At IONS, we have been fortunate enough to have some incredible volunteers and interns who support our work from all over the world. We have so much gratitude for these amazing people who contribute their time, skills and passion to our exploration of the noetic sciences. The individuals who volunteer or intern with us come from a range of backgrounds, education, and experiences. We deeply value our volunteers/interns and want our relationship to be mutually supportive so we provide training, access to IONS content, mentorship, and/or education credits, among other things. We wanted to share what it’s like from the perspective of someone who has been supporting our work for a few years now, Ebru Engin, MA, MBA who lives in Instanbul, Turkey and works with us remotely. Ebru is incredibly dedicated, skilled and is whip-smart. This blog is a brief interview about her experiences with IONS.
Why did you initially want to volunteer/intern with IONS?
I have always been interested in noetic topics — those experiences that most of us know and feel, but can’t always articulate, as human knowledge and language can be limited. Just because we can’t touch or see something, such as connection or joy, does not mean that it does not exist. So, is reality something deeper than what we can touch and feel with our senses? Science is helping us to change the way we view reality. This is important because access to a new paradigm of wisdom can support our personal and professional lives.
A few years ago, I was looking for a credible organization to learn more about noetic topics. I learned of the Institute of Noetic Sciences when I was attending two transformation retreats at the sacred land of Earthrise (IONS campus and educational retreat center near Petaluma, CA). IONS unique mission — bridging scientific exploration and inner knowing — motivated me to follow their work via newsletters and workshops. I wanted to be part of this community, master new bodies of knowledge, and add systematically to what I know, while contributing to its great service at the same time.
How long have you worked with IONS?
I live in Istanbul, Turkey, but this did not stop the IONS team from considering me when I expressed my interest in working with them. Since June 2018, I have been honored to support IONS remotely, working on various projects with their exceptional staff — swimming in the vast sea of research, trainings, and practices both produced and collected by IONS.
IONS staff is incredible, with deep experience, knowledge and wisdom. From the beginning, I felt very welcomed and valued. They have carved out time from their busy schedules to orient and train me on new tasks. They are also very resourceful, giving me access to special trainings which support me personally and professionally. Honestly, I look forward to each of our conference call meetings because I always experience growth, peace, learning and harmony.
What kinds of skills/perspectives have you learned from working with IONS?
I have been fortunate to work on a variety of projects. I have enjoyed and learned a lot from researching and summarizing scientific resources to support educational material being developed by the IONS Experience Department. I have reviewed the recordings of the Noetic Global Gathering webinars, synthesizing and summarizing them in a comprehensive way to help develop Exploration Guides — additional interactive educational tools for IONS Community Groups and the public.
In terms of perspectives, I realized (once again) how much our thinking and intention can either support or limit us. After exploring and embodying so much scientific research in this field, I now take more responsibility for my thoughts and intentions. I do this by bringing my awareness to the present moment, and being mindful of my thoughts — though it requires a lot of patience and curiosity — it is also another muscle we learn to develop. In time, I found myself looking at challenges from various new perspectives and feeling empowered because I saw more choices in front of me.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I find noetic approaches and practices to be my lighthouse, allowing me to walk more easefully in every aspect of my life, both inside and outside.
A new and better world will only be built from the foundational state of oneness, love, and integrity. IONS is an institution that carries all of these values and I am honored to be part of this community.
We are grateful to Ebru for all of her hard work, dedication and time on IONS projects and for sharing her experiences and perspectives! If you are interested in volunteering or interning at IONS, click here to learn more.
Ebru Engin, MA, MBA has 20 years of corporate experience including the World Bank, International Finance Corporation, Citibank and Turkcell. She has worked on Business Development, Corporate Strategy, Marketing, Project structuring and implementation in various countries including, the United States, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Dubai, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Ebru completed her MBA and MA at the George Washington University in 1996.
Ebru completed MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) Teacher Training at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Mindfulness Based Professional Training Institute and is authorized to teach MBSR courses. She is also learning Chinese Traditional Medicine and “distant healing.” Ebru likes to teach meditation to children and youth, in order to contribute to their development, especially after having practiced and benefited herself.
