The Original AI
A series of conversations dedicated to reclaiming our sacred & innate human gifts
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
– W.B. Yeats
Most of us are living in a world that constantly pulls at our attention and outsources our imagination. We scroll, we react, we chase the next notification or headline—and slowly lose touch with our own deepest perception of reality and possibility.
But attention and imagination are not trivial, “nice to have” qualities. They are sacred human skills.
Attention & Imagination: The Original AI is a free 4-part series of live conversations and experiences with teachers, artists, and guides who are fiercely devoted to reclaiming these capacities.
What We’ll Explore Together
This series was sparked by a single phrase from poet and teacher Brooke McNamara, who first named attention and imagination as “the sacred, original AI.” Building on Senator and Reverend Raphael Warnock’s insight—that our most troubling issues may be less a crisis of resources and more a crisis of moral imagination—Attention & Imagination: The Original AI was created to help us stabilize our attention and wield our imagination for the sake of aliveness.
It is not an overstatement to say our very lives depend on it.
Together, we’ll explore how to come into right relationship with reality, how to re-wild our attention and imagination, how to create tangible futures from co-created imagination, and how to uncover what you truly want for yourself & for the world.
All sessions are experiential, not just theoretical. You’ll be invited to write, play, sense, feel, and participate.
You can choose to join individual sessions, or attend all 4. Each session stands alone, and the perspectives of different teachers will weave a fuller, more complex & complete vision of how we can explore attention & imagination.
Attending live is strongly recommended, and a recording will be made available for a limited time to all who register.
These calls are open to all — all sexes, genders, and sexual orientations; all people from all walks of life.
SESSION 1
Possibility vs Inevitability: How Attention & Imagination Create The World
with Kendra Cunov
Friday, October 16, 2026 • 10:30am-12:00pm PT
My whole life I have been a disciple of the present moment.
Every part of my path of study & teaching has been about coming into deeper & deeper relationship with the present moment.
I do not dwell in either hope or despair — because I know that both hope & despair come from the same place of attempting to control the future.
To truly live into a future of possibility rather than inevitability, we must be willing to let go of our need to control — for either positive or negative outcomes. We must be willing to sit in the unknown.
People often think being in touch with reality limits our imagination — but, far from being about what is ‘realistic’, I know that a deeper relationship with current reality actually widens our capacity to imagine into the unknown.
Our attention & imagination are our most essential human gifts & skills.
We are at a crossroads, and I believe it is vital that we protect & cultivate these human gifts.
Come to this session ready to step outside of the dichotomy of utopian or dystopian thinking, and free your wild imagination through inquiry, movement, and awareness.
SESSION 2
Reclaim & Re-Wild The Original & Sacred AI (Attention & Imagination)
with Brooke McNamara
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 • 9:00-10:30 am PT
I recently heard Brooke introduce herself as a ‘student of wonder’ & I think this is the most true description there is. Brooke was the person who introduced me to the idea of Attention & Imagination as the original AI.
When I first read that line, it woke me up like jumping in a mountain lake & sparked a fire in my belly that hasn’t let up since. I reached out to her immediately & said, “This is so important in this exact moment; we need to do something with this.”
And thus began the inception of the Attention & Imagination: The Original AI conversation series, co-created between Brooke & myself.
I first met Brooke over 15 years ago at an Integral Spiritual Experience conference, and we both knew immediately that we would become friends & that we had work to do together.
Brooke is my favorite writing guide & brings a soft firmness to Buddhist practice that is rare in the Zen lineage. Her words often sneak up on me & shift my perception in the most delightful way —effortlessly showing me new ways of seeing things.
Brooke is a fierce defender of our attention & imagination as sacred human skills.
Come to this session ready to write, play & find yourself in awe at what seemed mundane only moments before. I cannot recommend the space Brooke creates highly enough.
SESSION 3
Creating The Future Through Reporting From Imagination
with Noah Fischer
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 • 10:15am-12:15pm PT
I’ve known Noah my whole life. Born one year before me, we grew up together at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. Noah has always been one of the most interesting & creative people I know.
Noah has never been content to let life just happen — diving deeply into activism in the early 2000’s and more recently refusing to accept the doom & gloom future-world predicted for our children.
In 2024, Noah launched Project 2044, a radical collaboration between art, imagination & news reporting that offers tangible visions of possibility for our near future.
Recently, I sat in on a class Noah was teaching on creating the future from co-created imagination in a way that was so deeply rooted in real life & deep relationality that I knew immediately I wanted to bring him into this conversation series.
Noah brings a deep attentiveness to the present moment in a way that opens more space to imagine.
Come to this session with an open mind & a willingness to engage with others on the call. Every conversation I have with Noah enlivens my sense of what’s possible & leaves me feeling more inspired & capable.
SESSION 4
Attention & Imagination: The Keys to Uncovering Your Truest Desires
with Marcia Baczynski
Friday, October 30, 2026 • 10:30am-12:00pm PT
Marcia is masterful at guiding people to discover what they want — beyond all the limitations of what they believed might be (im)possible — in large part because her methods don’t involve going ‘out there’ to make something up, but rather going deeper into the relationality of the present moment to discover what’s already there.
As someone who works with people around desire myself, it is high praise that Marcia is one of the people whose work I respect the most in this area — in large part because her work is deeply grounded & practical.
I’ve known Marcia for over 20 years, and as soon as I began thinking about this conversation series, I knew I wanted Marcia to be part of it. Although I might call her a relationship & intimacy coach for simplicity, I know that at its core, all of her work is actually based in deep attentiveness & the ability to imagine in response to the present moment.
I wanted to include Marcia’s teaching to remind us that attention & imagination aren’t just ideas for creating the future, but practical skills for getting what you want & need in relationships right here & now.
I love geeking out with Marcia on All The Things: desire, relationship, place, community…
Come to this session willing to let go of any preconceived ideas & ready to experience your own true desires more clearly.
What To Expect
You can choose to join individual sessions, or attend all 4. Each session stands alone, and the perspectives of different teachers will weave a fuller, more complex & complete vision of how we can explore attention & imagination.
All sessions will include an experiential component. You’ll be invited to write, play, sense, feel, and participate. You are welcome to join in whatever way you are able.
We encourage you to join live, if possible. However, recordings will be shared with all who register. (The recordings will be available until November 13, 2026.) You will get the most out of each session if you are able to engage in the guided experiential components. Ideally a quiet, undisturbed space, with room to move a bit, be able to speak out loud, and feel safe closing your eyes.
To preserve intimacy, no AI companions will be allowed to join the class. Please plan to attend live, or watch the recording.
There is no pre-work for our time together, other than making space in your calendar for the upcoming calls. Give yourself the gift of time to be fully present for each call. Add the calls to your calendar now.
What to bring
Please bring a journal and pen, as well as any beverages or snacks to stay nourished.
These calls are open to all — all sexes, genders, and sexual orientations; all people from all walks of life.
This series is for you if…
- Anyone who senses there is magic in the mundane (or wants to). You’re curious about seeing the “whole universe in a half-inch of blank wall,” about finding richness in the exact moment you’re in, and about sharpening your senses so you can actually feel the aliveness of your own life.
- People worried about the future who don’t want to give up on it. You care about the world—climate, justice, the future your (or others’) children are inheriting—and you’re exhausted by doom narratives. You want grounded ways to participate in imagining and creating other possibilities, without denying what’s actually happening.
- You scroll, binge, or stay busy to avoid boredom or discomfort, but you’re starting to see that what you’re really avoiding is feeling the full truth of your own experience. You’re ready to learn how to be with your feelings without getting swallowed by them.
- You’re tired of arguing with reality (in your head or out loud). You find yourself spinning on how things should be—your bank account, your relationship, the state of the world—and you suspect the constant argument is draining your energy and not actually changing anything.
If you sense that your attention and imagination are sacred resources—and you’re ready to reclaim them—join us for this free four-part series
“Ten times a day something happens to me like this — some strengthening throb of amazement — some good sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness.”
― Mary Oliver
Join Kendra & these special guests for the Attention & Imagination Series
You can choose to join individual sessions, or attend all 4. Each session stands alone, and the perspectives of different teachers will weave a fuller, more complex & complete vision of how we can explore attention & imagination.
SESSION 1
Possibility vs Inevitability: How Attention & Imagination Create The World
with Kendra Cunov
Friday, October 16
10:30am-12:00pm PT
SESSION 2
Reclaim & Re-Wild The Original & Sacred AI (Attention & Imagination)
with Brooke McNamara
Tuesday, October 20
9:00-10:30 am PT
SESSION 3
Creating The Future Through Reporting From Imagination
with Noah Fischer
Tuesday, October 27
10:15am-12:15pm PT
SESSION 4
Attention & Imagination: The Keys to Uncovering Your Truest Desires
with Marcia Baczynski
Friday, October 30
10:30am-12:00pm PT
These calls are open to all — all sexes, genders, and sexual orientations; all people from all walks of life.
What to expect: When you register, you subscribe that speaker’s mailing list. You’ll get access to what you need to join the call, and access the recording after. There is no upsell during this free class series. You are welcome to unsubscribe at any time, but I aim to offer value & hope you stick around!
Meet the Speakers
About Kendra Cunov
Kendra is a truth-speaker & a magic-maker…
Fiercely devoted to the earth, and deeply caring for all beings, Kendra has a profound love for the human experience in all its forms.
She has been walking the path of authentic expression, embodied leadership, and devotional practice for over 20 years.
Kendra founded The Collective: A Global Web of Women Devoted to Embodied Wholeness. She also co-founded Authentic World, as well as The Relationship & Intimacy Training Salon and The Art of Fearless Intimacy (with John Wineland), and pioneered the practice of Integral Circling and the Authentic Relating Movement.
Kendra has worked with thousands of men, women, and couples in the areas of embodiment, authenticity, leadership, and full self-expression.
Kendra brings a deep and genuine care for people, as well as an extraordinary depth of insight, in service of people living truly fulfilling lives.
About Brooke McNamara
Brooke McNamara, MFA, is a poet, dance-theater artist, teacher, and Zen dharma holder. She has published two books of poems: Bury the Seed (2020) and Feed Your Vow (2015). For her poetry, she is the recipient of the Charles B. Palmer prize from the Academy of American Poets.
Brooke has taught at Naropa University in Yoga Studies and at the University of Colorado, Boulder in Dance, and she is co-director with Lauren Beale of Eunice Embodiment, an organization that offers cutting edge performances, embodiment education, and creative practice workshops and retreats.
Brooke is creator and instructor of the online courses Write to the Heart of Motherhood, Summoning the Unseen, Cultivate: Creative Practice (with Lauren Beale), and Women’s Ritual of Renewal (with Lisa Gibson). She is a long time Zen student of Diane Musho Hamilton, Roshi, and empowered as a dharma holder.
Brooke lives with her husband, Rob, and their two wild, adorable sons, Lundin and Orion.
About Noah Fischer
Noah Fischer is a Brooklyn-based artist whose drawing, writing, and organizing have contributed to public discourse on the role cultural institutions play within capitalism and the structural debts shaping creative communities. His work has appeared in major international biennials including the Whitney Biennial, Berlin Biennale, and Venice Biennale—both with and without permission.
As a founding member of Occupy Museums, a member of Gulf Labor Coalition, a longtime collaborator with Berlin-based theater collective andcompany&Co, and more recently a co-editor of The Siren and Labor Art Review, Fischer balances collective and solo practice. He is currently engaged in New York 2044, an ongoing public art and publishing project that “reports from the imaginations” of New Yorkers to reimagine the city’s future.
Fischer is a unionized part-time Assistant Professor at Parsons School of Design and a Lecturer at NYU.
About Marcia Baczynski
Marcia Baczynski is a sought-after coach, writer, and internationally-known facilitator who helps people talk about the things they were told never to talk about—sex, boundaries, consent, and desire. Her work sits at the intersection of embodiment, consent culture and unlearning “good girl” conditioning, supporting people to reclaim agency, self-trust and relationships that feel deeply aligned—even when it’s off the beaten path.
She is the co-author of Creating Consent Culture: A Handbook for Educators, a widely used resource for teaching consent with nuance, care and integrity. Since 2003, Marcia has worked with tens of thousands of people through private coaching, transformative workshops, and immersive programs. She has served as faculty with the School of Consent, Shakti Shiva Academy and the Esalen Institute.
Known for her warm, playful and deeply ethical approach, she blends straight talk with compassion and humor—inviting people to get honest about what they want and build lives that feel deliciously, unapologetically their own. She lives and works on unceded Ohlone land, also known as Oakland, CA.
