Inspirational examples
Nico Czinczoll • 3. September 2019
What will the Homecoming Academy become?
The Homecoming Academy is inspired
by:
- Monasteries and monastic academies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_monasticism
- Psychological science and treatment centres, and
- Academies as places for learning and exchange, e.g. the Platonic Academy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_Academy#Old_Academy or the House of Wisdom: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Wisdom.
This might all be a bit abstract. Thankfully, there are great concrete examples
, which let you experience how the Homecoming Academy will work and look like. Interested in your reactions and reflections.
The Monastic Academy - Center for Mindful Learning in Vermont, USA is a big inspiration when it comes to combining "traditional monastic practice " and "modern project-based learning and leadership training ." It demonstrates successfully how it can be done. We will adopt many elements keeping in mind that our main target group are "middle aged" leaders.
The U Center
nearMaastricht, Netherlands is an inspiration for how to provide therapeutical support
in times of crisis and for overcoming exhaustion, depression, addictions, and other mental illnesses. We will start with a more focused offer. If the combination with the monastic approach works well we might expand the offer over time.
Rural coworking
like the great Coconat
has become popular in Berlin and other large cities. Leaders will come to the Homecoming Academy to work on their professional projects or prepare for their next challenge / leadership role. Working on your own project will be supported in a more structured way in comparison to coworking spaces.We will hold each other to high standards of integrity and discipline.This includes participation in parts of the daily schedule, e.g. morning and evening meditation practices, meals, and elements of community service.
What places have you stayed at, which made a positive difference
to your development? What was it that made the difference?
Who has built places like the ones above? Please write to us so we can get into contact
.

There is much disruption and suffering because of the Covid-19 crisis . May you and your loved ones be healthy and safe in these times. Krisis is derived from the Greek verb krino , which means "to divide", "to choose", "to judge", "to decide" but also "to measure", "to argue", "to fight". Crises are decision-making situations, existential struggles for the future. We contemplated on how we might contribute and arrived at: Individual support during this crisis Leadership coaching services for organizations Online meetups for change leaders 1. Individual support Some of the coaches in our network have made their support available for free or on a donation basis. If you are interested or in need of support, send us an email: info@homecomingacademy.com . 2. Leadership coaching services for organizations The Homecoming Academy has started to serve as a platform for leadership coaching services. Well supported leaders make better decisions in securing the future for their organizations and staff, cause less suffering, and become more effective with each challenge they overcome. For this, we are expanding our network of coaches . If better decision-making for less suffering resonates with you and you have personal leadership experience, robust psychological, coaching or therapeutical training, and a sustained personal contemplative practice - reach out to us. 3. Online Meetup for Change Leaders Bi-weekly, we are offering an online meetup for change leaders. Below you find some impressions from our session with Rakesh Jain (Head of HR and business school professor from New Dehli, India) on "Unlearning."

We met and co-created as a group of experienced consultants, coaches, therapists and academics at the beginning of the year at Kloster Lehnin. See above a beautiful scribing by Vivien Leung for some impressions. We met online with our extended international network and continued to shape the offer. We went public during our second virtual open house (see picture below for some impressions).

Our first Homecoming Academy - Virtual Open House took place yesterday. Thank you to all 14 people who joined us and contributed to the way forward. Most of us were consultants and coaches. We are happy that we were also joined by entrepreneurs, a filmmaker and an actress and painter. We are very grateful for your joyful and focused attention, questions, and comments. Our mission “ Better decisions for less suffering ” resonated. This needs people who are connected with themselves, others and the world at large. For us to become helpful we need to live this; how we collaborate with others and how we organize ourselves are important for this. Working with leaders and organizations it is key to integrate artfully individual, group, and organizational / structural aspects. Together, we explored some of the Homecoming Academy counseling offers (beyond tailored consulting): Continuous Change Camp – In 2020, we will kick off our online offer for change makers, project managers, and leaders in organizations to continuously develop and support each other. During our call the idea came up to make this a “ Virtual Monastery ” – a well-structured community for continuous development on a personal, professional and spiritual level. We are putting together “ Master Classes ” and modular development programmes. These face-to-face programmes will help change makers and leaders build their individual resilience, collaboration ability and (organizational) decision-making. One topic especially dear to Jonas is “ Resilience for change makers .” We will provide targeted development offers to management consultancies . Management consultants face tremendous complexity, responsibility and pressure. Our expertise around psyche, body and spirit can help them to bring less pain to themselves and the organizations they work with. Mindful facilitation is something that Felix wants to bring into the world. Counseling and coaching . We will provide online and on-premise coaching for companies who want to ensure that their leaders make good decisions dealing well with complexity on an individual, group or organizational level. End of January, we are meeting to explore these and additional projects for 2020. Stay up-to-date and sign up to our newsletter here or join our upcoming events, which you find here . The next opportunity to grow with us is Felix Richter’s lecture and workshop on: “Bewusster Führen - Impulse aus Traumaforschung & Neurowissenschaften.” It will take place January 23, 19:30-22:00 in Berlin Prenzlauer Berg. Sign up and reserve your place here . We wish you all the best and look forward to connect with you.
