Episode 2: The Quiet Revolution of David Bohm

Georgina Brown (hershe)
Jul 12, 2025
3 min read

Why Dialogue, Not Debate, Will Rewire the World (and Your Brain)

Let’s talk about talking. Or more specifically, how the way we talk shapes how we think, include, and ultimately, transform.

Enter: David Bohm, quantum physicist, rebel thinker, and low-key communication revolutionary.

While the world debated, Bohm proposed dialogue, not as a technique, but as a state of being.

A collective space. A nervous-system-level upgrade. A way of thinking together that dissolves bias, not defends it.

Sound fluffy? Neuroscience now confirms what Bohm felt in his bones:

Real dialogue creates brain-level change.

It interrupts patterned thinking, reduces threat responses, builds empathy, and activates the social engagement system (hello, vagus nerve).

At BARDO Inclusive, we call that neuroinclusive magic.

The Science Bit: Dialogue Is a Brain State

Bohm described thought as a system, not a string of isolated ideas.

Just like neurons, our thoughts and biases are connected and self-reinforcing. They form habits. Habits form culture.

Dialogue breaks the loop.

It activates prefrontal cortex functions like reflection and emotional regulation.
It de-escalates the amygdala’s fight/flight hijack by creating shared meaning.
It helps people feel psychologically safe enough to unlearn.

“In dialogue, nobody is trying to win. Everybody wins if anybody wins.” – David Bohm

It’s no coincidence that Bohm was friends with Krishnamurti. Both rejected conformity. Both believed transformation wasn’t top-down, but from within, through awareness, attention, and connection.

Sound familiar? That’s the spirit of the Neuro-Inclusive Maturity Model (NIMM).

How Dialogue Supports the NIMM

In our NIMM framework, we talk about five maturity domains:

Neuroscience-Informed,
Trust-Building,
System-Aware,
Bias-Disrupting, and
Mindset-Shifting.

Bohmian Dialogue is a bias disruptor and a trust builder.

It slows the mind down. It interrupts judgement. It invites wonder, which dopamine loves, by the way.

“The ability to perceive or think differently is more important than the knowledge gained.” – David Bohm

Real Inclusion Requires This Kind of Space

Bohm’s approach doesn’t just apply to philosophers.

It’s a toolkit for leaders, teams, and anyone sick of surface-level “consultations.”

The true test of inclusion isn’t who attends the meeting—it’s who feels safe enough to speak without being shot down or side-eyed.

That’s why BARDO champions slow listening and collective meaning-making. It’s how we build culture that feels different—not just looks inclusive on paper.

Try This: A Bohmian Micro-Practice for Your Next Team Meeting

Begin with silence (2 minutes). Let everyone drop in. No agenda.
Introduce a provocative prompt (e.g., “What’s the question we’re avoiding?”)
Go round slowly. No one interrupts. No rebuttals.
Listen for patterns, not positions.
Notice how the mood shifts. That’s neuroplasticity kicking in.

“If we are to live in harmony with ourselves and with nature, we need to be able to communicate freely in a creative movement in which no one permanently holds to or otherwise defends their own ideas.” – David Bohm

What are we avoiding, that process and habit helps us hide from?

Want More Bohm? Start Here:

On Dialogue by David Bohm – his seminal work, essential reading.
The Essential David Bohm – a beautifully curated collection of his ideas.
The Undivided Universe – for those of you who want quantum physics with your morning coffee.