Art of Human Being
Art of Human Being is a workshop series that combines meditation, cognitive science, and philosophy to explore the art, science, and practice of living a meaningful life. Our mission is to connect people to themselves, each other, and the natural world through contemplative practice and community. AHB was founded by Kayla Falk & Gigi Falk, two sisters both currently pursuing a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Spirituality & Mind-Body Practice at Columbia University. Both have extensive training and experience in mindfulness, yoga, and mind-body practices, and share a deep passion for contemplative sciences and spiritual inquiry.
Learn more about our curriculum and previous workshops and partnerships below, and follow along for upcoming events here.
Press
Featured in “Unstoppable by Unleashed: Stories of Inspiring Female Leaders from Around the World, Blazing New Trails in Business and Entrepreneurship”
Featured on iTunes podcast “In Great Company: Social Impact in the Private Sector”
The Art of Human Being
An 8-week workshop held at the Art Lovers Cafe, NYC
(February–April 2019)
This is an 8-week workshop on becoming radically alive through mindfulness, Eastern spirituality, and Western contemplative neuropsychology. Co-leading this workshop with my sister, Gigi Falk, we will share knowledge, practices, and custom meditations to cultivate an awakened heart and mind to live life with the passion and presence it deserves.
Lightness of Being: Practical Tools for Bringing Mindfulness, Presence, and Mystery into Every Moment
A FieldTrip for Creative Mornings
(April 2019)
This was an evening workshop we hosted for the organization Creative Mornings, a free lecture series for creatives built on a spirit of generosity and community. FieldTrips are meetups to interact, learn and collaborate in an effort to deepen and grow creative living.
The Human-Nature Series
North Brooklyn Farms
(September 2019)
North Brooklyn Farms creates agricultural green space where people can connect with nature and one another and find access to sustainably-grown produce. In our Human-Nature Series, we meditate and explore in nature to develop a deeper connection to our inner and outer worlds. We also explore the science behind the healing effects of nature and the evidence-based links between awe, interconnectedness, and human flourishing.
Mindful Columbia
For Columbia University student group, Mindful Columbia
(November 2019)
Facilitated an evening workshop on mindfulness
Mindful Columbia is a student group at Columbia University seeking to create conscious community on campus and introduce topics that often are not taught in the classroom, but which inevitably touch all of our lives. Topics touch on wellness, self care, sustainability, social justice, and more.
The Mindful Path to Creative Insight
at Columbia University’s Spiritual wellness center
(September–December 2018)
Designed and facilitated an evidence-based 10-week wellness workshop to Columbia students, through Columbia University’s on-campus Spiritual Wellness Center. Student outcomes from the 10 weeks contributed to novel area of research on spiritually-oriented wellness programming on college campuses, supervised by Dr. Traci Stein.
The AHB Model
The AHB 8-week Workshop Series is designed to explore the art of living a happy and meaningful life, incorporating tools and wisdom from Western neuropsychology and Eastern spiritual practices. In this workshop, we’ll help you build your personal toolbox of practices and wisdom that will foster openness to living the fullest and most vibrant life available to you, embracing a greater connection with yourself and the world around you. The 8-week model is divided into two parts. The goal is an awakened heart that is fearless and open to experiencing all that life has to offer, embracing how wonderful, heartbreaking, mysterious, and euphoric it can be to be alive.
Part I: Ways of Being – core tools for developing presence and perspective in day-to-day life through mindfulness, perspective, awe, mortality, and open-hearted curiosity
Part II: Exploring the Self – exploring the nature of our minds and lives through self-inquiry, self-compassion, intrinsic motivation and life purpose, self-transformation, and self-transcendence
Curriculum
Week 1: Presence of Being
The what, why, and how of mindfulness meditation practice
Present-moment awareness, noticing your thoughts, and turning off autopilot
Exploring the senses and connecting to the world around you
Week 2: Lightness of Being
The science of happiness (Positive Psychology & Neuroscience)
The science and healing power of humor
Cultivating perspective and gratitude for the mundane
How to restore our attention with soft-fascination
Week 3: Mystery of Being
The science and therapeutic effects of awe & wonder
Practical tools for enchanting daily life
Investigating death and mortality for more meaningful living
Week 4: Investigating the Self
Discovering character strengths & Carl Jung’s archetypes
Investigating the self through guided visualization meditation
Exploring interdependent self-identity and transcendent concepts of the self
Week 5: Befriending the Self
Self-compassion
Dealing with challenging emotions
Non-judgemental self-discipline
Week 6: Transforming the Self
Building a roadmap to your highest self
Habit change and “Beginner’s Mind”
Week 7: Forgetting the self
Interbeing and interconnectedness
Seeing beyond yourself
The science and therapeutic effects of altruism
Week 8: Reflection and Integration
How to bring these tools into daily life
Creating tangible next steps and measurable goals for spiritual and psychological development
