Respect and rejoice in the force of life itself,
and be present in all one does.
​~ James Baldwin

THE FIVE VITALITY-CENTERED PRINCIPLES
These five practices protect, foster, and make useful the vitality that lives within, and around, us. We have learned that when a learning community engages these practices in ways that are authentic to their place, vitality grows in each person, in the community itself, and in connection with the Earth and its wisdom. 

TAKE CARE OF VULNERABILITY. 
Welcoming vulnerability leads to authentic relationships and a deeper intimacy with ourselves, each other, and the Earth.  

CULTIVATE PERSONHOOD.
Personhood becomes a gift to the world when it is strengthened in body, heart, and mind and given opportunities to express itself fully and courageously. 

BUILD BELOVED COMMUNITY.
The greatest currency we have is community. The principles of beloved community guide relationships within the learning community and in the larger communities in which they are embedded. 

RESPECT LIVING SYSTEMS PRINCIPLES AND THE WISDOM OF THE EARTH.
The wisdom in the living system of the Earth is at the heart of vitality-centered design. When practiced, it can lead to more vital and interdependent learning communities.

​LOVE AND SERVE OTHERS.
Learning communities that practice these principles are prepared to serve the world with the courage, creativity, clarity, and compassion needed to meet the current challenges we face.

QUESTIONS FOR DESIGNERS:

• When you look at the five qualities of a vitality-centered environment, do you see any of those active in your current learning environment?
• Do you see ways that you could do those practices in your current environment if they are not happening?
• If you already orient around vitality in your design, are there qualities that are missing from this list or that you could strengthen by experimenting within a design community oriented around vitality?​