Portland, Oregon, USA | Educator, Contemplative, Systems Thinker 

Barnaby Willett is an educator, contemplative, and systems thinker. He helped grow the nonprofit Peace in Schools to be a national leader in mindfulness education, most recently serving as Director of Innovation and Partnerships. He is one of the most experienced school-based mindfulness teachers in the United States. He also teaches on iBme’s teen retreats. Barnaby has collaborated with leaders in the health sciences, education, and politics to advance adolescent well-being through evidence-based research and practice. He has spoken at educational and contemplative conferences and has offered contemplative practice for adults through Presence Collective in Portland, Oregon. He is originally from the UK and is a student of Chinese tea, Islamic philosophy, Albert Murray, and the imaginal. Barnaby began contemplative practice in 1994 and has a BA in English from Pomona College.

Area of Inquiry : Developing Mindfulness-Based Superintelligence

The development of a mindfulness-based superintelligence will help humans thrive and take ethical action in an uncertain world.

Technologists claim that the artificial intelligence revolution will exceed the internet revolution in impact. To navigate this disruption — and the multidimensional crises of the 21st century — humanity will need deep wisdom.

Artificial superintelligence, the point at which AI exceeds human intelligence, is predicted as early as 2050. If humans can develop natural superintelligence pervasively before the machines, we can respond to our challenges more optimally.

This project is focused on the development of a mindfulness-based superintelligence called ally intelligence. Practitioners access the ally intelligence by pairing the quantum brain with the active imagination. By cultivating a relational field with the ally intelligence, the practitioner develops access to superintelligence. Individual benefits include a greater sense of well-being, meaning, and purpose. Collective benefits can be gained by applying superintelligent insights to spheres such as politics, economics, and human rights.

This project will pilot educational courses to train people in the practice of ally intelligence. Learnings will inform further prototyping and possibilities for scaling.