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All men and women are on a journey to greater wholeness in themselves, increased authenticity in their actions and deeper humanity in their presence in the world.
This journey is often unconscious in the face of the challenges and difficulties of surviving and achieving in our lives. Some of us can be graced with deep insight into our path in life, while others can struggle to find direction and meaning.
At times of change or crisis, we can feel this need for direction and meaning more acutely – in our work, relationships or in general. When this happens, it is helpful to review our life situation and understand what is happening, and what we need, before taking action towards a more meaningful path.
This is easier to say than to do, as we re-cycle old attitudes, understandings and behaviours, finding that nothing works. This is when we need to go deeper, behind the ‘screen’ of our normal awareness to access our own deeper wisdom as to what is going on and what we really need. It is necessary to become more aware of our ways of being and doing that need to change and have been limiting us. A new understanding and clarity of direction for our future can then become clear.
Renewed enthusiasm, greater insight and a new sense of meaning and direction for our life can emerge from this process. We may also feel challenged by the changes needed and can benefit from the support of people we trust as we make these changes.
A-Life Foundation aims to support the understanding, experience and expression of people’s core talent, sense of purpose and spiritual aspirations in practical ways of benefit to the world by facilitating the development of:
The values and beliefs underlying our approach:
Individual Change – despite the influence and pressure of families, peer groups, schools, work organisations, and our communities and cultures, the individual remains central in any authentic change process, whether for the individuals themselves or for their groups and organisations. A-Life supports personal development, counselling and mentoring programmes that work directly with each individual, in relation to his or her work, career and life situation. These programmes facilitate enhanced self-awareness, understanding and personal growth for each individual.
Family Life – families provide the prime social group experience in our childhood and are the key to the quality of psychological and social environment that nurtures our character formation as children. As adults, the families we then create are fundamental to our sense of wellbeing and satisfaction, and the growth of our children. A-Life can support programmes that work with couples, and their families.
Education and School – schools and the education process are generally the most important developmental experience children have outside their own families. The adult teachers and counsellors in schools not only teach and facilitate the growth of learning for the children, but also model ways of being and express themselves through their own character patterns. These may or may not always be beneficial to the growth and well being of the children. By working effectively with teachers and staff, using the A-Life the approach the wellbeing and education of children can be enhanced.
Entrepreneurs and Leaders – the influence of the entrepreneur and leader on the enterprises and organisations they lead is enormous. Areas of commercial and social entrepreneurship and organisational leadership are powerful places for achievement and can be dynamic forces for good in our communities, as well as for harm.
They are also critical areas for expression of personal goals, strong drives and motives and the character of each entrepreneur or leader. The talents and creative energies of these people are expressed in their enterprises and organisations, but so are their personal issues and weaknesses. These ‘shadow aspects’ can limit or threaten an organisation’s performance and the well being of its managers and staff, and the goals of the entrepreneurs and leaders. Effective work with the entrepreneurs and leaders can have a major positive impact on all employees and the organisation.
Youth Development – the transition from childhood to functioning adults in our communities can be a difficult one – physical growth and change is still occurring, there are strong pressures from family, friends and the community to fulfil particular expectations, and young people are still trying to work out who they are and what they should do in their lives.
Modern industrial societies have not generally provided good supporting structures and process for young people in helping them make the transition. We lack effective rites of passage – the celebration of stage reached and the preparation for the next stage – as processes for identifying each person’s unique talents and potential. A-Life can assist programmes working with these young adults.
A-Life’s founders and current directors are:
Reynold Ruslan Jelman – a highly experienced and intuitive management psychologist, who has worked successfully with many chief executives, company directors, senior consultants and their teams in providing leadership coaching and in-depth personal development. His unique approach draws on many sources, including his senior management experience in a number of business and government HR roles, a range of psychological approaches, including depth psychology and his background understanding of cultural and religious diversity.
Email: ruslan@alifefoundation.org
Marcus Mackay – is a management coach and counsellor, group facilitator and organization consultant. He supports individuals and their organisations in the implementation of personal change in their lives, work and relationships. Marcus is a co-founder the YES Quest, a career and life development program for young adults and an academic board member of the Jansen Newman Institute, providing counselling and human change degrees and diploma qualifications.
Email: marcus@alifefoundation.org
John Mitchinson - is the co-author of the QI series of bestselling books, including The Book of General Ignorance, The Book of Animal Ignorance and Advanced Banter: The QI Book of Quotations. He is also head of research for the BBC television panel game, QI. John is a Vice-President of the Hay Festival, a Fellow of the RSA and Chair of the London Centre for International Storytelling.
Email: john@alifefoundation.org
The A-Life Foundation is in the process of being established as a not-for-profit foundation in the United Kingdom.