Charles Morris

Charles Morris

United States

Charles is the founder of Numen Studio, where he helps organizations empower their employees with mindfulness, and depth-psychology-based practices.

Previously, he was an engineering and learning & development leader at Microsoft where he created Mindful Growth, a mindfulness-based program and community of several thousand employees.

Charles holds a Master’s degree in Mindfulness Studies from Lesley University and is currently earning his PhD in depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute.

You can listen to his meditations and find upcoming audio courses by following him on the Insight Timer app.

He lives on Vancouver Island, Canada and has two teenage daughters.

Fun fact: Charles can play “The Entertainer” upside down on the piano!😊

1. Which of the 10 declarations of The Mindful CIO Manifesto resonates the most with you?
I resonate strongly with #1 – “We bring humanity to the IT industry.”

2. Please elaborate on why you identify the most with the declaration selected above
I chose #1 because I love the choice of the word humanity. It is provocatively open-ended and prompts a very important discussion of what it means to be human. This is particularly crucial in this day and age of AI when we are asking the question as to when computers will surpass humans, without pausing first to ask if we are comparing apples to oranges.

3. What is your #1 Strategy (or Ritual) for Self-Care?
My primary strategy for self-care is listening and developing a deeper relationship to my body. We spend so much time in our heads and sometimes mindfulness can seem to further that. This goes well beyond “treating it well,” as if we are maintaining a machine. Even the use of the term “my body” frames it as a possession. I prefer the phrase “body consort” used by Clarissa Pinkola Estes which elevates the body to be a cherished partner through life that we need to be in relationship to, and to learn to listen to its messages with a symbolic lens. What could my body be trying to tell me?

4. What Mindful Leadership means to you?
Mindful leadership to me is primarily about presence, how you as a leader show up every day, how work is an integral part of who you are and who you are here to become. Secondly, to me it means acknowledging that journey in others, that their work is part of their becoming, and being willing to help them along that journey.

5. Why do you think The Mindful CIO movement is important? In other words, why have you accepted to become a Champion of this community?
I think the community is important because bringing humanity to the industry most often feels like swimming against the tide of deadlines and other pressures. We can’t do it alone – we need the support and inspiration of others who hold similar values and intentions. Together, anything is possible!

To learn more about Charles Morris:

– Insight Timer Profile and Mindfulness Meditation Tracks – https://insighttimer.com/charlesmorris/guided-meditations

– LinkedIn Article Article Mindful Growth: Accelerating Microsoft’s Transformation towards a Growth Mindset with Mindfulness – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mindful-growth-accelerating-microsofts-transformation-charles-morris