Isabela Granic

developmental psychologist | complexity science | poetry | tech4mental health | co-building Director @GEMH_lab | @McMasterU

[scott 🌞 @scottdomes]

the purpose of a "dark night of the soul" period - a time in your life where you feel disoriented, lost, lonely, desperate - is that it reveals the cracks in your old belief system

we inevitably carry old beliefs with us from childhood, things like "someone will always be there to save me" or "I'm worthy of love because I'm smart." these beliefs can serve us well, for a time... but they are naive and limited. they can't handle all the tragedy & chaos of adult life

so at some point, our belief system breaks down, and we're thrown into the darkness, into the void. from there, we have two choices: we can try to hold on to our old beliefs, desperately clinging to their promised security... or we can let go

letting go means staring into the abyss. for example, if my belief is "I'm worthy of love because I'm smart", and I find out that I may not be as smart as I think I am, I now have to face the existential question of "am I actually worthy of love?"

that kind of question often feels like a form of death. it can be agony. it is a disconnection from love, a disconnection from even the possibility of love. it is the death of an ancient & innocent part of you

but the void is a creative space. it's where form & substance emerge. if we can stay in the void long enough, in that disorientation, without trying to rush to an answer... then eventually an answer appears

a new belief system forms, one that allows both the possibility that I can be an idiot AND still have access to love (what a concept!). now I have a mature belief that can carry me forward. now I can have a more truthful relationship with the world

but that dark night period is hard. it's brutal. it's so tempting to try to escape it, to try to numb it, to try to rush through it. but the invitation is to embrace it, and to let it change you

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

I wrote about collective effervescence and why it's so important for learning and flourishing:

https://t.co/3VHbGG3UbM

[Rick Benger @rickbenger]

@PlayNiceInst @forlifeitself @bryankam @chwoodiwiss Heist 1 done! More here...
https://t.co/y8lvV35n7e

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

@rickbenger has done a fabulous job of summarizing the why and how of our “Heist” model at Liminal Learning. We were in awe of what the first cohort came up with!

[Rick Benger @rickbenger]

In Liminal Learning, we call our collective projects Heists. We figure there are heist-like qualities (e.g. opportunity, urgency, improvisation, portfolio of skills) that you can design for that make collective action feel great.

Our first cohort just did theirs. Notes...

[Rick Benger @rickbenger]

In Liminal Learning, we call our collective projects Heists. We figure there are heist-like qualities (e.g. opportunity, urgency, improvisation, portfolio of skills) that you can design for that make collective action feel great.

Our first cohort just did theirs. Notes...

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

More details on the whole program here: https://t.co/JEQcRj0AZ7.

Liminal Learning is a nonprofit, aiming to provide 30% of its places on scholarship over its lifetime.

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

REALLY excited to announce: We've got 5 scholarship places open for Liminal Learning's next cohort, starting October 19: https://t.co/h1hjjB4JMi...!

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

The yearlong program helps young people find their way in work, study, and life. We start with a weeklong retreat in the wilderness (Quest), and continues with online and offline programming. Check out some of the testimonials from our last cohort: https://t.co/RohoprBriQ

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

I've started a newsletter! I'll be pulling together insights from science, philosophy, and wisdom traditions to explore what young adults need from us during this time of global flux and unpredictability. I'd love to hear what you think 💚

https://t.co/CENQopPXjd

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

It was a joyous, heart-enhancing experience that none of us will forget! These young people blew our minds with the stories of their last year's experiences and the way they are making sense of their lives.

[Rick Benger @rickbenger]

the first Liminal Learning cohort just wrapped up their program.

We held a closing ritual to reflect on changes, connect with values, and commit to "an next honest step" — will write some more on this soon but gotta share this joyous tidbit first. The cohort held their Heist in Kingston, ON. We had the ritual there. One of the guides and founding team, Kevin, lives there and has the local knowledge. And so an hour before ritual time we're like, where's a good spot? And he says, oh there's this place called Time.

Time is the art installation which you see in this photo — two sticks, pointing out of the earth. Well yes, duh, the rest of us say, we would like to do a ritual about the past and stepping into the future there. The extra synchronous tickle is that the Liminal Learning interim logo is two sticks... a visual rep of the threshold, the liminal space, between the before and after paths in life.

Here's cofounder @PlayNiceInst walking the threshold with Izzy, one of our cohort. Isn't it a delight when everything just clicks?

[DepressedBergman @DannyDrinksWine]

"I think filmmakers should be aware that they don't know anything."

--- John Cassavetes

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

More Anne Carson because November, and life, is not fair:

https://t.co/XsNbgwpFK3

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

Anne Carson with a November poem for your pleasure:

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

@GregoryHansell WHAT IS THIS? You’d have had me at perfect blessed drums and Paul Simon but THE KISS. I thought I’d seen most good scenes such as this but I can’t place it!

[James Lucas @JamesLucasIT]

Wildlife in all its beauty - a thread🧵

1. When its cold enough you can see their song

[Ruben C. Arslan @rubenarslan]

So, @JonHaidt announced he would put corrections for "The Anxious Generation" on his website. So, far there is only one entry on the recently created page. After reading the book, I think there should be many more. Maybe we can crowdsource a proper errata page?

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

@bryankam 😂

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

Here's more info on Liminal Learning if that helps:

https://t.co/6HT3OEY4rh

https://t.co/09CVyIQAhC

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

We are SO EXCITED to take Liminal Learning to its next phase. Pilot data from 1st Quest is crazy-inspiring. We need to get this out to as many young people as possible. Who are funders in the alt ed or mental health/flourishing space with DEVELOPMENT funds? Grateful for any leads

[Isabela Granic @PlayNiceInst]

My friend @bryankam made a super cool tool that, with one click, gives you a random verse/chapter from the Tao Te Ching, in a bunch of different translations. I've been using it for about a month and it's VERY powerful for meditation and study, IME.

[Bryan Kam @bryankam]

I made a tool to compare different versions of the Dao De Jing ⬇️