By: Dr. Wayne Ruga, Founder, Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo

In Alessandro Caruso’s reflective life account, he describes a chance encounter with a Zen monk, who told him: ‘that the duty of a Zen chef is to prepare the best and most succulent meal with the ingredients available, even if they’re only water and rice.’  Alex then reflects, ‘There’s no point in complaining about the ingredients that aren’t available.’  This extract from design & meditation is just one of so many life experiences that Alex so vividly renders and uses to explain how they inform his life and design practice, as he progresses in his career as a successful architect focused on the creation of life-enhancing environments.  Another of Alex’s extracts, explains:

‘No matter how serious my accident was, I chose to change the course of my life by expressing my creative energy with positive meditation, daily exercise, and trying to improve people’s lives through my designs.  I believe that my increased sensitivity to pain has given me the best opportunity to understand the sense of euphoria when experiencing a healing environment.  With an open mind towards the full range of human experiences, I’ve learnt that sickness and healing are inseparable and require constant balancing and mindful choices.  The ongoing investigation into the perception and observation of other people’s feelings through the lens of my own experience, is put into practice through our projects and is observed again through the lenses of the building users.’

Alex Caruso will present a talk about design & meditation in the Symposium Expo, on Wednesday, 24 September.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase and a personal inscription by the author.  Please check the Special Events calendar for the time and location.

On Wednesday, 24 September, 11.15 – 12.15. Alex will also be facilitating a session titled:    A Participatory Discussion to Explore How New Understandings of Quantum Architecture Can Enhance Health and Wellbeing.  Please check the Schedule for the room location.