Cash & Care for Criminals: Reducing Gun Violence
Operation Peace Fellowship was founded by a core group of ex-cons to bring an end to gun violence. Together, they are working in Richmond, CA and other cities around the US to help gun-prone, troubled youth graduate from high school, find jobs, and settle conflicts without guns. Unconventional approaches have been used, like paying criminals to put down their guns, but more importantly, says James... posted on Apr 9, 3844 reads

Designing Companies that Are Loved
"When Scott Elias lost 80% of his hearing in kindergarten, his emotional and intuitive connection to the world went into overdrive like a sixth sense. When his hearing was surgically restored two years later, the medical miracle ignited his passion for music and science which he channeled into his wildly successful 30+ year career as the CEO of the worlds largest and most-awarded audio communicati... posted on Mar 16, 8085 reads

Marjorie Maddox: Writing Across Genres
"One of my favorite lines is from the modern poet Marianne Moore. She defines poetry as both a poet being a literalist of the imagination, but a poem being something that "has imaginary gardens with real toads in them." I have to make that so believable, even though it is imaginary. It becomes a whole world in itself and it has that element of truth in it." Marjorie Maddox is a poet, author and pr... posted on Mar 18, 2296 reads

The Man Who Died and Came Back to Plant Trees
Twenty some years ago David Milarch hovered above the bed, looking down at his motionless body. Years of alcoholism and hard living had booted him out of his life. A cosmic commandment would return him to it. His improbable charge? To clone the world's champion trees - the giants that had survived millennia and would be unvanquished by climate change. Experts said it couldn't be done. Fast-forward... posted on Mar 23, 29370 reads

Broadway Theater Gives Troubled Teens a Second Act
When we transform troubled youth, we change their futures and our our own. But how to reach them? Stargate Theater in New York City has a novel approach: it pays court-involved and at-risk youth to script and stage performance pieces. This process gives youths the opportunity to express themselves while aiming to reduce recidivism, teach literacy, and provide valuable work experience for their res... posted on Apr 23, 7862 reads

More Than Your Average Cup of Joe
A popular coffee shop in Denver is making a difference, and not just through their drinks. The Purple Door Coffee Shop, founded by Madison Chandler and Mark Smesrud, helps support youth coming out of homelessness by offering them jobs behind the counter, and teaching them skills such as customer service and budgeting. Moved by the overwhelming number of homeless youth in the region, Chandler and S... posted on May 16, 2503 reads

Are Two Lives Saved Twice as Good as One?
"Are two lives saved twice as good as one life saved?" A decision-analysis expert uses this provocative question as a springboard into an exploration of what we value, how we value it, the costly mistakes we make along the way -- and what we can do about it. He opens with this compelling story from 1922 Munich (and concludes with an equally gripping one about the US Marines in Afganistan): "The te... posted on Mar 27, 11294 reads

Crazywise: A Filmmaker Explores the Heart of Mental Illness
Phil Borges is a dentist-turned-photographer, author, filmmaker and social change storyteller. For more than 25 years, he has been documenting indigenous and tribal cultures in some of the world's most remote, inaccessible areas. His recent film Crazywise reveals a paradigm shift that's challenging the way Western culture defines and treats "mental illness" and highlights a survivor-led movement d... posted on Apr 25, 17050 reads

Dr. Toni Frohoff: Life Among Dolphins
Dr. Toni Frohoff, Ph.D., who has dedicated her life to studying marine mammal behavior and communication, argues that humans can learn a lot from the wild animals with whom we share the planet, particularly dolphins. Dolphins show a remarkable capacity for experiencing and expressing a range of emotions, and communicate with other members of the species in ways that often defy human capabilities a... posted on Jun 30, 13729 reads

5 Invitations: What Death Can Teach About Living
Over the course of thirty years, those who were at the end of their lives shared their insights with Frank Ostaseski, the co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project, a holistic residential care facility. In his article, 'Five Invitations: What Death Can Teach about Living' Frank shares the five 'invitations' to connect with death in order to live a more full life. The five invitations he has gleaned fr... posted on Aug 2, 52424 reads

Bringing Fresh Produce to the Underserved
Building Roots is a Canadian charity that "believes all neighbourhoods need places to grow, cook, share and buy healthy food." In the summer of 2016, Lisa Kates and Darcy Higgins of Building Roots created the Moss Park Market, a double-wide shipping container in the Moss Park area of Toronto, in order to bring fresh produce to what they consider to be a "largely ignored" neighborhood. Mr. Higgins,... posted on Jun 11, 6518 reads

The Privilege of Sharing Abundance
In these trying times, it can be hard to think we have an abundance of anything. But there is at least one thing that is always in good supply and will never run out -- and that is kindness. Add to that a sprinkle of thoughtfulness and an opportunity to act, and it's nothing short of magical. This is the story of Trail Angels, people who help weary hikers by giving them comfort, food, or cheer wit... posted on Jun 16, 11669 reads

Kay Pranis: The Art of Holding Circle
Kay Pranis, a facilitator of peacemaking circles, believes that each of us is inherently good, wise, and powerful. This, along with the remaining six core assumptions, form the foundation for her practice and way of using circle processes. Based on an indigenous tradition, circle allows for individuals to unite around a common cause or conflict, and address it openly so each participant feels deep... posted on May 17, 22084 reads

Ode To Women: A Musical Mother's Day Special
A decade ago South Asian Hip Hop artists Nimo, Swap, and KB collaborated on a song called Ode to Women.Ten years later they reunited along with gifted filmmaker, Ellie Walton, to bring it to life through a powerful music video. Filmed in India, motherland of their mothers, and bursting with the vibrant colors and scenes of that part of the world,the video includes three vignettes of everyday women... posted on May 14, 13773 reads

Are You Okay?: The Power of a Caring Question
When we intentionally slow ourselves down, we open ourselves up to a new world where calm has special powers and its magic is contagious. One day Aryae Coopersmith found himself rushing home, not noticing what was going on around him. He thought to himself, "'This isn't much fun! What if I just slow down? What if I can just be present and start noticing what's going on around me?' So I did that. I... posted on Jul 3, 10153 reads

How Gratitude Helps Us Grow
Gratitude has been repeatedly shown to improve our happiness, health, and relationships. Yet some critics suggest that it may lead to attitudes of selfishness and self-indulgence. Researchers from UC Riverside recently examined the evidence and found that gratitude in fact not only helps us feel good, but may even motivate us to pursue our goals and engage more with the world around us. Identifyin... posted on Aug 30, 10241 reads

Charles Halpern: Cultivating Wisdom for Justice
Charles Halpern exemplifies cultivating inner resources for working in justice and social transformation. His contributions to education, law, and social movements have been facilitated by his inner work around wisdom and mindfulness. In this interview, Halpern describes how his practice grounds him while working to transform the criminal justice system. He explains, "We shouldn't respond when we'... posted on Jul 13, 6803 reads

Breaking Free from the Tyranny of Positivity
Ever been told to 'just be happy' or, to 'lighten up'? Does that really make you feel happier? For many, this advice leads to the opposite effect.
Author of Emotional Agility and leading Harvard Medical School psychologist Susan David recently teamed up with award-winning journalist and author Maria Shriver for a unique conversation on why positivity doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. R... posted on Nov 13, 0 reads

Another World
The creators of the film "Another World" assert that it will change the way you see your world. This documentary is about "mankind's journey to discover its true force and identity...It is a quest through science and consciousness, individual and planetary, exploring our relationships with ourselves, the world around us, and the universe as a whole." The filmmakers urge us to become "active, consc... posted on Dec 12, 4776 reads

Are Some Social Ties Better Than Others?
Social capital, or the benefits we get from relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and others, is an important measure of how we give and receive. From online exchanges to intimate gatherings, our connections span a wide range of closeness, each offering different challenges and rewards. Are some relationships better for us than others? Perhaps, but research suggests that having relationsh... posted on Sep 6, 7462 reads

Suiseki: The Japanese Art of Stone Appreciation
It's a tradition in Japan: suiseki are natural stones that suggest natural scenes or animal and human figures. The stones should not be modified and are displayed as found (a single cut is allowed). When someone finds a stone that embodies such a quality, it's collected and a display base, usually wooden, is crafted for the stone to sit upon. The tradition arrived from China where scholar's stones... posted on Dec 4, 27179 reads

I, Who Did Not Die
In this interview, Richard Whittaker sits down with Meredith May, author of "I, Who Did Not Die," a true story of hope and humanity, beginning with an event on a battlefield during the Iran-Iraq war. There, an Iranian boy soldier named Zahed takes mercy on an Iraqi soldier, Najah, after seeing a picture of his loved ones that dropped out of his Quran. Realizing their commonalities, he decides to s... posted on Oct 10, 7376 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, 17719 reads

The Gypsy Goat Herder
One woman, hundreds of goats, 365 days of the year equals innovation in the realm of environmental care. Lani Malmberg is an inspiration for eco-action, with her work focused on non-toxic land care in the form of herding goats to pastures that would otherwise use health and environmentally harmful pesticides. Drawing from her multiple degrees in weed science, biology, botany and environmental rest... posted on Jan 12, 2693 reads

The Age of We Need Each Other
A paradigm shift is what might move us and the world beyond the Age of Separation and into the Age of We Need Each Other. After Charles Eisenstein suffered a big failure, something told him he needed to drop the thought that he would get any recognition or credit for his work. Then he really questioned what lies at the heart of what we do and why. "Our culture validates and celebrates those who ar... posted on Nov 9, 16343 reads

Joserra Gonzalez: A Re-Love-Ution Blooms in Spain
"We are at the verge of many changes, and if we stay together in this journey, we can really face this big current which is taking us in a direction we don't know" Joserra's first question was "How can I serve?" He soon found the answers to why humans suffer and how to lessen our own suffering and that of those around us. From spending two years working in the slums of Ahmedabad, India to becoming... posted on Jul 21, 8746 reads

Life Lessons from Masterchef Nun Jeong Kwan
"Jeong Kwan is a Buddhist nun and renowned cook who brings people home to themselves in her kitchen and garden. Anyone who refers to her garden as my playground and to the plants as her children has a perspective on gardening, cooking and life that resonates deep within me. Kwan resides at the Chunjinam hermitage of the Baekyangsa temple, 169 miles south of Seoul, South Korea where she cooks vega... posted on Jul 26, 17618 reads

Speaking Loudly for a Quiet Place
"Bear Witness," chronicles the year Dave and Amy Freeman spent in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) Wilderness to bring awareness to the threats posed by a proposed sulfide-ore copper mining on the wilderness edge. The video is divided up into four seasons and documents the beauty of the BWCA during each season through video and journal-like audio. It tells their story through their words and ... posted on Oct 28, 2208 reads

Welcome to the Human Race
How can one find connection and meaning through an experience as isolating and dark as depression? In "Darkness Before Dawn: Redefining the Journey through Depression," Parker Palmer is among sixteen teachers who share their insights, perspectives, and even some positives after having experienced depression first hand. Despite that going through depression is difficult and disheartening beyond wor... posted on Oct 31, 15770 reads

Getting to Cleveland: Seth Godin on Gratitude
According to writer Seth Godin, there are two ways to live in the world: with a "have to" attitude or a "get to" attitude. The latter mindset opens up the world and all the possibility of goodness therein and the former shuts down the heart and closes the door on the world. So the question is, how do we want to live? Too often, we have taken the gifts around us for granted and end up feeling entit... posted on Oct 7, 13487 reads

Birds and Saints Don't Collect
Larry Brilliant has tended to find himself in the right place at the right time -- he has engaged with some of the world's most prominent thought leaders and spiritual masters including Neem Karoli Baba, Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Jobs, Wavy Gravy, and the Dalai Lama; led a team of 150,000 doctors to eradicate small pox in the world; started the Seva Foundation; received the first TED Prize; w... posted on Nov 8, 15947 reads

Snakes and Strawberries
What can the simplicity of a small home garden teach us about the complexities of the world? Perhaps that life is about finding harmony within ever-changing conditions. Recognizing how balance can be created, and when to act (or not act) according to the needs of the environment. In witnessing the dance of snakes and strawberries in her garden, the author of this piece arrives at the quiet insight... posted on Oct 15, 14905 reads

The World's First Elephant-Friendly Farm
Tenzing dreamed of transforming his family's paddy and vegetable farm into an organic tea farm, though he was told that growing tea organically was impossible. When Tenzing saw the harmful effects pesticides had on his workers and farm animals, he persisted with his dream. In 2007, after a number of challenges, Tenzing's tea farm became the first and only farm out of 12,000 others in Assam to gro... posted on Nov 2, 13986 reads

Hats Warm Heads and Hearts of Kids with Cancer
What started as an entrepreneurship project of two college students, Zachary Quinn and Brian Keller, grew into something much greater. Love Your Melon, founded in 2012, has taken the nation by storm and is supporting thousands of children with cancer each year. For every hat sold, one hat is donated to a child with cancer, helping to alleviate the shame and embarrassment that often accompanies the... posted on Dec 9, 1608 reads

The Modernization of Finnish Lament Singing
Lamenting is an ancient way of releasing emotions through a type of singing when one is feeling overwhelmed by grief, sadness, pain, anger, or other negative emotions. Before laments were sung at times of loss and upheaval, the practice was about connecting to one's ancestors, and was often focused on helping move people from one world to another. In Finland, lamenting is rife with symbolism and r... posted on Nov 11, 12920 reads

Luc Reynaud: Welcome to My House
Luc Reynaud is a musician from Washington, focused on combining music and service to others. When Hurricane Katrina hit the southeast coast, Luc felt compelled to go down and help, using some construction skills (and a guitar) he had picked up during a soul-searching trip. Luc began playing his guitar around the shelter he was volunteering at, eventually writing a song with one of the children, ca... posted on Jun 3, 5188 reads

Yoav Peck: Encountering Others in Their Full Humanity
Two countries in an endless war with each other. Generations of enemies born into hating the opposition. And with no end in sight, Yoav Peck has found a way to harness peace and cultivate unity between two groups of unlikely allies. Co-Executive-Director of the Sulha Peace Project, Yoav says the key is in listening and in working from the heart and not the head. "Each of us has a story. It's impor... posted on Sep 18, 8403 reads

From Big Data to Deep Data
Big data is increasingly suspect. We fear big companies are taking our personal data without asking and selling it to others without our knowledge. But who owns our personal data and decides how it is used? Otto Scharmer suggests that big data can be used to transform people and communities by showing us who we are. Big data used in this way is called deep data. Surface data is about what others d... posted on Oct 4, 10640 reads

The Evolutionary Power of Mindful Communication
Mindful communication encompasses a number of qualities in both listening and responding. From entering conversations free from our fixed opinions and perceptions, to communicating in such a way that allows another to feel heard, Diane Musho Hamilton shares what mindful dialogue is (and is not). She explains that mindful dialogue is of particular importance in today's society in which polarized vi... posted on Oct 29, 15385 reads

A Visit to the Possibility Alliance
Peter Klamus returns to a simpler time, as he visits Possibility Alliance, a Missouri homestead with no electricity, gas, cars, or planes. Dinners are shared by candlelight and fireflies bring light to the night sky. Owners Ethan and Sarah Hughes acquired the land in 2007, and have welcomed thousands of visitors whom they educate about post-fossil-fuel-living. Their community is close-knit and sel... posted on Oct 12, 11491 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, 48718 reads

Awakening Through Writing
Albert Flynn DeSilver's latest book is out, Writing as a Path to Awakening: A Year to Becoming an Excellent Writer and Living an Awakened Life. In this episode of Insights at the Edge, Tami Simon interviews the author, poet, and leader of writing workshops about the difference between writing as a creative endeavor and writing as a gateway to spiritual inquiry. They also discuss how to explore dif... posted on Sep 20, 10959 reads

The Great Mystery: An Interview with Kent Nerburn
Kent Nerbern is a writer and editor of over a dozen books, and is currently working on the third in a series about the Lakota Indians. With a double PhD He has a long history of interest in Native American tribes and culture, having previously worked with the Ojibwe and written a book on the Nez Perce. In particular, Kent appreciates Native American spirituality, which tends to focus more on the... posted on Aug 18, 12266 reads

Wislawa Szymborska: The Poet and the World
Poets are Fortune's darlings according to Wislawa Szymborska. Despite the trials and tribulations, the frustration of not feeling comfortable calling oneself a poet and the real threat of claiming the title "poet" without official certification in some countries, poets are charged with answering the inner impulse of inspiration with "I don't know." The search for knowing leads poets inevitably to ... posted on Dec 1, 8649 reads

The Impermanence of Broccoli
In this piece, Alanda Greene explores our connectedness to the world around us through the simplicity of gardening and practicing yoga. In our daily lives, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, to feel overwhelmed and isolated, but nothing could be further from the truth. The lines that divide us from each other, from animals, and from nature are largely of our own making. In realit... posted on Dec 18, 10401 reads

Dan Pink on the Science of Staying Motivated
"One of the world's foremost thinkers on business and social science, Daniel Pink is the author of several bestselling books on business, work, and behavior. He joined Ryan Hawk, the creator and host of The Learning Leader Show, to talk about the critical components of sustaining excellence, what it was like writing speeches for Al Gore, and how Dan left his comfort zone to bring his side hustle f... posted on Dec 19, 10892 reads

Waking Up from Our Addiction to Technology
Nancy Colier is a psychotherapist, interfaith minister, author, and veteran meditator. In this interview she delves into the importance of human connection, and the detrimental effects of our large-scale modern addiction to cell phones, email, and social media. She offers insights on how to recognize and break out of addictive behavior, and touches on the realities of parenting in the digital age ... posted on Feb 8, 18508 reads

Open Source Seeds
At a time when the monopolization of genetic resources by corporations is reducing diversity and limiting the variety of seeds available to farmers and gardeners, OpenSourceSeeds is licensing seeds to make them available to the commons in perpetuity. Working within German laws, they developed a licensing agreement with the express purpose of creating a new repository of genetic material for farmer... posted on Dec 3, 6816 reads

Skateboard Parks and the Power of Relationship
Eight years ago, Ulrike Reinhard flew to India for on a business trip. Instead of flying back home, however, she "got stuck" and decided to make India her home. In this interview, Ulrike describes how she was driven to build a skateboard park in the middle of a poverty-ridden village in Madhya Pradesh. Many projects are built with fences and "Do Not Enter" signs surrounding it; in contrast, this s... posted on May 18, 3653 reads

We are All the Other: A Conversation with Denise Zabalaga
With a superb gift for languages, Zabalaga taught herself Farsi and traveled as a single woman in Afghanistan, Syria, Damascus, Iran and Tajikistan. She got into many tight situations, but with her faith that meeting a stranger is, "first of all, an opportunity rather than a danger," and with her uncanny openness and ability to connect with others, she always found her way out of difficulties. Wha... posted on Dec 21, 2625 reads