Abstract

This paper builds on wider research studying designers’ posture, understood as the specific way in which professional activity is invested, given substance, meaning and justification. Awareness on posture is even more important in design teaching and leadership, as individuals take responsibility for guiding others. But, in complex and uncertain environments, knowledge holding has become less important than continuous learning. “Guiding into the unknown” questions the meaning and very possibility of accompanying intimate processes of transformation, far beyond professional training as commonly understood. Outside of content, what emerges in such relationships? In this investigation, yoga is mobilized as a both philosophical and practical framework, in a cross-cultural dialogue aiming at triggering reflexive decentering. Insights are provided regarding the adjustment and development of designers’ posture, towards greater awareness and mindfulness in practice.

Keywords

posture, transformation, reflective practice, yoga

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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Oct 9th, 9:00 AM

Guiding into the unknown. A dialogue between design and yoga for mindful design education

This paper builds on wider research studying designers’ posture, understood as the specific way in which professional activity is invested, given substance, meaning and justification. Awareness on posture is even more important in design teaching and leadership, as individuals take responsibility for guiding others. But, in complex and uncertain environments, knowledge holding has become less important than continuous learning. “Guiding into the unknown” questions the meaning and very possibility of accompanying intimate processes of transformation, far beyond professional training as commonly understood. Outside of content, what emerges in such relationships? In this investigation, yoga is mobilized as a both philosophical and practical framework, in a cross-cultural dialogue aiming at triggering reflexive decentering. Insights are provided regarding the adjustment and development of designers’ posture, towards greater awareness and mindfulness in practice.

 

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