We have found in explaining Drishti to others, that often the organization evades the usual boxes for categorization: our approach crosses thematic areas, we draw on the sciences as well as psychological understanding, our work focuses globally as well as locally, we do research as well as projects... The list continues. Rather than look for a box in which to situate our work, when we founded Drishti we looked at the constellation of global issues that humanity faces and poised our work to address them. We saw that the issues were not exclusively addressed in just one thematic area nor by using one angle of approach. Rather, the complexity of issues seemed to require a more comprehensive approach… an approach that evades those categorization boxes by the fact that it integrates them.

Our Story

Drishti was founded in February 2003, with a vision for transformational environmental and social change that is arrived at via an Integral Approach. At that time, Integral Theory remained mainly a theory, yet we saw its extraordinary potential in sustainable development. We founded Drishti to be a vehicle for that potential.

Since then, Integral Theory has been applied in numerous fields, such as health care, business, psychotherapy, education, and notably in sustainable development. Some of the organizations that have used Integral Approach in development work include the United Nations Development Programme’s HIV/AIDS Group, various NGOs in Latin America, and community groups worldwide. Please see the Resources page as well as Links to read about Drishti’s and other organization’s applied work with the Integral Approach in fostering sustainable development.

Our Approach

Our approach to social change and sustainable development is still informed by Integral Theory as well as other innovative frameworks. The Integral Approach brings together disciplines and perspectives into a dynamic whole, such that they inform and complement each other. This approach integrates the “exterior”, practical aspects of life (such as ecology, economics and social systems) with the “interior”, subtle aspects of humanity (like psychology, culture and spirituality). By uniting disciplines and by acknowledging the role of interiority in society, the Integral Approach includes more of reality in its embrace. Thus, it offers a more inclusive, comprehensive framework for understanding and working with global issues.

Summary of Activities

Since 2003, Drishti has provided a learning community to its members, engaged in integral action research in Latin America and Africa, written resources and created curriculum on integral approaches to global change, and worked with the following organizations:

  • Amazon Conservation Association (Peru)
  • Centro Bartolome de las Casas (El Salvador)
  • CESTA-Amigos de la Tierra (El Salvador)
  • Global Environmental Change and Human Security (GECHS, Norway)
  • Integral Without Borders, Integral Institute (USA)
  • One Sky-Canadian Institute for Sustainable Living (Canada, Nigeria, Peru)
  • BC Healthy Communities (Canada)
  • Integrated Land-use Management Bureau (BC, Canada)

Current Offerings

Currently, we engage in four project streams:

  1. Learning Experiences that engage individuals and groups in courses, workshops, and what we call “plunge activities” that are intended to awaken new ways of doing, knowing, and being.
  2. Integral Organizational Development with organizations in Canada, Africa, and Latin America to help the organization develop a more comprehensive approach to addressing complex issues, both locally and globally.
  3. Projects carried out in partnership with organizations in the global north and south on leadership development, climate change adaptation, rainforest conservation, community development and well-being, and psycho-social healing.
  4. Research, Knowledge-building and Dialogue that contributes new ideas to sustainable development, primarily through “action research”, in which the research process and results are placed in service of social action and is conducted with the individuals and groups who will use the research findings.