I had been working as an occupational psychologist and business consultant for many years, and am incredibly fortunate to have always very much loved what I do through Anna Springett Consulting. What was missing was an outlet for the fullest expression of who I am and what I have to bring to the world. I created Ohki as a space for my own soul to thrive. And in essence, this is what Ohki is all about – creating and holding intentional space for people, in an expansive and holistic way, that enables deep transformation and fulfilment for both individuals and groups.

The sense of being time starved means we rarely stop long enough for possibilities to be clarified. Competing priorities mean time frames for development days and events are squeezed; quiet reflective practice and the benefits of ‘hanging round in the space of not knowing’ are difficult to explain to our stakeholders and sponsors. And so, we often miss out on truly creative collaborations, because both relationships and inspiration require space and time.

A core principle of Ohki is openness. The origin of the name Ohki is a version of the Finnish word ‘auki’, meaning ‘open’ (Auki also happens to be Anna’s childhood nickname, Anna being Finnish-Irish in heritage). A curious coincidence is that the Japanese word Ohki indicates a person who wants to discover, investigate and comprehend, who wants to fly high and experience adventures: ‘awakening interest and choosing the right direction are things you do best.’

Openness is central to everything we are and do at Ohki: Ohki is all about openness to the process and to possibility; to diversity, new perspectives, and people; to learning, taking risks, and making mistakes; to ideas and insights.