Bioneers brings together a very diverse, discerning, engaged and reflective community, and the curated conversations around crucial topics we have been hosting recently (“Conversation Cafes”) have proven highly popular and stimulating. Each session begins with a very brief presentation by one of the conference presenters as a “conversation starter” to frame the topic, followed by structured group discussion. At the end of each session, a “harvester” who has carefully witnessed and “absorbed” what has transpired, offers us a poetic synopsis/recapitulation of the highlights of our time together.

“Conflict is the spirit of the relationship asking itself to deepen.”

– Sobonfu and Malidoma Somé

In these polarizing times, how can we invoke the spiritual gifts of conflict as opportunities to deepen learning and connection? What does it take to shift our mindsets, skill-sets, and structures to build generative cultures around conflict? In this session, Shilpa Jain, who has decades of experience supporting people to free themselves from soul-crushing institutions and to live in greater alignment with their hearts, their communities, and with nature, will lead us off by sharing some tools we can use to enhance our inner awareness and interpersonal connections, so we can then engage in conversations about how to harness the energy of conflict, navigate specific types of conflicts, move beyond polarization and from judgment to curiosity and witnessing, all the better to succeed in achieving systemic change. Facilitated by: David Shaw, Santa Cruz Permaculture and UCSC Right Livelihood Center. “Harvester:” Jason Bayani, author, theater performer, Artistic Director, Kearny Street Workshop.