Insights Blog
Welcome! We’re happy to share with you some of the wisdom of our community. Get to know us better and add your voice.
Life Hurts...There Is No Avoiding It
Andy Robins reminds us that pain is a part of life. The Zen Leader reminds us that the first step is to transform the energy.
Wonderfully Wonky by Design
Here, and in coming articles, Jen Ayres reflects on her experience in ZL1 in the French Alps.
A Backflip Into The Unknown
Jen Ayres reflects on the overwhelming uncertainty in the UK and life in general. Seeking clarity, she turns to Zen practice and receives a profound reminder from Ginny Whitelaw that uncertainty is not a burden but an opportunity for transformation—encouraging her to embrace the unknown with presence, breath, and openness.
That's My Inner Voice?
Following her blog post last month, discussing her frustrations with maintaining a regular meditation practice, Jen Ayres has been getting to know her inner critic - with a little help from the brilliant Michael Singer.
Brand, Leadership, and Spirituality
Ginny Whitelaw explores the intersection of spirituality and leadership, finds that the spiritual Way naturally becomes leadership when it serves others, and leadership becomes the Way when it is rooted in deep practice that transcends ego.
IZL Leadership Training - Nothing Short of Exceptional
Jeremy Hurst shares his transformative experience at a Zen Leadership program, which he initially joined with skepticism but left with newfound clarity, resilience, and a deep appreciation for its impact.
Physical Side of Great CEOs
Ginny Whitelaw explores how the findings from a Harvard Business Review study on great CEOs align with the FEBI energy patterns.
FEBI, Brain Chemistry, and the New Science of Teamwork
Ginny Whitelaw explores how recent research linking personality patterns to brain chemistry aligns with the FEBI energy patterns, reinforcing the connection between mind, body, and leadership behavior.
Zen, Leadership, and Transformative Technologies
Ginny Whitelaw explores the intersection of Zen training and transformative technology.
Women of the Land
Gordon Greene contrasts two groups of women, one training in Hawaii and the other in Wisconsin, highlighting how each brought unique energy.
Forget Democrats and Republicans – What Kind of Convention are YOU Hosting?
Ginny Whitelaw draws a parallel between political conventions and our internal conventions. My engaging our whole mind-body, we can become more whole and balanced.
TRUMP, HAMILTON, AND THE ZEN LEADER WALK INTO A BAR...
Ginny Whitelaw reflects on messages and their ability to resonate or not with the listener. What can leaders do to help their messages hit the right chord?
The Energy of Agile Leadership: from Antenna to Arrow
Ginny Whitelaw explores how leadership energy flows through four FEBI energy patterns and how these patterns can help leaders become more agile.
Zen Leadership: Taking Away Fear
Kate Watters reflects on her transformative experience with Zen Leader training, describing how meditation, movement, and deep inquiry helped her confront fear, cultivate clarity, and implement practical strategies to enhance security and resilience within her organization.
Stories from the Training: Diane - Zen, Fear and the Art of Abundance
Diane Chencharick reflects on her transformative journey with IZL, describing how meditation, self-awareness, and confronting fear helped her break through creative blocks, reclaim her art, and ultimately find authenticity in both her work and life.
Taking Ownership: How We Avoid It and How Zen Tackles Avoidance
Ginny Whitelaw explores how our ingrained tendencies to seek comfort, avoid pain, and conserve lead to unhealthy habits, ineffective leadership, and environmental neglect. She urges us to take true ownership by facing into that discomfort.
Stories from the Training: James
James Blachly reflects on his transformative experiences at IZL and sesshin, describing how Zen training deepened his leadership, sensory awareness, and ability to let go of ego, ultimately shaping his personal and professional life in unexpected ways.
Summer In The City: If The Energy Patterns Were Cities...
Ginny Whitelaw reflects on the transformative CitiZen program, where city leaders applied Zen principles to leadership, posture, and breathwork, deepening their ability to navigate urban challenges with presence, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Springtime For Hara
Ginny Whitelaw explores how, amid rapid advancements in AI and neurotechnology, a different kind of innovation is emerging—one that accelerates human consciousness through practices like hara breathing, leading to the development of a "harameter" that could bridge Zen wisdom with modern technology.
Leading into the Six Perfections
Ginny Whitelaw connects Ken Wilber’s Fourth Turning of Buddhism to leadership by exploring how the 4 energy patterns align with the 6 Perfections, offering a practical, embodied approach to developing more conscious, effective leaders.