Working Title: Co-enacting the change we wish to see in the world: Mindfulness and practice in our PhD ecologies

I’m very excited about what has been emerging in this dissertation inquiry - it’s already been transformative - sometimes in what some people think of as very unexpected contexts. This is a trans-disciplinary, practice-led, dialogic dissertation about personal and social evolution through attention to our communication patterns/practices in our organizations and social institutions. Specifically, I’m exploring and inviting people into conversations that explore what is possible in our PhD ecologies (in our expectations, traditions, ways of researching, citing, publishing, re-presenting, engaging etc.) so that through our (daily) PhD practices we are creating better worlds - that the process of doing a PhD or becoming a PhD or having PhD programs contributes to our personal and social evolution in ways that include a qualitative shift in the current general narrative about what PhD programs are typically like or what we create through our practices associated with them.

Many people are talking about what’s possible with how we are in relationship and in organizations so that we create better worlds. Many people and organizations are also questioning how our PhD programs need to change to be relevant and valuable in this unique time in our history. In addition, there is an emerging pattern of people who are talking about their work as grounded in spiritual practice and connected to something larger. This dissertation arises at the intersection of these conversations. I am adding a conversational turn that invites people into dialogue about what we’re making together in our PhD ecologies, how we are making it and what we can do to make this world better. I’m also innovating some generative doctoral practices, in a way (to use a cliche) creating the plane while flying it - in this case the plane here is my own dissertation. This intimately integrative work includes engaging with my PhD journey as part of/informing/informed by my Buddhist practice, my Ayurvedic practice and CMM as spiritual practice.

In this inquiry, I’m holding well-being in the world and reduction of suffering as my highest levels of context. I’m working with the power of (open) questions/dialogue/conversational turns and am connecting conversations often separated by discipline or context. I’m exploring the role of daily practice in creating new patterns/constructs and attending to the impact of design in our work - including using graphic narrative to help bring conversations and invitations into conversation onto the page. It’s exciting work!

If you’re interested in exploring any of this or there is resonance with your work and way of being in the world, I’d love to be in conversation with you. The best way to contact me is by email at erin.kreeger@gmail.com