Strozzi Institute

Our mission is to produce leaders who embody pragmatic wisdom, skillful action and grounded compassion. We propose a different approach to learning – embodied learning. We begin with the claim that learning is the ability to take actions that were previously unavailable to us. Secondly, we offer a new interpretation of the body that is fundamental to learning. This interpretation challenges the rationalistic tradition, the dualism of mind and body that our educational system has maintained over the past three hundred years. In contrast to this tradition we say that learning is the result of new practices that we commit our body to, not in gathering and understanding information. In the words of William Shakespeare, “By my actions teach my mind.” We challenge the notion that cognitive understanding produces the ability to take effective action. We are not suggesting abandoning cognitive learning. We are saying it is only one aspect of learning. We do see, however, that learning happens in our bodies. When we understand, for example, the power of making grounded assessments, requests, offers, and leading those we manage, but find ourselves incompetent to do so, we see it is necessary to design practices that train our bodies for these actions.