Many things can startle you, causing you to become unbalanced and uncentered. At the same time, being startled by someone or something can also be viewed as a catalyst for becoming even more balanced and centered than before. For example, without denying the shock, a student who’s startled by the fact that he or she failed an exam can use the experience as an incentive to study more effectively for the next test.

Christine Rickerby met George Leonard when she heard his Akido class through the ceiling of an art studio she was using. What followed was an opening to an enriching ITP practice and an opportunity to spend time with George at the end of his life.

Examine how ITP creates a cultural pivot by providing a personal path of awareness of the divine as well as a collective shift toward contemplative awareness for the well-being of society.

What does it take to increase our capacity to pivot and shift direction, mindset and mood? Christina Grote explores the role that perception plays in our ability to pivot. Being aware of our options can make a huge difference in our transformation.

When severe challenges hit a family, a desperate search began for answers. A father describes how courage and love inspired the family’s process of continual pivoting. He sees it as “taking the hit as a gift.”

Unlike a maze, there are no dead-ends in a labyrinth. There are, however, twists and turns that cause us to pivot. In that way a labyrinth is a metaphor for life.

After enjoying eight years as a successful head coach for university golf teams, Matthew Steinbach felt the comfort of familiarity was constraining his growth as a coach and as an individual. He examined the role of homeostasis in his life and decided to pivot.

We usually look at our world with an agenda. We look at something. We look for something. What if we didn’t perceive the world through “hard eyes”? ITP Mastery Teacher Charlotte Hatch and ITP practitioners demonstrate experiencing the world through “soft eyes.”

Dr. Matthew Cobb started his professional ministry in The Episcopal Church (TEC) where he has served as campus minister, community organizer, healthcare chaplain, development officer, parish priest, indigenous missioner, leadership developer and spiritual director. ITP and the Ki of Cooperation play an important role in his personal and professional lives.

To achieve cooperation with another, it can help to look at the situation from the other person’s point of view. Leonard Energy Training offers an exercise to help us achieve this. ITP Mastery Teacher Charlotte Hatch teaches the exercise “Getting Off the Line,” reminding us to listen to the other person while taking care of ourselves.