How To Human

This week Anu and Veera have a conversation about the joys and dilemmas of using your hands to create something tangible. How does it feel different to make something physical versus something digital? Is there meaning that only a tangible artefact can hold?We talk about how using our hands allows us to discover new things, and to think differently. We also discuss how physical and digital experiences relate to how we are present. Finally, we reflect on the struggles of being creative - and the pressures of creating something permanent that can’t be edited or deleted by the click of a button.

In this episode we dive into the concept of Regeneration & Regenerative Cultures with Elina Kauppila from Extinction Rebellion Finland. We explore some different ways of understanding regeneration and look at some daily examples of how it looks like in different contexts. We also discuss the obstacles that might be getting in the way of regeneration, and the processes that might be keeping us from taking collective action on the climate crisis. Finally, we share some of our experiences on what 'aliveness' and 'vitality' means and how it can serve the future of our societies.  See more of Extinction Rebellion Finland at https://extinctionrebellion.fi.Listen to the Deep Adaptation paper on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-56712817/deep-adaptation?fbclid=IwAR1nQgZjY65BmKmOz5jg1JiRJf-RN32Cm8dOyC45z6L9bLqUlISBzPB5z4sDeep Adaptation paper on pdf: http://www.lifeworth.com/deepadaptation.pdf

This week we are joined by Leif Backman, a brave Gestalt therapist who works with individuals and groups creating safe contexts for integrating the cognitive, emotional and physical aspects of being a human being.Together we explore what it means to be a whole human to us, and what processes have personally helped us in this journey. We also discuss the importance of creating spaces for reconnecting to our whole selves in community and how that might look like in different contexts.Finally we reflect on the qualities we can learn from babies, as they are the best examples of humans that operate still from their more integrated wholeness.5 rhythms webpage in Finland: https://www.5rhythms.com/who-we-are/teacher-communities/europe/finland/

This episode is a special edition in the spirit of celebrating the day of the dead and other similar traditions that happen around this time of year. It is a small guided visualization to literally walk back in time. The intention is for us to reconnect with the cycles of life we are part of - and also have a tiny personal glimpse into the life of our own most immediate ancestors; our parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Listen when you have a moment to yourself without any interruptions. We recommend lighting a candle and doing some drawing or journaling afterwards. Hope you enjoy! ** This walk back in time is inspired in one of the practices from Joanna Macy's 'The work that reconnects'. The original version goes way deeper, and a lot further back in time. Here it is for anyone who is curious:  https://workthatreconnects.org/harvesting-the-gifts-of-the-ancestors-by-ann-marie-davis/

This week we dive into agency and self-driven learning. We explore different experiences we have had of strengthening agency both in childhood and later in adulthood. We also discuss the role our past, current and future education systems might play in strengthening or hindering this intrinsic human drive. References: -  Unended Quest: An intellectual Autobiography by Karl Popperhttps://www.amazon.com/Unended-Quest-Intellectual-Autobiography-Routledge/dp/0415285909- Sugata Mitra's TED prize for creating the "School in the Cloud" watch the talk here:  https://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_build_a_school_in_the_cloud/up-nextDig deeper here: https://www.theschoolinthecloud.org/- Open-ended toy maker Cas Holman: https://casholman.com/- A great book about the self-directed learning communities revolutionizing their own educations: https://www.amazon.com/DIY-Edupunks-Edupreneurs-Transformation-Education/dp/1603582347

In the 7th episode of How-to-Human we dive into systems thinking with systems-curious designer Helén Marton. We dissect some basic terminology (including fruit bowls) and discuss the importance of thinking differently in the age of big, messy, global, systemic challenges. There's a commonly recognized desired to increase our ability to become aware of and function in systems – but why, and how?The following books and articles are mentioned and/or discussed in the episode: • Thinking is Systems – Donella Meadows• Growing Wings on the Way: Systems Thinking for Messy Situations – Rosalind Armson• Systems Thinking Playbook – Linda Booth Sweeney & Dennis Meadows• Dancing with the System – Donella Meadows• https://thesystemsthinker.com 

In this week's episode we tend to our inner child. How can we live our lives in a way that would make our 5-year-old-selves proud? And what's the value of never fully growing up?The book referenced is The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben, and the poem read in the end is by Roald Dahl. We apologize for the poor sound quality of this episode. 

This week we talk about the art of criticism. What does it mean to give critique — and why do many have such negative connotations to it? We discuss the conditions of critique when placed on things vs. people, or when given as a group vs. by yourself. We also reflect upon the difference between critique and feedback (is there any?) and share our own favorite frameworks for both. In this episode we briefly discuss the work of Carol Sanford in relation to feedback and reflections. See for example her book No More Feedback — Cultivate Consciousness at Work.

Coming back from summer holidays, we dive into the topic of burnout. What is it, which patterns are related, and what might one (un)do about it? Books discussed in this show: ReWork by Jason Fried & David Heinemeir Hansson (https://basecamp.com/books/rework) Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski (https://www.amazon.com/Burnout-Secret-Unlocking-Stress-Cycle/dp/198481706X)

Who/what is you, really? In the third episode of How to Human we dive into the notion of self and being. What would happen if we were only our observing minds? Join in on our deepest, most free-flowing and surprising conversation yet. Book: The Art of Living by Thich Nhat Hanh If you have comments or questions send us an Email to hello@howtohumanpodcast.com

In this episode of How to Human we explore the topic of Genius. Is genius an innate quality of the few, or are we in fact all genius? What role does external influence and evaluation play in our experience of genius? Join us as we attempt to bring this very elusive concept of ‘genius’ into the very mundane terrain of modern human life. References mentioned: Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED Talk: “Your elusive creative genius” https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius On the concept of flow: Creativity, Flow and and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi https://books.google.fi/books/about/Creativity.html?id=aci_Ea4c6woC&redir_esc=y Great article explaining different aspects of the concept, in short: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/ Another small article on Flow, which includes the graph talked about (flow being a state of balance right between anxiety and boredom): https://scienceandvalues.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/csikszentmihalyis-flow-pleasure-and-creativity/ Searching for Sugar Man Film: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/searching_for_sugar_man/ Troika Consulting, as a way of feedback mentioned: http://www.liberatingstructures.com/8-troika-consulting/ Credits: Elevator Music: www.bensound.com

Welcome to How To Human! In today's episode we explore the importance of dreaming and utopian thinking, and it is so important for us human beings.