Kokoro

I create communications to inspire ⼼ Kokoro.
⼼ Kokoro is a Japanese word meaning a union of heart, mind, essence. Elements inseparable from one another in Eastern cultures.

⼼ Kokoro “signifies mind in the emotional sense, spirit; courage; resolve; sentiment; affection; as we say in the English, “the heart of things.”
Lafcadio Hearn – Kokoro: Hints and Echoes of Japanese Inner Life [1898]

Creatives, artists, musicians, and dreamers in most cultures have viewed these elements as intertwined. And kokoro is now driving science discovery.

Interested in learning more about kokoro? Check this out in Lion’s Roar.

Woman with faux fur hood and dog resting head on her shoulder. Snow covers the dogs muzzle.

Kokoro… At the Heart of Things

I use the neurobiology of storytelling to create
communications and inspire ⼼ Kokoro.

⼼ Kokoro originally referred to the beat of the heart—the organ essential for life and the source for all activities. One entry in a Japanese dictionary of essential words describes kokoro as, by extension, all human activities affecting the outside world through intention, emotion, and intellect.

Kokoro, then, has three basic meanings: the heart and its functions; the mind and its functions; and a beings center, or essence. Conceptually, it unites the notions of heart, mind, spirit: It sees these three elements as being indivisible from one other.

You probably already have a sense of kokoro, even if you’ve never heard the word before. If you’ve ever experienced the interconnectedness of all things, you’re already aware of the positive effects of kokoro.

At the heart of things, I’ve always felt a deep connection and kinship with my natural surroundings. As a young girl I was happiest outside playing, wandering, wondering, and just being in nature and the wilderness—the place I felt most safe and welcomed. And, that hasn’t changed. Through the years my connection to the natural world has been a constant.

Today as conservationist, researcher, and educator, my purpose is to understand diverse human experiences, interconnectedness, different perspectives, and meaningful connections—including those with the More-Than-Human-World—to create necessary change.

Colorado has been home since 1999, and where I raised my now-grown son. We explored the vast, unique landscapes across the west, and I quickly recognized the familiar sense of welcoming and safety from my childhood. It’s my innate curiosity and kokoro that led me to Western Colorado University where I completed a Masters in Environmental Management (MEM). Working with people, equity, ecosystems, landscapes, and issues is exactly where I want to be.

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