- Next run
- New series coming soon
- Format
- 4 live sessions of 90 min, plus 30–45 min of videos and readings a week
- Price
- Sliding scale from €20, suggested €50
- Language
- English
Climate breakdown. Political polarisation. A spreading sense of meaninglessness. AI anxiety. These feel like separate problems, but what if they share the same root cause?
This course gives you a way of seeing the whole picture: the breakdown of the systems, values and stories that hold our civilisation together. And alongside it, a reason for real hope: the renewal already quietly emerging in response. It takes the challenges seriously, including the possibility of collapse, without sliding into doom or denial.
Each week combines short videos and readings on your own time (30–45 minutes) with a live 90-minute conversation with the whole group. The live sessions are about your own exploration: dialogue, small-group inquiry and shared reflection. Recordings are available.
- Led by
- Rufus Pollock and Sylvie Barbier
- Can't make the dates?
- Join the next run free.
Clarity
A coherent picture connecting the dots across crises, not another single-issue analysis.
Depth
The deep cultural roots of the crisis, not just its symptoms.
Hope
Evidence that cultures have changed before, and that seeds of renewal are already growing.
Connection
A felt sense of community with others asking the same questions. You’re not alone in this.
Agency
A practical sense of what you can actually do.
Symptoms
What’s breaking down? How did you come to see the cracks? We share our paths and map the resonances between us.
Roots
Why is this happening? The deep causes of converging crises, in the cultural paradigm of modernity itself, and how seeing them changes how we orient.
Hope
Can civilisations actually change? Views and values have transformed before. How cultural paradigms evolve, and why a new one can emerge that goes beyond the old.
Seeds
What’s already emerging? Where the seeds of renewal are already growing, how we can tend them, and how we carry this into our own lives.
“I left feeling inspired. It was amazing getting to talk with others and hearing stories straight from the heart. I feel more connected to myself and to others, and a sense of being part of a collective movement.”
Maria
“Articulating the metacrisis in an accessible way is no small feat. This course succeeds brilliantly, grounding complex ideas in lived experience and deep insight.”
Naeema
“A clear and insightful introduction, while inviting participants to reflect from their own viewpoints and experiences.”
Yasmine
“A wonderful connection space which inspires to keep seeking and building towards the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.”
Tallon
Rufus Pollock
Has spent over a decade researching why civilisations go through paradigm shifts, and what that means for this moment. Former Cambridge academic, Ashoka and Shuttleworth Fellow, long-time Zen practitioner, and lead author of the Seeds of Renaissance white paper.
Sylvie Barbier
Is an internationally exhibited performance artist, with French and Taiwanese heritage and work across three continents. She brings an embodied, experiential side to the course, grounding ideas in lived experience and creative expression.
Both are co-founders of Life Itself.
- You sense something is deeply wrong with the direction of our civilisation, but struggle to say what.
- You’ve been involved in climate, social justice, mindfulness or systems thinking, and feel your space sees only part of the picture.
- You want a picture that connects the dots across crises.
- You’re looking for others who see what you see, and want to work out what to do about it.
No prior knowledge needed. Speaking is always welcome, never required.
Do I need to know about the metacrisis already?
No. The course assumes no prior knowledge, just curiosity and openness. If you already know the space, the dialogue format means you’ll go further.
What if I can’t make all the live sessions?
Recordings are available, and the videos and readings stand on their own. The live conversation is where the deepest learning happens, so come to what you can.
What if the dates don’t work for me?
You’re welcome to move to the next run at no extra cost.
Is this academic or experiential?
Both. There’s a clear intellectual framework, but the course is built around dialogue and reflection, not lectures.
What’s the time commitment?
About two hours a week: 30–45 minutes of videos and readings, plus the 90-minute live session.
What does it cost?
A sliding scale: suggested €50, minimum €20. Pay more if you’re able. Scholarships are available: write to [email protected].
New series coming soon
4 weeks online · Sliding scale from €20, suggested €50 · Can't make the dates? Join the next run free.
Register interest