukommen, wo wir hinwollen.

Die Social Architect Ausbildung des Center for Human Emergence stärkt Sie, sich sicher durch das unwegsame Gelände radikaler Veränderungen zu bewegen. Durch fundiertes Eintauchen in Theorie und Praxis von Spiral Dynamics integral eröffnen sich Ihnen neue Wege, Menschen, Teams und Organisationen zu begleiten.

Was die Ausbildung so wertvoll macht

Sie erkennen Dynamiken hinter der Oberfläche schneller
Sie bleiben gelassener, auch wenn der Boden nicht fest ist
Sie kontrollieren weniger und vertrauen der Weisheit der Gruppe
Andere fühlen sich gehört und verstanden – Widerstände sinken

Start: 12. September mit dem SDi Kompaktkurs.
Anmeldeschluss: 5. September.
Alle Infos zu Dauer und Kosten unter www.socialarchitect.de/ausbildung

3 - The ACE Leadership Excellerator: Your Path to Empowered Leadership!

We have a few remaining seats for our Leadership Development Program for women in the not-for-profit sectors, now also with the possibility of child care!

For the on-site of the program we will meet again close to Freiburg in the beautiful setting Haus Maria Lindenberg offers: above the amazing ladies from the first round and the view from the terrace. The 5 days on site are complemented by online workshops and individual coaching sessions to tackle the specific leadership challenge each of the experienced women leaders bring.

Now is the time to apply if you - or a woman you know - wish join us from October 10 (afternoon) to October 14 (lunchtime), 2026 for the inspiring in-person event just outside Freiburg in the beautiful Black Forest region. ACE is an advanced leadership program specifically for women working in academia, public services, associations and NGOs.

This is your chance to dive into empowered leadership with the ACE Leadership Excellerator. Whether you’re looking to boost your skills or connect with like-minded leaders, this event is designed to help you take your leadership journey to the next level.

AND we have a really interesting news for those of you with children. This time we will have a babysitter on board, while you can work on your leadership skill and enjoy the company of other woman leaders

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to grow and get inspired in a relaxed, welcoming setting!

Apply here

For further questions reach out to Angelika Pohnitzer at angelika.pohnitzer@ifis-freiburg.de

4 - Invitation to our Special Anniversary Colloquium "The Future of Integral Studies", November 10, 2026

In November, it has been 10 years that we are hosting our monthly Online Colloquium, inviting a broad range of perspectives from and on various aspects and dimensions of integral studies.

To celebrate this anniversary, we are preparing a special summit experience with invited speakers from the universe of integral metastudies and practice. On this occasion, we will discuss questions like the following:

How has the need for Integral Studies changed?
What specific needs do we see with regard to Integral Studies? Why?
What does Integral Studies look like today? And what might Integral Studies look like tomorrow?

Confirmed speakers include:

Dr. Jonathan Reams, Dr. Hilary Bradbury, Dr. Mark Ewards and Anne Caspari.

More information

With best wishes for the rest of the summer
The IFIS Board

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For all other events see our event calendar (click "de" for German)

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