Equanimity, Mindfulness and Politics
While contemporary society praises the benefits of mindfulness in domains from schools to workplaces, open, non-judgmental awareness is far from a panacea for solving the world's most pressing dilemmas. Individuals and nations remain divided on the issues that define us. "Are we really creating individuals who can focus on improving their capacities for engagement and mediation while simultaneousl... posted on Jul 08 2019, 6,060 reads

How a Simple Human Smile Saved His Life
In a creative sandbox for what would become Saint-Exuperys most famous line in The Little Prince-- 'What is essential is invisible to the eye.'-- he writes: "How does life construct those lines of force which make us alive?Real miracles make little noise! Essential events are so simple!" One such essential event in Saint-Exupery's life had to do with the mundane miracle of a simple smile, a gift ... posted on Jul 07 2019, 7,752 reads

The Daily Opportunity in Randomness
"The physicist Leonard Mlodinow changes how we think about the agency we have in shaping our own destinies. As a scientist, he works with principles like Brownian motion, by which Einstein helped verify the existence of molecules and atoms. As the child of Holocaust survivors, he dances with the experience we all have: that life never goes as planned, and yet the choices we make can matter. The co... posted on Jul 06 2019, 11,983 reads

Gift Ecology: A Conversation with Nipun Mehta
"The path from transaction to trust goes through relationships. So if we cultivate such a field of deep relationships, trust will naturally arise. Then the question is: How do we cultivate such a field? I think it starts with small acts of service. Its the small acts of service that create an affinity between us, and that connection over time creates deeper bonds. Thats the home for virtue to grow... posted on Jul 05 2019, 8,271 reads

Flying the Big Ones
"I used to be a flight attendant with TWA back in 1970. They almost wouldn't hire me as a flight attendant because I was really tiny, like 105 pounds. They didn't feel like I could even do that job, let alone, later on, wrestle around a stretch DC-8, a 727 or a 747." She proved them wrong, and after she turned 50, she became one of 40 women pilots in commercial aviation along 150,000 men. ... posted on Jul 04 2019, 1,999 reads

What Does it Take to Be Racially Literate?
Few people really believe that race does not affect their lives in some way, but most of us are unwilling to admit it. We avoid discussing these differences and do ourselves a disservice. Priya Vulchi and Winona Guo are two high school students who decided it was time to bring this discussion out in the open. The key, they say, is to face the issue with both our hearts and our minds, for our minds... posted on Jul 03 2019, 2,833 reads

If Life Wins There Will Be No Losers
Many, many people are feeling the widespread longing for a tenable alternative to capitalism - an urgent need for new regenerative ways of living. We feel this need both in our individual lives and in the larger ways we live together; in neighborhoods, cities, nations. We can't create a regenerative culture solely by trying to "smash capitalism". Instead, we need to understand and heal the underly... posted on Jul 02 2019, 6,928 reads

Rachael Flatt: From Olympic Rink to Research Lab
There's little Rachael Flatt, former Olympic figure skater, can't achieve on or off the ice. Flatt's impressive skating career includes being the 2008 World Junior champion, a winner of four silver medals on the Grand Prix series, and the 2010 U.S. national champion. Flatt went on to represent the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver during her senior year in high school and plac... posted on Jul 01 2019, 4,545 reads

Farewell to Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier, philosopher, theologian, humanist and founder of L'Arche departed our physical world on May 7, 2019 at the age of 90. His heart, his love and his compassion live on in the hundreds of communities that have sprung from his love and compassion for humanity. This world wide movement is based on Vanier's belief that people with disabilities are teachers, rather that burdens to society.... posted on Jun 30 2019, 6,314 reads

Coastal Communication: A Mother and Son's Moving Collaboration
When New York based author and social activist, Jane Jackson suffered an aneurysm, it affected both her memory and language skills. Over the months that followed she recovered through the unconditional support of her family, and the power of poetry. As a way to promote healing and reestablish language skills, she and her son began writing poems together. The poems were crafted line by line in emai... posted on Jun 29 2019, 9,430 reads