"In the Nest of Relational Process" - Nora Bateson on Warm Data, Ecology of Connection, and The Systems That Shape Us

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Jun 1, 2025

Join Nora Bateson, an award-winning filmmaker and systems thinker, as she delves into the intricate web of human relationships and ecological connections. She emphasizes the importance of "warm data"—the subtle nuances of communication that reveal our interdependence. Nora challenges conventional thinking by advocating for a holistic approach to understanding systems, exploring how systemic psychotherapy intertwines with complex societal issues. Through evocative storytelling, she shows how embracing complexity is essential for fostering resilience and meaningful connections.

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ANECDOTE

Cesar's Transformative Conversation

Cesar describes his transformative experience speaking with Nora and engaging with systemic ideas as a lived, physical experience.
He highlights Nora's natural, embodied connection to self, others, and times as deeply inspiring and novel for systemic thinking.

INSIGHT

Identity as Fluid and Relational

Nora explains identity as fluid and relational, resisting reductionist labels.
She uses poetry to illustrate how we are complex combinations changing in different contexts.

INSIGHT

Book as a Combining Experience

Nora's book "Combining" blends essays, stories, art, and poetry inviting readers to co-create meaning from diverse inputs.
The book encourages individual interpretation shaped by one's memories and perspective.

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What if our biggest crises – from climate collapse to mental health – demand not simpler solutions, but a deeper embrace of complexity? Join us for a profound conversation with Nora Bateson, award-winning filmmaker, writer, and systems thinker.

Nora takes us inside the rich ecology of ideas explored in her groundbreaking book, Combining. Nora challenges us to see the world as a web of inseparable relationships, where every action ripples with incalculable consequences. She argues compellingly that tackling our "Polycrisis" requires understanding interdependence, sitting with ambiguity, and nurturing the vital, often unseen, connections she calls "Warm Data" – the lifeblood of complex systems.

Discover how "Combining" uniquely blends intellectual rigor, emotional vulnerability, storytelling, poetry, and art to invite us into "Aphanipoiesis" – the mysterious processes by which life collaboratively fosters vitality and evolution. Nora urges us beyond the illusion of "fitting in," towards a practice of "uncutness" and radical interconnectedness.

We delve into the real-world application of these ideas through her pioneering Warm Data Labs. Learn how these immersive, transcontextual gatherings foster new ways of knowing and relating, moving beyond isolated data points to grasp living, relational patterns.

Crucially, we explore Nora's deep connection to systemic psychotherapy. How does her work, rooted in the legacy of her father, Gregory Bateson, resonate with therapeutic practices? How does understanding systems at multiple levels – from the personal psyche to the global ecosystem – inform healing, relationships, and our collective responsibility for humanity's future?

Prepare for a mind-expanding journey where love, humour, curiosity, and the courage to be vulnerable collide with the urgent trials of our time. Nora Bateson doesn't just offer analysis; she beckons us towards revelation and revolution in how we perceive ourselves, our communities, and our place in the intricate tapestry of life.