Answering the question, “What is truly required to live and work in the world in ways that Do No Harm?” while supporting a global ethic of Compassion in Action and Mindful Engagement can be a challenging if not daunting task, especially as we engage in complex and difficult circumstances. In our work, we have witnessed perpetrators and victims of the Rwandan genocide sitting in the same room working to renew and rebuild their trust in each other and restoring their hopes for the future. We have watched women refugees in Bosnia finding their own ways to heal through dancing and singing, reclaiming their culture and their dignity, lost to the tragedies of war. Working with individuals, governmental and non-governmental organizations, communities and teams, we have seen people lose sense of the value and meaning of their work, resulting in unsustainable and ineffective efforts.
We have also observed deeds gone awry as good intentioned groups and individuals attempt to make their contributions to the well being of humankind and the planet. Certainly, no one enters their work with the intention to cause problems or create a bigger mess than when we started, however, we all know this to be the case.
The Karuna Center was established as a way of helping us navigate our lives and our work through mindful engagement and compassionate action.
Thaïs Mazur, PhD & Wendy Wood, PhD
Wendy Wood, PhD and Thaïs Mazur, PhD, co-founders of The Karuna Center for Mindful Engagement, are veteran practitioners of mindful engagement in social and environmental action, social and human scientists, and authors. They have dedicated their careers to directing and participating in international peace building, education, and projects serving traumatized and marginalized populations. Dr. Wood and Dr. Mazur have lectured and led workshops and retreats internationally on social, environmental, and occupational justice; mind body medicine; conflict resolution and peace building; art for social change; and violence prevention and intervention. They have collaborated with international groups including Mediators Beyond Borders Int’l, The Parliament of World’s Religions, The World Missions Council, Bioneers, Food Policy Council, Housing First, Indivisible Project, The Mind & Life Institute, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Fukushima Kids Project, Peace Gong, Impact Council, Ocean Conservation Research, Amnesty International, Child Trauma Academy, Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Bat Shalom, Coalition of Women for a Just Peace, The Garden Project, Resologics, Young Women’s Leadership Conference, and prominent academic institutions. They are founding members of The Human Science Institute.