Contemplative Administration

The students, faculty, staff and trustees of Naropa all are engaged in an ongoing personal and collective journey that involves becoming more aware of ourselves and the world around us—or more simply, “waking up.” This process of waking up is supported by the discipline of contemplation, or the deliberate effort to examine ourselves and our actions with the intention of becoming more conscious of who we are and how this self-knowledge informs and influences our actions. While students and faculty at Naropa University aspire to discover and practice the art of contemplative education, the Naropa staff is engaged in a closely linked exploration of contemplative administration.

The conscious process of paying attention to what we are doing in the workplace and how we are doing it is the path of contemplative administration. It is not something that just happens because we are employed at Naropa. It is developed, shared and appreciated through our day-to-day work and cooperation. It is the responsibility of both the institution and the individual. It is the result of our personal and cumulative awareness.

The path of contemplative administration begins with looking inward. It is about understanding who we are, individually and as an organization, and how we interact with others to achieve the results we desire. Taking responsibility for our actions and thoughts, taking care of ourselves and one another, communicating skillfully, being resourceful and generous, and being open to possibilities brings us into the center of contemplative administration.

Most of our work together as staff and faculty involves making and fulfilling commitments to each other and to the students we serve. The work of the university could be described as a network of those commitments. Since we collectively carry the responsibility for the administration of the university, we are naturally called on to help and support each other. This includes holding ourselves and each other accountable both for what we do and how we work together. This accountability directly affects our relationships and therefore the success of our endeavors and the quality of our work environment.

The qualities of our community arise out of this process. What we invest in this effort directly impacts the kind of community and work experiences that emerge. The challenge we face is how to do this in a nonaggressive way so that we get things done while building and maintaining relationships.