New Continuum Exhibit
The original Continuum Exhibit was first on display in LA at the California Museum of Science and Industry in 1978, and came up to the Twin Cities in ’79 touring high profile locations including the top of the IDS, Landmark Center, Pillsbury Center, and was featured for the grand opening months of Calhoun Square in 1984, with support and acclaim from notables like Earl Bakken, founder of Medtronic, and Senator Dave Durenberger viewer response.
Continuum Center expanded into other program areas and in ’87 the exhibit was laid to rest. Now, there’s 40 years’ more research and we have an updated/modified/expanded exhibit, extending in to modules including education, mental health, addiction and more.
In November 2020 the exhibit expanded to 34 panels, in May 2021 to 46 and November 2021 70. The exhibit toured locations like Minneapolis Convention Center, the Minneapolis Park Board Richard Green Center, and Jones-Harrison nursing home on the south end of Cedar Lake.
Uptown Minneapolis Display
Oct 2020 through Nov 2021 2856 Hennepin Ave So
“Love this exhibit, so much to think about! Thank you!” Megan Sieberg
“What a beautiful path of thought to walk through! Thank you for opening your doors, and our minds, to this crucial and beautiful conversation.” Libby and Lewis
“I learned a lot today. Information that I didn’t know and information that I knew, all somehow connected today. I will come back again to take it in.” Lea Ombwori
“Thank you for this beautiful and much needed exhibit!!” Natalie Lang
“I didn’t fully appreciate all that we are until I came in today, and I look forward understanding more when I come again.” Joel Mampilly
“I came back! Leaning about science in school is leaning about a world separate from us. Spending time in this solemn space let’s us reaize that we affect the world’s composition as much as it affects us. Connection, balance, light, matter, energy, senses, consciousness. I can’t wait to go to sleep tonight to get clarity on the additional exhibit panels I read today.” Joel Mampilly
“Absolutely breathtaking!” Maggie
“This is so incredible and so needed!” Natalie Barry
“Gave me much to ponder, answered some questions I didn’t know I had.” Iber
“So inspiring! I want to cultivate more attention for interconnections and for imagining beyond what seems possible.” Terri Karis
“The exhibit was transformative. Also! Breathe with your belly.” Nicholas Portis
“Reaching the limitless bounds of consciousness within the framework of a single exhibit is truly miraculous! This content has transformed my life over the years and will continue to transform lives for generations to come!” Otis Smallwood
“I’m completely blown away by the exhibit. I came here randomly and had no idea what I would encounter. I have been on a spiritual journey for years and I think fate brought me here,” Reynaldo Lara
“Totally, absolutely, amazing! What the world needs!” Ed Belbruno, PhD
“The exhibit was absolutely gripping! Thank you so much for sharing! The neuroscientific presentation of information helped translate for scientific minds.” Louis Rosson
“Thank you for this awesome exhibit” Raquel Bagley
“Thank you for the focus on consciousness.” Cindra
“I felt so connected to so many of the ideas in these panels. I felt their truth deep inside of me. So simple it makes me wonder how we have thought anything else.” Jacqueline Bruns
“A lovely, illuminating and intriguing experience, Thank you for the beautiful set up.” Abuja Vij
“Amazing insights and very true.” Erik Sanders
“Very interesting ad enlightening.” Elizabeth Sasseman
“Hello. Seeing this helped. Thank you so much for being. So much of what you have noted on these panels connect with everything in life.” Angela Meyer
“Great exhibit and environment for learning!!” Peter McGrane
The New Exhibit started as a 21 panel mini-exhibit which had its debut at the annual City of Minneapolis Department of Neighborhood and Community Relations conference in Feb 2019.
View panels 1-21 (Best if viewed on a larger-than-phone screen. Please note, when on display there is a dense metal sculpture in front of the “Touch Me I’m Solid, Aren’t I” panel.)
“On these new terms, science no longer upholds a value-empty existence, in which everything, including the human mind, is driven entirely by strictly physical forces of the most elemental kind. We get a vastly revised answer to the old question “What does science leave to believe in?” that gives us a different image of science and the kind of truth science stands for.” Nobel neuroscientist, Roger Sperry
Sample feedback/impact from the Richard Green Center exhibition:
After viewing the exhibit at the Richard Green Center in south Minneapolis, Lynda invited Continuum Center Executive Director, Jane Barrash, to give a 2 hour presentation to staff and residents at a 40 bed women’s behavioral health center:
“Hi Jane,
My personal feedback would reflect the feedback I received from the women there. As you know many of them are victims of domestic violence and abuse. Other instances are profound stories of grief and tragedy. With what you explained to them, and what they were able to practice in the way of the techniques, was life changing for them, as I knew it would be after viewing the Continuum Exhibit.
Other patients reported that prior to being exposed to the information you provided, they didn’t really want to stay sober long term necessarily as they could not see a way to experience life without being threatened by intrusive symptoms and/or thoughts. Many reported thereafter that they can make different choices to better engage their present moment for a desired effect and outcome. The time you spent with us was transformational for, from what I understand, all that were present.
Warm regards,”
Lynda Iglesia
Josiah, 12 years old, was most impacted by the panels with information/illustration/stories about the brain, our animal/emotional brain, how animals display bravery, compassion, gratitude and love across species, and asked what if we developed more of our animal/emotional brain?
“What I see is people connecting with life showing that are [sic] brain can do more than we think, like a dog that will risk its self for us. If we can see that as a higher skill set that we can reach the world will not be the same. Animals are heart to heart with us.”
From the director of the Richard Green Center and site host, Cynthia Wilson:
“It was a pleasure to host the exhibit at Central Gym. Not only did I receive feedback from the teachers, but the students were very glad to see the panels and they have since asked me “where did they go”. I appreciated the new faces that asked “what’s the meaning of this” then later came back and said, “I can see us all being connected in some way”.”
I would host this again, and I have since downloaded all of the panels into my phone picture gallery, just so I can go back and reflect. I’m a strong supporter of the exhibit and can’t wait for this phenomenon to transform the world.”
Exhibit at Jones-Harrison Residence May-June 2019
Sample feedback from Jones-Harrison
“Wow. Exciting to see this available to the public. So mind-changing.” Cathy Grotenhuis
“This could benefit all people.” Steve Grotenhuis
“Thanks. How powerful this information is.” Stephanie Smith
Oh how magnificent when all humans will understand our universal oneness with consciousness and each other. Thanks. Awe-inspiring.” Scott Simpson
“Wonderful exhibit. I look forward to the remaining panels.” Connie Olson
“So wonderful to see such great ideas all in one place.” Codell Christenson
Exhibit at French Meadow Nord Social Hall: sample North Minneapolis athleader reflections
Emmanuel Jones: “For this to be the first time visiting the exhibit I was really interested in what I’ve seen. Most of the things here was review from what Jane talked to us about, such as that consciousness can exist separate from the body and brain and interconnects all of life. That stands out to me because it is something that actually happens, it makes you look at things different. I also believe like it says animals have emotional brains. Which makes them able to connect with humans and that connection strengthens foundations and gives comfort.
Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD was a brain scientist who didn’t have use of the left side of her brain. And as I was told your right side brings brighter thoughts which can be a good thing for others to practice. Your mind is powerful so it’s best we use it to the fullest. Education and our sensory conditions are more about the left brain. The exhibit said that for thousands of years from Egypt to Einstein human minds have tried to understand the living universe and the relationship of human consciousness to it. So it’s something that does mean something to me also. Yes I do feel emotional health is a key to mental and behavioral health, so it’s important that the youth make a way to spread the positive news that can change lives.
All of these things open my eyes because first it’s things I didn’t know. I also take my like very serious so I feel it’s important to know how my brain works. As we all know the world is filled with negative things, so if I can find ways to program my mind to think big for the future or think positive I will do so. This experience opened my mind up to wanna help people figure out how the humans and animals mind works. Right now I’m a young black man who really doesn’t know all how my mind works which could lead to bad things so I take this serious to change my life.”
Kendale Perkins: “What I read going through this exhibit is that for a long time people have been noticing a continuum between humans and everything living is interconnected with how we perceive things in th universe. Consciousness or mind is more than what the brain does and is not to be reduced to brain chemicals and neurons. Consciousness can exist separate from the brain and interconnects al of life. Reality is more than what can be measured and repeatedly tested. Societies and their institutions based on assumptions and reality will lead to divisiveness, mental/emotional disorders.
The way this impacts me is I have members of my family that I feel are brought down because of their disabilities and mental/emotional disorders. Like knowing there are ways that we can help people to see and know that they can help themselves with their own problems. Spreading this information could help people open up an realize that we are all connected no matter what we do or what we are. We all pave ways that in the end connect back to ourselves.
A thing that caught my eye was placebo. Placebo is the mystery of how meaning, mindset, perception, consciousness and subjective states affect one’s physical response. What that means to me is if your subjective state is not good then the way you do things is going to be bad, but if your subjective state is good then you will put out good things to the world. I feel that everyone should know that everything is interconnected and that the way you feel on the inside or the way your subjective mind is, is the way life is going to go for you.”
Jamar Gardner: “Society and their institutions think that they know everything about the human mind and false assumptions have made normal human beings seem like they are crazy or have a mental disorder. I believe a lot of psychological disorders can be cured without putting a label on their head, and drugging them up for the rest of their life or calling them crazy. On an interview I once heard Dave Chappelle say “The worst thing you can call somebody is crazy. It’s dismissive. I don’t understand this reason so they’re crazy. That’s bullshit. These people are not crazy. They’re strong people – maybe their environment is a little sick.”
I love that quote because in society we throw around the word crazy to people who are obsessed with something that has not shown success yet. So we think it will never work. Until they do succeed then we think they are one of the smartest people in history.
When I read the panel about Jill Bolte Taylor and her life for 8 years of only having her right brain it was fascinating. Thinking about how schools only focus on the left brain and how society is based on right and wrong answers. It’s sad because we sit on a hierarchy where if you’re left-side gifted you’re ahead of the game already.
The one thing I hate is when people aren’t very smart in school think they are dumb. They could be a genius at a certain ability other than logic left brain things and they would still degrade their self. One of my friends is not a very smart school person but on the basketball court he is a genius. Which is why always tell people who tell me they are dumb, you are just a genius in something else and have to find out what you‘re gifted at.”
Exhibit at Wisdom Ways and University of St Catherine
Sample Feedback from University of St Catherine and Wisdom Ways:
“So glad to know there is concerted attention on these ideas. It has long been apparent that our old, classical understanding of “science” is no longer sufficient and leaves us wanting a fuller understanding of the universe and our place in it. Thank you!” Karen Sesy
“Thank you! I spent an hour plus (or 2) with this exhibit’s challenges.” KW
“Thank you for the beauty held in each word. Wonderful exhibit.” Paula Jimenez
“Gorgeous! Thought provoking! Evocative! Such a brilliantly simple idea for display, yet with so much impact! Well done!” C Petting
“Amazing. Engaging. Thought-provoking!” Christine McKenna
“Powerful information will transform life. Thank you for your stand in this world for this information to be accessed.” Kyra Christopherson
“A lot of Wisdom and profound meaning.” Christy Kirk
“Thank you for this lovely exhibition that clearly and simply raises consciousness with its succinct descriptions of what’s “real”. Jeanne Cherner
“Mind-bending and exciting!” Thank you“ Beth Kendall
“Very interesting and insightful. I’m excited to see the 2nd half of the exhibit [when it’s produced]” Thanks” Luke Iknadosian
Continuum Exhibit at University of Chicago Lab School and U-High
Sample viewer comments:
“This exhibit helped me see how teachers can support children to focus! Thanks for your time.” Laura Thomas – teacher from Germany
“This exhibit touches a surface and ideas I now want to learn more about.” Lauren Moltz ’74 – Past board chair, Friends of the Parks
“Thank you for the important work you are doing. The exhibit was amazing and very informational. I learned a lot to take with me for the future and maybe teach future clients.” Chelsey Baumann – recent clinical psych graduate
“Thanks for an Intriguing exhibit.” Peggy Mason, PhD – UChicago psychology professor (her research is included in the exhibit)
“Very impressive exhibit! If I understand the message I believe it. I struggle to figure things out with my left brain about what is happening with my right brain.” Frank Beal – Civic consultant, exec director of Metropolis Strategies 2000-2014
“This is great! So valuable to expand our understandings of reality. Very important work. Thank you for it!” Dawn Renee Jones – Chicago director and playwright, Columbia University theater professor
“This is truly amazing!!” Takiisha – social justice advocate
“Lots to think about here and a real kick in the ass to do so!” Andy Davis ’74 – CEO Education Equity
“Thought provoking and useful in the midst of world events, Thanks!” Leila Brammer – Director, UChicago Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse
Speaking to students – Continuum Center executive director Jane Barrash and former Mpls North High Discovery of Self student and soon to be Morehouse graduate and Continuum Exhibit tour coordinator, Edo Walker
Teachers went through the exhibit and returned with their students
“Thank you for sharing this beautiful and amazing exhibit with me and my students. This coordinates perfectly with my neuroscience and behavior curriculum and the lessons I hope to pass on to them.” Sharon Housinger – U-High teacher
“Thank you very much. This exhibit was thought provoking and interesting!” Gershon Stein – UHigh student
“Amazing!” Megan + Imamsan – UHigh student
“Thank you so much for sharing!” Ajin – UHigh student
“Thank you! Very inspiring to think of the mind’s capacities in this way!” Brent Mix – Philosophy teacher GCE Lab (High) School (Global Citizen Engagement)
“Super interesting!” Zaylie GCE student
“Cool and very interesting” Graham GCE student
“Thank you. This really made me think!” Maggie GCE student
“Thank you for sharing. It was a great experience!!!” Tony Del Campo – 7th grade science teacher
“We are still exploring the ideas raised by the Continuum exhibition – it’s a wonderful, provocative collection of ideas and art, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity we had to view it. Thanks so much!” Sam Nekrosius – 8th grade creative writing
“Thank you so much for the thought provoking exhibit and the book.” Joan Fiesta – Director, Lab Security
