How to Break the Cycles of War and Violence
Anastasiia Timmer is a criminologist who was born and raised in Ukraine. Now based in California, Timmer studies why people commit acts of violence. She and her team of Ukrainian, Russian, and American researchers went to Ukraine in 2017, after the Russian invasion of the Ukrainian provinces of Crimea and Donbas. At that point, as Timmer points out, "people of Ukraine were suffering from war for m... posted on Apr 23 2022, 3,171 reads

Children, Anger Control and Inuit Wisdom
Traditional Inuit parenting is incredibly nurturing and tender. If you took all the parenting styles around the world and ranked them by their gentleness, the Inuit approach would likely rank near the top. (They even have a special kiss for babies, where you put your nose against the cheek and sniff the skin.) The culture views scolding -- or even speaking to children in an angry voice -- as inapp... posted on Apr 22 2022, 4,418 reads

Living in the Time of Dying
"This recent film, Living in the Time of Dying, made by the Australian film-maker Michael Shaw in response to his own dawning awareness of species extinction, asks bluntly: "Are humans likely to become extinct?" To find answers, Michael sold his home and with his partner Michelle Walker set off on a journey around the world to interview four people who have been speaking on the issue. The result i... posted on Apr 21 2022, 4,381 reads

I No Longer Sing With Only My Voice
"After I listened to a recording of Chelan Harkin's poem, called "I no longer pray," the words "I no longer sing with only my voice..." flashed into my head like a stroke of lightning. The qualities in the poem are like the seven synonyms for God, (Love, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Truth, Life, Principle) I learned about in Sunday School, except I only used six of them." 8-year-old poet Afton Wilder share... posted on Apr 20 2022, 6,113 reads

Shokunin and Devotion
"The Japanese word shokunin is often translated as 'artisan' in English. Although it isn't incorrect by definition, the translation seems to lose the spirit of what a shokunin does," says Sachiko Matsuyama, "I have never been interested in simply defining what a shokunin is. I believe the complexity of the shokunin spirit exists beyond the confines of an occupation. By drawing boundaries and defin... posted on Apr 19 2022, 3,512 reads

How Newness Enters the World
"When time becomes history, different dynamics come into focus than the ones that are at any moment screaming for attention. The title of Gal Beckerman's book intrigues and compels: The Quiet Before. He's a journalist with a special interest in history and words and ideas how ideas are passed and debated and become defining in generational time; how conversation becomes culture-shifting relations... posted on Apr 18 2022, 6,627 reads

Thin Places
"Kerri ni Dochartaigh's memoir 'Thin Places: A Natural History of Healing and Home,' chronicles a childhood of trauma in Northern Ireland with aching honesty and lyrical prose. As we watch violence escalate at contested borders around the globe, her story offers a plea for peace, one that looks to the natural landscape in search of hope, solace, and a world worth protecting.... posted on Apr 17 2022, 3,113 reads

Sharing the Joy of Simple Living
Ever dream of living a simpler, more community-rooted lifestyle? Ever wondered if you & your friends really could grow your own food? Or build your own house? What would it look like to dedicate your pursuits and personal interests to match up with an intention of peace, respect for nature, long-term sustainability...and JOY? Meet several young people who made this dream their reality with a proje... posted on Apr 16 2022, 2,444 reads

What Can We Do When a Loved One is Suffering?
"What can we do when a loved one is suffering? This question has come up a lot so I wanted to share some thoughts in case it may be helpful to you or a loved one. First, I acknowledge how challenging it is to witness any kind of suffering, whether it is physical, emotional or existential pain. But let me throw in a specific curveball...What if they are suffering yet there is not much that you can ... posted on Apr 15 2022, 11,490 reads

Four Poems Born from Stillness
"When I was a child and my mother needed me to entertain myself, she would give me a poem to memorize. So began a lifelong love affair with poetry. There are so many poets I love; and new ones I discover each day. I've written poems for most of my adult life. They emerge through deep stillness. Through paying attention to what is stirring in my heart, and what is happening in the world around me. ... posted on Apr 14 2022, 5,249 reads