Koan: A Conversation with Vaea Marx
Born in Tahiti, Vaea Marx's family moved to France where, as a child in the resistance during WWII, he was captured for blowing up a building the Germans were using. After the war, he became a pastry chef, then a cowboy in the Outback in Australia. He then went to Japan and met Kawai Kanjiro, one Japan's greatest potters, who became his teacher. There he met Hamada, Yanagi, Bernard Leach and even ... posted on Jan 31 2018, 2,721 reads

The Heartbeat of a Drum
"One time, I was walking along Main Street with my son, Adam, who at that time was about 12 or 13 years old. He was just beginning to get interested in drums. He said, 'Dad, I want to show you one of my drum teachers.' I said, 'Sure.' So he takes me under the bridge, where Ken is. And he said, 'I'm learning drumming from Ken.' I said, 'What?! You're learning drumming from this homeless guy who liv... posted on Jan 30 2018, 12,559 reads

Spiritual Practices for Times of Crisis
We live in stressful times. Even when things are going our way, the smallest speed bumps can wreak havoc on our inner and outer worlds, causing us to freeze or panic. In those moments, our greatest intentions of acting with love and kindness can go out the window. Gently preparing ourselves for setbacks and stress can be the best thing not just for ourselves but for others. "The greatest gift we c... posted on Jan 29 2018, 48,764 reads

The Powerful Stories that Shaped Africa
Speaking of Africa, Gus Casely-Hayford, in his 2017 TED talk, maintains that "no other continent has nurtured, has fought for, has celebrated its history more concertedly. The struggles endured and the sacrifices made to hold onto narrative in the face of enslavement, colonialism, racism, wars and so much else has been the underpinning narrative of our history." He tells us about the Mali Empire, ... posted on Jan 28 2018, 10,192 reads

Walking as Creative Fuel
Over one hundred years ago, Scottish writer Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind in the Willows, penned an essay entitled, "The Fellow that Goes Alone" about the simplest of activities that can yield the most creative thoughts: walking. In this ode to ambulating, Maria Popova weaves together quotes and excerpts from literature's big proponents of the timeless exercise, creating a piece that celebra... posted on Jan 27 2018, 12,715 reads

Frank Ostaseski; Lessons to the Living from the Dying
Frank Ostaseski is a teacher, international lecturer and a leading voice in contemplative end-of-life care. He is also author of "The Five Invitations: What the Living Can Learn From the Dying". What follows is an-depth interview with him on the five invitations and more.... posted on Jan 26 2018, 31,986 reads

The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters
"Something interesting has been happening in recent years. Meaning has regained a foothold in our universities, and especially in an unexpected place the sciences. Many of the "meaning" researchers are working in a field called positive psychology -- a discipline that grounds its findings in empirical studies, but also draws on the rich tradition of the humanities. Positive psychology was founded ... posted on Jan 25 2018, 36,448 reads

Love Liberates: Maya Angelou's Words to Live By
Maya Angelou eloquently describes how her mother taught her through her actions that love liberates, it does not bind. When she had a child at age 17 and moved out of her mother's home, her mother advised her to always be true to herself and made it abundantly clear that she was always welcome home. By allowing her to go, and to come back whenever she needed to, her mother's love liberated her to ... posted on Jan 24 2018, 5,245 reads

Joan Halifax: Buoyancy Rather than Burnout
It's easy to despair at all the bad news and horrific pictures that come at us daily. But Zen teacher and medical anthropologist Roshi Joan Halifax says this is a form of empathy that works against us. There's such a thing as pathological altruism. She offers nourishing wisdom to help all of us overwhelmed by the suffering in the world. ... posted on Jan 23 2018, 16,531 reads

Between Medicine and Music
Robert Gupta has played the violin all his life, studying at Juilliard and joining the LA Philharmonic at 19, but he also holds a very special interest in neurobiology and mental health. Throughout his adult life, Robert has walked a bridge between medicine and music, but the journey to get there was a long one. In his TED Talk, Robert talks about the effects music has on the brain, telling storie... posted on Jan 22 2018, 17,801 reads