I teach courses at The School of Life, a new and extraordinary cultural enterprise based in London that provides instruction and inspiration on the art of living. Amongst its innovative offerings are courses on topics such as Work, Love, Family, Play and Politics, as well as holidays to unusual places like Heathrow Airport, Conversation Meals and a unique bibliotherapy service.
Press coverage of The School of Life:
Work
I designed and teach The School of Life's course on Work, which can be taken one evening per week over six weeks or over a full weekend. The course is for people who want to find ways of making their working life more fulfilling, creative and adventurous. We look at the big questions such as: How do we choose a career? What should be our ambitions? How can we find a better balance between work and the rest of our lives? How can relationships at work be made more satisfying? How can we develop the confidence to overcome our fears and go in new directions?
Press coverage of the Work Course:
- Slate - on exploring work with a cheese monger and Mark Twain
- Icon - about a Work course visit to a craft workshop and drawing Stravinsky
- The Times - on mapping your career path next to Alain de Botton
- The London Paper - about an evening on the Work Course sprawled on the floor
Love
I also teach The School of Life's course on Love, which I co-designed with the writer Alain de Botton and the popular philosopher Mark Vernon. We explore the history, future and meaning of love in our lives, tackling issues such as: Do we really need a relationship? How can we meet a lover? How can we deal with the misery that love sometimes brings? How important is sex? How can we make love last and thrive?
Press coverage of the Love course:
COURSES ON WAYS OF LIVING
Apart from courses at The School of Life, I independently run Ways of Living courses that are designed to help you discover new ways of leading an imaginative and fulfilling life. They typically take the form of intensive one-day workshops on specific themes that are limited to a maximum of ten people each. Participants examine approaches to the art of living from different cultures and historical periods, watch films, discuss books, engage in design activities and share their own thoughts and experiences about how to live a wise and good life. My most recent series was held at The Corner Club in Oxford.
My approach has been partly shaped by running projects and courses on the art of living with the avant-garde thinker Theodore Zeldin, when I worked with him at The Oxford Muse. I also believe that too many courses have a self-help focus, encouraging people to discover who they are by looking inside their own heads. This kind of introspection needs to be balanced with what I call outrospection - where we expand our search to discover ourselves by learning about how other people live, think and look at the world.
Some of the main themes and questions covered include:
Empathy: What are the benefits of looking at the world from the perspective of others? How can we develop deeper empathy with family, friends and strangers?
Love: How can we cultivate the different varieties of love? What are the alternatives to the ideal of romantic love? What are the best ways to overcome relationship problems?
Time: How can we feel less controlled and rushed by time? What can we learn about time from other cultures? How can we live more in the present, and worry less about the past and future?
Work: How can we develop the self-confidence to follow new pathways of work? How can we pursue our passions and use our talents? How can we make relationships at work more fulfilling?
The Senses: How can we expand our repertoire of senses beyond the traditional five? How can we nurture our neglected senses? What can we do to merge body and mind?
The benefits of taking part in these courses include...
- giving your life a greater sense of purpose and meaning
- expanding your courage and curiosity about life
- overcoming fears and prejudices
- feeling that you can follow new pathways and pursue your passions
- making your relationships with others more fulfilling
- discovering new ways to work, play and love
- learning about the art of living from a wide variety of cultures and disciplines
What people say about my courses
‘Thank you so much for a wonderful day. I’ve felt all dreamy and content ever since. I think you’ve got a wonderful set of ideas which people can really be enriched by - as they hear, absorb and discuss them with others.’ Policy Analyst, Oxfam
‘This was really inspiring. It enhanced my honesty with myself and changed the way I think about others in my life. The course was profoundly insightful about our motivations and quality of life.’ Hedge Fund Manager, London
‘I seriously loved it. I think we should dedicate more time to thinking about and sharing with others the things that really matter in life. Exploring the varieties of love was great, especially making the Love Map!’ Pharmaceutical Industry Researcher
‘I found it very inspiring. I’ve discovered that empathy is a resource many of us have not yet tapped into. It is a resource for finding ourselves and developing our creativity.’ International Leadership Consultant
‘Very enjoyable and thought-provoking. Well-paced activities, a really interesting historical approach to Time and Love, and a lovely lunch!’ Teacher and Mother
‘This course is a must for everyone whose senses have been dulled and are in need of sharpening empathy. I now understand that empathy is nothing short of a tool for a universal spirituality that aligns us to one another and to ultimate reality.’ Zambian Priest and Author
‘The content was really interesting and the people were great. I’d like to see this course offered at my local community centre and with youth groups.’ Security Guard and Community Activist
‘This was a rare opportunity to share and refine your attitude to the fundamentals and direction of your life in a challenging yet supportive space.’ Shamanic Practitioner
If you would like to find out more about my Ways of Living courses, please contact me here. I also offer tailor-made courses for companies, community organisations and other groups. Additionally, I give public talks which are advertised on the homepage.
There is more information about me here.
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