My New Inspiration for Mindful Living
When I returned from one of the US visa trips I had a message in my box saying, “We have this place called the Linden Centre who want us to come and give them some advice as to how to make their operation more sustainable and we want you to be on the team.” It was from a newly formed consulting group in Shanghai that I had been talking to.
I was tired and had never heard of the Linden Centre so I graciously declined the offer. For several weeks I had to endure the constant pleading of this group to accompany them for an on-site visit and Sustainability audit.
I checked out the Centre’s website (http://www.linden-centre.com) it was intriguing and in an area (Yunnan Province) I hadn’t yet visited, so basically, in order to experience something new rather than as a business opportunity (which was the primary motivation of all the others on the team) I decided to join the excursion.
It took an entire day via plane, train and bus to get there. We were greeted when we arrived by Brian and Jeanee Linden, the Centre’s proprietors and a number of their staff. I could tell from the first moment there that there was something special about this place. During the next week as we familiarized ourselves with the Centre and it’s operations, watched the interaction with other guests and talked to the staff and the villagers, this feeling became ever more tangible.
I decided then and there to commit to helping this inspired enterprise in any way that I could.
Press Release
The Linden Centre Invites International Team of Environmentalists to Help Plan Sustainable Development Strategy for Dali Region
The Linden Centre, one of China’s leading hotels and learning retreats, hosted environmental scholars from the US, Europe and China to Xizhou to help influence future development strategies in the region. Local governments have increasingly turned to the Linden Centre to help them develop sustainable tourism models. Recent international criticism of large-scale tourist destinations such as Lijiang and Pingyao have caused governments to seek alternative development paradigms. The Linden Centre, which received China’s Sustainable Tourism Award, is one of the leading advocates for a less-commercial, more indigenous approach to development.
The visiting environmental team is headed by the Shanghai-based consultancy, Sustainability China. Currently they are collaborating with the Centre on sustainability educational programs for schools, corporations, and organizations looking to learn how this relates to their communities and their bottom line.
“While the Linden Centre has provided China with a leading example of cultural and architectural preservation, they felt that they needed our assistance in addressing environmental issues that are equally important to their mission. We spent nearly one week in Xizhou and its environs and came up with a number of suggestions that can be immediately implemented by the Centre, and some that are already being discussed with the local government,” said Dr. David B. Sutton of Sustainability China. “We will be working with the Linden Centre to enhance their ability to incorporate more sustainable practices into their future expansion projects.”
“We are fortunate to be working with these innovative folks who have a desire to make a positive impact by contributing to projects related to the environment, sustainability and green technology,” says Brian Linden, Founder of the Centre. “We are also humbled by their enthusiasm to be a part of the Linden Centre mission and their faith in our potential to give back to an even greater community.”
More About The Linden Centre
While the rest of the team were much more practical (do I dare say, more professional ?). They were looking for paid work and it had become very clear that while the Lindens had the greatest intentions their resources were stretched to the limit. They not only needed help in making their operations more sustainable but also needed help in securing more resources to do it. I had learned long ago that finding meaningful work with an authentic vision was a very rare opportunity. When it comes to meaningful work vs. payable work, I have rarely found either and almost never found both.
The Linden Centre gets its name not only because it is the family name of the owners but from the fact that the Chinese character for that name is the word for the tree under which Buddha had become enlightened. Brian Linden relished the fact that his Linden Centre might serve to inspire more mindful living.
More posts about The Linden Centre:
