Serious Fun
"Leon was a renegade even as a little kid, and bless him, lived a successful life doing it his own way. He came of draft age exactly as America was entering the war in Vietnam, told us he had no intention of getting drafted and then made good on his promise by baking bread for members of the Draft Board the morning he had to appear. There, he ceremoniously cut his loaf into generous slices and han... posted on Feb 4, 7542 reads

Davis Dimock: The Gift
" A guy came here once from some outsider art magazine. He was taking pictures and he asked, "Do you do anything else?" So, I showed him some of my drawings. He said, "These are great. We could use these." I told him I didn't want them out in the world. It seems pretentious to think of myself as an artist. I think of artists as people who are going through the angst of creating stuff, and then the... posted on Mar 1, 2687 reads

The Island's Only Taxi
Eigg is one of four small islands off the coast of Scotland, populated by sheep, dogs, and 109 local residents. Charlie Galli drives the only taxi on the island. He moved here looking to find a slower way of life, and a community who place greater value on relationships and conversation than they do on their mobile phones. "Sometimes I think there's too much technology involved in life," he says. ... posted on Mar 3, 2625 reads

Being Resilient During Coronavirus
"During times like this, its natural to feel afraid, anxious, or threatened. The brain has evolved to react quickly to threats, and its easy for there to be a sense of helplessness associated with problems that appear far beyond our control. But being consumed by fear causes wear and tear on the body, which actually undermines your safety. Thats why its so important to look for ways to be effectiv... posted on Mar 18, 17922 reads

Finding Beauty in a Broken World
"I think what is being asked of each of us right now [is to become] really fully who we are so that we can be of use. And it is scary. But I think the risk is worth it. And what do we lose and what do we sacrifice if we are not fully present, fully engaged, fully embracing who we are?" Tami Simon speaks with Terry Tempest Williams, a writer, naturalist, environmental activist, and author of severa... posted on Apr 12, 7811 reads

Seeking Solitude in Nature: A Meditation Teacher's Story
"By the time we're 60, we will have been alive for almost 22,000 days on this planet, rarely, if ever, stopping to watch just one. By immersion into nature in solitude, we allow the natural human to become entrained to the nature of the planet we are part of. I had been camping in solitude in nature -- on a hill over the ocean on the coast of California -- as I have done twice a year for the past ... posted on Apr 13, 7259 reads

The Art of Being Creatures
In this intimate conversation between Krista and one of her beloved teachers, we ponder the world and our place in it, through sacred text, with fresh eyes. Were accompanied by the meditative and prophetic poetry of Wendell Berry, read for us from his home in Kentucky: Stay away from anything / that obscures the place it is in. / There are no unsacred places; / there are only sacred places / and d... posted on Apr 20, 6770 reads

Where Fear Meets Hope: Stories from Around the Globe
As we grow accustomed to life under lockdown, we are discovering the richness that can emerge from the quiet, contemplative nature of solitude. Hoping to tap into the inner wisdom of our collective attempt to find light amidst darkness, writer Emily Rose Barr asked one simple question of individuals across the globe: What are you doing that's bringing a little extra joy, light, or laughter to you... posted on Apr 29, 8044 reads

The Capacity for Successful Solitude
"The capacity to be alone is the capacity to know enough about yourself and who you are, and be comfortable enough with that. That way, when you are with another person, youre not trying to make that person into somebody you need them to be in order to buttress a fragile sense of your own self. You can actually turn to a person and see them as another person, and have a real relationship with them... posted on May 1, 7558 reads

The Little Priestess: Listen with the Ear of the Heart
Noirin Ni Riain is an Irish spiritual singer, theologian, teacher, author and Interfaith minister. Known as the High Priestess of Gregorian Chan, Noirin has released sixteen albums since 1978, including three with her sons Eoin and Micheal O' Suilleabhain. Her voice has rung out for peace on many continents, from United Nations conferences to gatherings with the Dalai Lama. In this short excerpt, ... posted on May 5, 5519 reads

The Value of Being Uncomfortable
"'Anyone with any degree of mental toughness ought to be able to exist without the things they like most for a few months at least,' Georgia O'Keeffe, impoverished and solitary in the desert, wrote in considering limitation, creativity, and setting priorities as she was about to revolutionize art while the world was crumbling into its first global war. There are echoes of Stoicism, of Buddhism, of... posted on May 15, 8673 reads

The Last Nail in Individualism's Coffin?
"For centuries, individualism or the notion that every human individual has intrinsic value has underlined ideas about societal organization, the economy and justice. Recently, however, the primacy of the individual's inalienable rights and freedoms has come under immense pressure." Rohini Nilekani, one of India's most prominent and inspiring philanthropists shares more about the very real threat ... posted on May 21, 8475 reads

Deep Water-- A Conversation with Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee of the Global Oneness Project is a surfer, a filmmaker and an environmentalist inner and outer. His love of water led to his film, Elemental. The destruction of our water systems is a prime example of how separated we've become from whats fundamental to our survival. Rajendra Singh is one of the three people in Vaughan-Lees film. He brought seven rivers back to life in an ari... posted on Jun 3, 2473 reads

Beyond Protests: 5 More Ways to Channel Anger into Action
"A lot of people of color are tired. We're tired of being the unseen and misunderstood," says Inger E Burnett-Zeigler, a psychologist and associate professor at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. She'd like to see more voices at the table. "I think it's important for everyone, regardless of race, to ask, 'What is my role in this system?' " she says. Ask yourself, 'Have I b... posted on Jun 8, 4410 reads

The Taste of Wild Water
"There is a special kind of shadow that happens in deep woods that are old and have been left
undisturbed. Underneath the canopy of ancient hardwood trees the greens are deeper, the soil
blacker, the smells richer. And there is a shadow that is over everything, calling out that there is a deeper world than the human of which we are a part. Something came out of that place and entered... posted on Jun 22, 2680 reads

Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong
What really causes addiction -- to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions. He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do -- and if there might be a better way. As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the w... posted on Jul 7, 23545 reads

We Have to Talk: A Checklist for Difficult Conversations
"There are dozens of books on the topic of difficult, crucial, challenging, fierce, important conversations. Those times when you know you should talk to someone, but you don't. Maybe you've tried and it went badly. Or maybe you fear that talking will only make the situation worse. Still, you feel stuck, and you'd like to free up that stuck energy for more useful purposes." Judy Ringer is a confli... posted on Jul 9, 27221 reads

Hood Feminism: A Call For Solidarity
"In her searing collection of essays, Mikki Kendall takes aim at the legitimacy of the modern feminist movement arguing that it has chronically failed to address the needs of all but a few women. Drawing on her own experiences with hunger and violence, along with incisive commentary on politics, pop culture, the stigma of mental health, and more, Hood Feminism delivers an irrefutable indictment of... posted on Jul 12, 3889 reads

Big Picture Competition: Celebrating Earth's Diversity
Now in its seventh year, BigPicture encourages photographers from around the world to contribute their work to a competition that both celebrates and illustrates the rich diversity of life on Earth, and inspires action to protect and conserve it through the power of imagery. Take a look at the gallery of stunning images from this year's winners, and learn more about the photographers here.... posted on Jul 14, 18121 reads

john powell on Othering & Belonging
john a. powell is one of the foremost public intellectuals in the areas of civil rights, racism, ethnicity, housing and poverty. Despite a distinguished career, powell spells his name in lowercase on the simple and humble idea that we are part of the universe, not over it. He has introduced into the public lexicon the concepts of "othering and belonging." For powell, "othering" hurts not only peop... posted on Jul 18, 5939 reads

Kate Raworth: Renegade Economist
"Kate Raworth is an economist. A renegade, maverick, rockstar economist. After graduating from Oxford University, she worked in the villages of Zanzibar with micro entrepreneurs, co-authored the Human Development Report for the UNDP and worked for a decade as a Senior Researcher at Oxfam. In 2017 she published her seminal work, Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think Like a 21st-Century Economist.... posted on Jul 19, 8365 reads

Talking White Fragility with Robin DiAngelo
"I grew up poor and white. While my class oppression has been relatively visible to me, my race privilege has not. In my efforts to uncover how race has shaped my life, I have gained deeper insight by placing race in the center of my analysis and asking how each of my other group locations have socialized me to collude with racism. In so doing, I have been able to address in greater depth my mul... posted on Jul 20, 5238 reads

What Qi Gong Taught One Doctor About Healing
"I first met Master Mingtong Gu 8 years ago. A friend had invited me to his studio in Petaluma, CA, for a qigong workshop. Qi (chee) means life-force energy, gong means cultivation. Slow, easy movements. Low risk enough. And evidence-based. I was a doctor of internal medicine, trained to think critically and methodically, cautious of anything that might fall into the realm of "miracles." But I was... posted on Aug 3, 14265 reads

The Opposite of Meditation is Not Action It's Reaction
"It seems like our society is at a low point in terms of how we talk about challenging, controversial topics within our political discourse and even our spiritual reflections. I believe the only way through this polarization is a re-appreciation for silence.
Silence has a life of its own. It is not just that which is around words and underneath images and events. It is a being in itself to ... posted on Aug 5, 7339 reads

Finding Balance in an Unstable World
"The present pandemic, which in a few short months has wreaked havoc across our world, is most likely caused by an imbalance in the natural world, as loss of habitat and biodiversity is not only driving animals to extinction but directly causing animal viruses to spread to humans. In response our leaders are using the images of conflict: We are at war with Covid 19, we keep hearing; it is an invis... posted on Aug 9, 15647 reads

The Soil's Story is the Story of Us
"Thousands of years of taking have caught up with us--and our soil. Approximately 40 percent of agricultural soils worldwide are degraded or seriously degraded; we lose an estimated 36 billion tons of topsoil every year. Scientists warn us that we only have about 60 years of productive soil left. What will happen when the Earth has lost all of its soil and can no longer produce food? While this is... posted on Aug 13, 6513 reads

Small Joys are Essential to Resilience
"For Persians, one of our most precious ways to summon joy is with poetry. I remember one night, in particular, in my home city of Shiraz, Iran, during the war. While sirens blared and the electricity was shut off, warning of an imminent attack, my family and I (feeling especially brave) snuck to our rooftop to watch the anti-aircraft missiles shoot into the air. To my 7-year-old eyes, the brillia... posted on Aug 16, 0 reads

Teaching to Transgress: bell hooks on Education
"My hope emerges from those places of struggle where I witness individuals positively transforming their lives and the world around them. Educating is always a vocation rooted in hopefulness. As teachers we believe that learning is possible, that nothing can keep an open mind from seeking after knowledge and finding a way to know." This piece explores bell hooks' inspiring perspectives on educatio... posted on Aug 24, 3620 reads

Beyond Words: A Conversation with Carl Safina
"Safina's journey in ecology and conservation took him through his PhD and then back to the obvious. I learned this is called anthropomorphizing and you're not supposed to do that. The orthodox view is that other animals don't have human thoughts or emotions. I learned all of that and then realized that what I knew when I was seven was actually more accurate." More in this interview with Safina.posted on Aug 29, 2488 reads

Brian Conroy: The Art of Storytelling
Brian Conroy is a gifted storyteller who comes alive when he sees people of diverse faiths, races, and backgrounds working together. Founder of the Buddhist Storytelling Circle, a group of storytellers from the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery who perform at interfaith gatherings, he first encountered Venerable Master Hsuan Hua in 1976 and took refuge with the Master in 1994. Bringing together his pass... posted on Sep 3, 5032 reads

The Big Bang of Equity + Systems Change
"How can we reimagine and rebuild our current society? At what point do we let a broken system fail? How can we protect vulnerable or disproportionately impacted people who might fall between cracks as we let go of what no longer works? How might we include more people not only at the receiving end of these systems, but in the designing of them? How can we build systems that truly serve and work f... posted on Sep 15, 6134 reads

Kiran Khalap: Navigating Business, Creativity and Spirituality
Where do business and spirituality meet? How does one use creativity to unite? How might we walk our unique path in solving problems outside and dissolving the ego inside? A weekday brand-consultant, a weekend rock-climber, author during nights and a lifetime seeker of Truth -- Kiran Khalaps journey is a striking example of a life of emergence which defies linear planning. Read more about his jour... posted on Sep 25, 4562 reads

Healing the Heart of Democracy
"For those of us who want to see democracy survive and thrive --and we are legion --the heart is where everything begins: that grounded place in each of us where we can overcome fear, rediscover that we are members of one another, and embrace the conflicts that threaten democracy as openings to new life for us and for our nation." Parker Palmer shares more in this piece.... posted on Sep 26, 3221 reads

Is Philanthropy Really Changing Anything?
"What does philanthropy in India look like today, and what has it managed to do? Is it really changing the world and people's lives? Or is it simply an extension of capitalism and an opportunity for the super-rich to strengthen their stranglehold on economic activity as well as development and social progress?"This article shares thoughts on what philanthropists can do to ensure greater alignment ... posted on Oct 9, 4977 reads

8 Questions to Help Navigate Election Stress
"How are you doing? For Americans facing the COVID-19 lockdown and economic instability through the spring and summer, that became a difficult question to ask--and to answer. Things were already pretty bad. And then the presidential election began in earnest. A new survey from the American Psychological Association finds that this election is a significant source of stress for more than two-thirds... posted on Oct 21, 11560 reads

Two Words That Can Change a Life
"As I walked into the parking lot, I spotted the woman returning her shopping cart, and I remembered something in my purse that could help her in a different but hopefully profound way. It wasn't a handful of cash or a lead on a job for her husband, but maybe -- just maybe -- it would make her life better. My heart pounded as I approached the woman. "Excuse me," I said, my voice trembling a bit. "... posted on Nov 10, 106941 reads

Julian of Norwich: Wisdom for a Time of Pandemic & Beyond
"A time of crisis and chaos, the kind that a pandemic brings, is, among other things, a time to call on our ancestors for their deep wisdom. Not just knowledge but true wisdom is needed in a time of death and profound change, for at such times we are beckoned not simply to return to the immediate past, that which we remember fondly as the normal, but to reimagine a new future, a renewed humanity, ... posted on Nov 13, 10760 reads

Uncommon Gratitude
"Before me lies a slope of wild grasses, saturated in the copper light of early autumn. Insects dabble in wild asters and Queen Anne's lace, and animal trails wind through the dense greenery. But just where the terrain should plunge steeply through a woodland of maple, beech, cherry, and ash trees, it flattens out like a gigantic tennis court or helicopter landing pad. What just a few weeks earlie... posted on Nov 29, 4297 reads

Fools and Dreamers: Regenerating a Native Forest
This 30-minute documentary about Hinewai Reserve, on New Zealands Banks Peninsula, is an incredible story of how degraded, gorse-infested farmland, has been regenerated into beautiful native forest over the course of 30 years. Once considered a plan expected only of fools and dreamers, manager, botanist Hugh Wilson, is now considered a hero locally and across the country for bringing back 1,500 he... posted on Dec 11, 2146 reads

A Case for Wonder
"Karl Barth once described theology as 'necessarily the logic of wonders,' and the same 'logic' should suffuse education. If we can cultivate the capacity for wonder in ourselves, and if we can foster it in others, then we might step into a more compelling and magical world. Inhabiting such a place would grant us a particular kind of grace, in which the familiar would never grow old, the unfamilia... posted on Dec 21, 4366 reads

Processing What Happened at the US Capitol
Resmaa Menakem, national expert on cultural trauma joins the executive director of African American Child Wellness Institute, and 2020 Minnesota Teacher of the year in this powerful in-depth dialog around the violence and chaos that erupted this Wednesday, when a mob that included white supremacists stormed the US Capitol. How did it come to this? And what do these times demand from ordinary citiz... posted on Jan 8, 6232 reads

10 Ways & 50 Questions to Help Strengthen Democracy
Ken Cloke is a world-recognized mediator, dialogue facilitator, conflict resolution systems designer, teacher and more. Given the political polarization, deep divisiveness and unrest rearing its head in the United States, he recently shared a detailed list of 10 actions that can help us transform autocratic, power-based political conflicts into democratic, collaborative efforts. In addition he off... posted on Jan 10, 16424 reads

For the Sake of One We Love and Are Losing: A Meditative Poem
The origin story of "For the Sake of One We Love and Are Losing" lies in a dream that writer Phyllis Cole-Dai had last year. This remarkable poem was published in the early days of the pandemic that has now claimed over 2 million lives worldwide. Cole-Dai's words have comforted many people through the grief and loss of these challenging times. What follows here is the poem's backstory in her own w... posted on Jan 28, 13448 reads

The Blue Hour: A Celebration of Nature's Rarest Color
"Blue, Rebecca Solnit wrote in one of humanitys most beautiful reflections on our planets primary hue, is the color of solitude and of desire, the color of there seen from here the color of longing for the distances you never arrive in, for the blue world, a world of many blues a pioneering 19th-century nomenclature of colors listed eleven kinds of blue, in hues as varied as the color of the flax... posted on Jan 27, 8485 reads

Happiness Is...
In late fall of 2011, after a simple car ride with the windows rolled down, and the music turned up, 17-year-old Elizabeth Buechele posted this update on her social media feed, "Day 1: Happiness is... those perfect car rides where the radio just plays all the right songs." Day 1 turned into Day 2, and now more than nine years later, Buechele has gleaned and shared a "Happiness is..." moment from e... posted on Feb 2, 6168 reads

9 Rules for the Woke Birdwatcher
"1.Lower your binoculars. See bird and person in the full context of their being, feathers or skin. We all share the same air, same water, same earth, and same fate in the end. Don't just list and be done." Author J. Drew Lanham shares eight other rules/invitations in this short and powerful piece.... posted on Feb 6, 7415 reads

The Politics of Flower Cultivation
"The tradition of gifting roses for St. Valentine's Day is actually a misguided ritual from an ecology perspective because the roses are actually transported from Kenya, for example. Roses do not grow locally in countries north of the equator during February. Because flowers are not food, we tend to overlook the fact that they are also seasonal products, and we just cannot have it all the time unl... posted on Feb 7, 4530 reads

Happy Men
"Let me set the scene: I walk up to five men skateboarding by the statue in Prospect Park, they are hanging with each other and I approach and I say, 'Hey, I wrote a poem about you, for you, can I read it to you?'" Winter Miller is an award-winning writer. She has a Masters in playwriting from Columbia University, and has written over 70 articles for the New York Times. She shares what happened ne... posted on Feb 11, 10165 reads

The Energy of the Universe is Neutral: James O' Dea
"The central thesis of my book, 'Creative Stress--A Path for Evolving Souls Living Through Personal and Planetary Upheaval', is that the energy of the universe is neutral. It's only in the last hundred years that the word "stress" has come to denote something negative. For the poet, stress is language, for the composer, stress is musical notes. So stress is a neutral concept. It's the pressuring ... posted on Feb 12, 2266 reads

Be A Blessing
"There is a question rolling around even in the most secular of corners: What do religious people and traditions have to teach as we do the work ahead of repairing, renewing, and remaking our societies, our life together? Krista Tippett's conversation with Rabbi Ariel Burger, a student of the late, extraordinary Elie Wiesel, delves into theological and mystical depths that are so much richer and m... posted on Feb 25, 6466 reads