Saying Hi to the Moon
"Lots of times I talk with him. Especially when he gets big and I can see the expression on his face. 'Hi, Moon!' I say, so happy to see him always, 'What's up?'" Jane Wodening is an American artist, writer and the mother of five grown children. She spent ten years living alone, "in a tiny cabin with no amenities at ten thousand feet altitude...During this time I played and thought and hiked, enjo... posted on Sep 27, 3237 reads

Welcoming the Gifts of Anxiety
"Your anxiety helps you identify problems and opportunities, and it brings you the energy and focus you need to face them. Anxiety also helps you complete your tasks and projects, and it gives you the push you need to meet your deadlines. Yes, you need skills to work well with your anxiety, but your anxiety is a valuable and brilliant emotion that's essential to pretty much everything you do." Kar... posted on Oct 5, 19450 reads

The Radical Act of Savoring Pleasant Moments
Describing her childhood in wartime Iran, Ari Honorvar says, "We were attacked from the outside and from within. There was an actual war, with daily funerals, random bombings, and missile attacks. We were so on the edge that a door would slam too loudly and someone would have a heart attack.Children started getting gray hair. And then there was a war on Joy that hurt in a different way. Our favori... posted on Oct 8, 3827 reads

Telling is Listening
"Every act of communication is an act of tremendous courage in which we give ourselves over to two parallel possibilities: the possibility of planting into another mind a seed sprouted in ours and watching it blossom into a breathtaking flower of mutual understanding; and the possibility of being wholly misunderstood, reduced to a withering weed. Candor and clarity go a long way in fertilizing the... posted on Nov 13, 3140 reads

The Bridge We Were Meant To Cross
"My brother and I were driving home together and became engrossed in a conversation. Because of this distraction, my brother took a wrong turn. Unfortunately, the wrong turn took us towards a bridge and we had no way to turn back. Grudgingly, my brother paid the bridge toll and drove on. He was clearly frustrated by the mistake and the needless waste of $4. We eventually reached an exit slip-way a... posted on Dec 21, 3706 reads

Extraordinary Ordinary People
Around the world, an army of unsung heroes are upon us. These are not saints, but very human individuals, who, bolstered by their engaged spirituality, have surfaced deep contributions to the fabric of their communities, fields, and the world at large. "A lot of the reporting on religion is often negative. It's about abuse, it's about corruption, it's about the decline of a particular institutiona... posted on Jan 13, 2075 reads

Be-The-Change Corporations
Jay Coen Gilbert explores leadership questions of the heart during his address at Gandhi 3.0 in January 2024, sharing his own story about the friction he experienced when he found himself “tethered and constrained” to “somebody else’s dharma” and how that led to exploration with like-minded leaders. Gilbert confronts the systemic beliefs prevalent today including a &l... posted on Apr 16, 1945 reads

The Inner Sense Driving Your Thoughts
While hiking and allowing his mind to wander, Alex Messenger suddenly started to notice his body. "My breath quickened, my eyes widened, my pulse doubled immediately, my airways opened." It took some time for his conscious brain to catch up in time to see a 600 pound bear that "swatted him to the ground with a blinding blow to the head." Alex survived and, looking back, wondered how his body knew ... posted on Apr 23, 1824 reads

The Cities Stripping Concrete for Plants
Communities in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the US are organizing efforts to replace unnecessary concrete and infrastructure with plants and soil. These efforts help reduce flooding, prevent toxic runoff, and add shade that helps keep people cool during heatwaves. The local availability of mini green spaces may also improve mental health, and benefit bees and other wildlife. While communities ne... posted on May 21, 1050 reads

If You Haven’t Found Your Purpose, How to Feel Good Anyway
Finding your life purpose can often feel like an elusive quest, but it doesn't have to define your happiness. Adriana Paez argues that the true essence of living with purpose isn't about discovering a singular calling. Instead, it’s about aligning daily actions with your values and desires. Paez shares her journey of feeling lost and misaligned despite a successful career and tireless search... posted on Jun 8, 1932 reads

Standing in Authentic Power
Stacey Lawson relates how real power is within, and takes inner work and outer action, and how sometimes it’s hard to understand why following inner guidance leads us on a path that doesn’t end where we might have wished. She explains how during meditation she repeatedly received a powerful call to run for political office, and while it was the last thing she wanted to do, and after st... posted on Jun 5, 2895 reads

How the Pandemic Led One Photographer to Greater Collaboration
Photographer Ashima Yadava turned to photography during the pandemic to reconnect with friends. Due to required distancing, she asked them if she could photograph them in their front yards from across the street. Unsatisfied with her single one-sided perspective, Ashima provided them with black and white photos she had taken, and asked “how do they want to be seen and what do ... posted on Jun 14, 1210 reads

Infinity of an Open Heart
Cynthia Li invites us along on an illuminating experience while kayaking in a wilderness. In the silence and blanket of darkness, she stops paddling and begins to drift. She feels suspended in the “dance of the oneness” -- of past, present, and future. She feels both tremendous terror and tremendous freedom hoping to “trust enough in my aloneness to dissolve fully into this great... posted on Jul 1, 2491 reads

Untitled
Canada - When the Texada Land Corp. started logging old-growth Douglas fir and Garry oak on Saltspring Island in November 1999, field naturalist Briony Penn and others protested that the logging was "denuding" the land and disrupting endangered ecosystems. "Ten percent of our island is being clearcut as we speak," Penn declared. No one listened. That changed last January when Penn showed up in dow... posted on Sep 10, 636 reads

Hope In Bloom
During the eight years Kathy Makiver has lived in her Garrison Colonial in Georgetown, she's had good intentions of planting a garden in the large backyard. But with lack of a green thumb and little free time because of a job, husband, and three kids, a garden never materialized -- until a recent Saturday. "This whole thing is a beautiful gift," said Makiver, as she watched family, friends, and vo... posted on Sep 6, 2018 reads

Father & Son Heroes
The story of Dick and Rick Hoyt is an inspirational love story, based on the philosophy "you can!" Although Rick was born with cerebral palsy, his parents were determined to treat him just like their other boys, despite medical professionals who counseled them otherwise. Consequently, Rick grew up engaging and intelligent; and when he was 12 years old even found his voice with the help of the 'Hop... posted on Sep 20, 2457 reads

The Scalpel-and-Pen Wielding Genius
2006 MacCarthur "genius" Atul Gawande wields a scalpel and pen with equal skill. His best-selling book, "Complications" is a series of loosely related essays that focus on surgical themes while highlighting critical issues facing every branch of medicine. The 40-year-old surgeon and author is an assistant professor of surgery and assistant professor of health policy and management at Harvard. Gawa... posted on Sep 27, 1403 reads

A Father's Remarkable Quest For A Cure
John and Aileen Crowley had three beautiful children, a new house, and great jobs. Then doctors diagnosed their two youngest children with Pompe disease, and overnight everything changed. But Crowley refused to accept this death sentence -- and in the absence of other options, made his own. Determined to find scientists who could develop a replacement enzyme that would keep the disease at bay and ... posted on Oct 13, 2300 reads

Beyond the Call
Ed, Jim and Walt are not your average weekend warriors. Ordinary, inconspicuous Americans with wives, careers and hobbies, these three friends and former soldiers realize their deepest passion in life through self-financed humanitarian missions to war zones around the globe. Documentary filmmaker Adrian Belic (Genghis Blues), in the new film "Beyond the Call," tracks these self-styled knights in s... posted on Nov 10, 1558 reads

Amazon Natives Save Forests with Google Earth
Deep in the most remote jungles of South America, Amazon Natives are using Google Earth, GPS mapping, and other technologies to protect their fast-dwindling home. Tribes in Suriname, Brazil, and Colombia are combining their traditional knowledge of the rainforest with Western technology to conserve forests and maintain ties to their history and cultural traditions, which include profound knowledge... posted on Dec 4, 1483 reads

Studying The Power of Flowers
Need a new reason to "stop and smell the roses"? A recent study reveals that fresh flowers can be a natural remedy to enhance moods and increase energy. Conducted by Harvard Medical School, the behavioral research study showed that people feel less anxiety and more energy and compassion when fresh-cut flowers are present in the home. Harvard researcher, Nancy L. Etcoff followed 55 women of various... posted on Dec 30, 2430 reads

Lunch Lady With A Mission
Ann Cooper is not your typical lunch lady. The former chef, who spent much of her 30-plus-year career working in white-tablecloth restaurants and catering for celebrities, is now best known as the "Lunch Lady" in Berkeley, Calif., schools. In cafeterias there she has tossed out fried, frozen, and sugary foods and replaced them with fresh, seasonal, and mostly organic meals. Driven to reform school... posted on Apr 3, 2207 reads

Are We Hard-Wired For Faith?
Most people would agree that the experience of faith is immeasurable. Dr. Andrew Newberg, neuroscientist and author of "Why We Believe What We Believe," begs to differ. He's working on ways to track how the human brain processes religion and spirituality, all part of new field called neurotheology. Newberg took brain-scanning technology and turned it toward the spiritual: Franciscan nuns, Tibetan... posted on Apr 8, 2180 reads

The Blind Artist and His Wife
He is a writer and an artist whose captivating pen-and-ink drawings, books and greeting cards reflect the beauty of southern India. His wife helps compose his work. What makes their story extraordinary? Manohar Devadoss is near blind. His art is produced through a painstaking process of extraordinary will-power and dedication. His wife Mahema is paralyzed below the shoulders, the result of a car a... posted on Oct 31, 4829 reads

Gift Economy Bagels?
Every Friday, Paul Feldman would bring in some bagels and cream cheese to work and set out a cash basket and a sign with the suggested price. His collection rate was about 95%. Years later, when his company fell under new management, Paul quit his job and started to give bagels in the same way. Driving around the office parks that encircle Washington, he solicited customers with a simple pitch:... posted on Oct 23, 2579 reads

Undefeated Football Team of Kansas!
Capacity crowd of 1600 fills the Hubbard Stadium at every home game. They're here to watch high school football. In a Kansas town of 1931 residents, Smith Center team has won 51 games in a row and three consecutive state championships, and has outscored opponents this season, 704-0. Take a closer look and it's easy to see why. Each player and cheerleader signs a contract pledging to remain alc... posted on Nov 10, 3451 reads

A Man Impossible to Classify
"The year was 1965. We were headed toward the Haight-Ashbury. Maybe thirty yards short of the intersection, I saw him standing on the curb, a disheveled young man, not quite in the hippie mold. He was looking directly at me, it seemed, and gesturing emphatically, an incongruous grin on his face." So starts this piece from Works & Conversations Magazine, describing meetings with and reflections by ... posted on Jan 28, 2524 reads

Life As A Daymaker
A client came into David Wagner’s hair salon, "I just want to look and feel good tonight," she said. They laughed and joked throughout the appointment and the client left smiling radiantly. The CEO of Aveda didn’t know then that he had changed her life. A few days later David received a letter from the woman. She explained that she had planned to commit suicide the day she came in and that Da... posted on Apr 22, 4922 reads

The Community Cure
It always seems to come down to who you know. The people we grew up with, now know, and will grow old with have a huge effect on our well-being and even our risk of future disease. Community is where we assimilate health believes, attitudes and behaviors. Community also encompasses our neighbourhoods and their attendant social factors, such as violent crime, unemployment and access to health-care ... posted on Nov 4, 2344 reads

Rebuilding Generations Through Football
What began as one man's passion to help at risk kids has become the vision of many through the Playmakers Mentoring Foundation and their innovative program which began in California. Developed and led by Coach Greg Roeszler (Aka Coach Roz) and his dedicated staff of assistant coaches, Playmakers is drawing kids off the streets and out of gangs to be part of this amazing outreach where children are... posted on Nov 15, 2871 reads

The Healing Opportunity of Art
"I think raising consciousness, helping people see and understand how they're connected to these larger systems in the world around us, is an incredibly important thing. I think art can do this in ways that are provocative, meaningful and inspirational, deeply moving, beautiful, connected with history and culture and resonant. I think that's a big part of it. There's another part of it where I thi... posted on Jul 27, 2278 reads

Have Compassion For Everyone You Meet
"Yesterday I was in the grocery store and ran into an old client. (I worked in Social Services for 14 years and recently left to pursue other things). This particular person had been a very abrasive, belligerant and loud client, which intimidated some of the staff. Somehow I became the person who was best at dealing with these sorts of folks and I was called to the front desk to talk with him. ... posted on Nov 29, 5260 reads

The Power of An Open Heart
"I was on my lunch break in the city, enjoying a salad at an outdoor cafe, when a disheveled homeless lady came walking towards me. She was yelling and begging everyone who walked past her for spare change and she looked like a mess. My instant reaction was fear... to close off and hope she didn't come near me, but she did. I was on the phone and when she came over yelling, I said, 'I'm on the ... posted on Mar 13, 11044 reads

A Mother's Love
There are mothers who will spend today missing sons and daughters fighting overseas. There are women who have lost children in those wars, for whom Mother's Day will never be the same. And then there is Eva Briseno. Joesph Briseno Jr., Eva's 27-year-old son, is one of the most severely wounded soldiers ever to survive. A bullet to the back of his head in Baghdad marketplace in 2003 left him paraly... posted on May 9, 2454 reads

What Makes Us Come Alive?
People don't just do things for money. At least that's what Daniel Pink says. "We do things because they're interesting, because they're engaging, because they're the right things to do, because they contribute to the world," Pink elaborates. In a world that operates on punishments and rewards, writers Clay Shirky and Daniel Pink are paving a new path. Both grew up in Midwest university towns in t... posted on May 25, 5001 reads

66 Ways To Grow Without A Garden
Growing your own food is exciting, not only because you get to see things grow from nothing into ready-to-eat fruits and veggies, but you also don't have to worry about the pesticides they might contain, and you definitely cut down on the miles they (and you) have to travel. But starting a garden can be a daunting task: so many possibilities, water, and weeds. As it turns out, with pretty minimal ... posted on Jul 15, 7919 reads

Can You Teach Emotional Intelligence?
"Our kids need a peaceful place," says elementary school Principal Eileen Reiter who works in Harlem, New York. "It has to be a place where kids can come and feel relaxed and feel safe and get a lot of support." Support, in this case, means more than just academic training and a hot lunch. Reiter has embraced a philosophy known as Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), which teaches students ways to... posted on Aug 11, 10640 reads

Two Brothers, Two Buckets, and World Hunger
Teenagers Grant and Max Buster are proposing a solution to world hunger that anyone can do. All you need are 2 buckets, a few square meters of ground or rooftop, sunlight, and a some water. Distraught by the hunger in the world, the Buster brothers spent their summer vacation designing this simple garden in a bucket. They placed two five gallon (20 liter) buckets set inside one another, to which t... posted on Sep 5, 3298 reads

The Economics of Trust
The laws of economics say that people act out of rational and self-serving motives. But what would it say about the self-sacrificing gestures we make for family and friends? On an inquiry into why people invest in their children in 2000, neuroeconomist Paul Zak discovered the hormone oxytocin, a chemical released when petting dogs, nursing children, or cuddling with loved ones. Since then, Zak has... posted on Dec 15, 4462 reads

From the Streets to Opportunity and Confidence
Nguyen Duc Canh says he used to stay at Vietnam's only "1,000-star hotel." Translation: He grew up under a bridge. Abandoned by his parents in Hanoi, Canh sold chewing gum to tourists. Eventually, he ran into KOTO, or "Know One, Teach One." A 2-year program in Vietnam and Cambodia, KOTO trains former street kids to cook, wait tables and speak English. It "taught me life skills and gave me a house ... posted on Mar 6, 1115 reads

Tiny Superheroes Don Capes and Do Good
"We saw someone next door and we said hi. And we gave him flowers. And we tell him he could come to our school." 3 year-old Cooper Spataro and his classmates are "superheroes of kindness," performing weekly acts of good will that include cleaning school windows and delivering paper flowers to residents of an assisted living community. Teacher Kristal Burns came up with the concept after discoverin... posted on Feb 20, 2725 reads

Laundromat Art
When a Harlem-based group of artists and community activists wanted to make a difference in their local neighborhoods, they looked for a space that was already being used by the community and had gathering potential. And then they stumbled upon a laundromat. With the help of local and artists participating in their own residency programs, the group sets up daily in a number of laundromats and pro... posted on Apr 12, 3845 reads

From Me to We
Neighbors often share a power washer and lawn mowers. Others co-own cabins and cars. Some pick fruit before it rots and donate it to food banks. Families share pets like horses and dogs. Some even share organs. In a society valuing independence and fearing disagreement, people have found a way to enhance their pocket books and their relationships by sharing what they have. Through sharing arrangem... posted on May 24, 3211 reads

I Heart Strangers
"Every single day, I went out into the world to seek out someone I had never before met. I introduced myself and asked them if I could photograph them. I took something valuable away from every encounter and did my best to pass that along." Artist Joshua Langlais started the "I Heart Strangers" project as an attempt to love his neighbors. Starting it in 2008 with the intention of doing it for a ye... posted on Jun 28, 4711 reads

Reading, Writing and Revelation
Whenever the stabbing pain in her knee becomes unbearable, 17-year-old Mackenzie Bearup picks up a book and starts to read. While previous treatments -- painkillers, physiotherapy, acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen therapy -- have failed, a self-prescribed reading cure works. "So far, books have been my only medicine," Bearup says. Reading and healing have an age-old association. In ancient Egypt, li... posted on Jul 14, 7223 reads

Money and Life: Ecologizing Growth
The words economy and ecology share the same root -- the Greek word meaning household. Could a change in how we view economic systems create a change in how we view ourselves? Ecologize Growth is a five-minute video based on the documentary 'Money and Life', and seeks to answer that question. This micro-film is a challenge to the commonly accepted infinite growth paradigm of the modern economy. It... posted on Aug 29, 3315 reads

The Spiritual Wisdom of Simplicity
The wisdom of simplicity is a theme with deep roots. The great value and benefits of living simply are found in all of the world's major wisdom traditions. Jesus taught by word and example that we should not make the acquisition of material possessions our primary aim. Eastern spiritual traditions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism have also encouraged a life of material moderation and spiritua... posted on Oct 7, 24391 reads

Economics of Happiness: The New Economy
Many people are facing their most significant economic challenges in generations. From the hardships of unemployment to the perils of mounting debt, worry about the health of a national economy that depends on consumerism and market success dominates our conversation. But what is the economy is really for? "We've had enough of the official mantra: Work more, enjoy less, pollute more, eat toxic f... posted on Nov 20, 23630 reads

Less Work, More Living
"Millions of Americans have lost control over the basic rhythm of their daily lives. They work too much, eat too quickly, socialize too little, drive and sit in traffic for too many hours, don't get enough sleep, and feel harried too much of the time. It's a way of life that undermines basic sources of wealth and well-being -- such as strong family and community ties, a deep sense of meaning, and ... posted on Jan 12, 45405 reads

Our 5-yr-old: Alone But Not Lonely
"We live in a rural farm in India, don't have a TV at home, and have bought our son a total of two toys. Most of his clothes are gifted by family and friends. He doesn't eat cookies, chocolates, carbonated drinks, or fast food. He must be one miserable kid, right? If I say, 'No,' one might respond with, 'Well, he doesn't know what he is missing and he is being brought up in an extremely protective... posted on Jan 15, 0 reads