Can You Run Out of Empathy?
"It is impossible to empathize with seven billion strangers," argues psychologist Paul Bloom in his essay, "The Case Against Empathy." And though, the immense power of empathy has been demonstrated time and time again, Bloom's statement poses an intriguing question -- why do we not respond equally to all stories? For example, why are we more likely to respond to the tragedy at Sandy Hook, than to ... posted on Oct 1, 18608 reads

The Woman Who Rescued Over 200 Sloths
"Monique Pool first fell in love with sloths when she took in an orphan from a rescue centre. Since then many sloths have spent time in her home on their way back to the forest -- but even she found it hard to cope when she had to rescue 200 at once. It all began in 2005 when Pool lost her dog, a mongrel called Sciolo, and called the Suriname Animal Protection Society to see if they'd found it. Th... posted on May 12, 6717 reads

What Baby Boomers & Millennials Can Teach Each Other
For the first time ever, we have five generations in the workplace at the same time, says entrepreneur Chip Conley. What would happen if we got intentional about how we all work together? In this accessible talk, Conley shows how age diversity makes companies stronger and calls for different generations to mentor each other at work, with wisdom flowing from old to young and young to old alike.... posted on Feb 27, 7161 reads

Piplantri: Where 111 Trees Are Planted for Every Girl Child Born
Being born a girl can be risky in some parts of the world. In communities where a dowry is expected at the time of marriage, and where education is not offered to girls so that they can earn an equal wage, a baby girl is often seen as a liability rather than as a child to be celebrated. To offset this negative view of being female, the village of Piplantri, India has chosen to overcome the stigma ... posted on Aug 27, 1937 reads

As We Speak: Music Video
Through music, this video serves as a rallying cry and a call to action. It is a protest song, lamenting the inequalities in education, health care, justice, human rights, and many other areas that affect the lives of Black people. "No mother should have to tell her baby that others will avoid him, judge him, hate him, just for the color of his skin. What kind of world are we living in?" It urges ... posted on Jan 14, 2019 reads

Untitled
Researchers at Harvard University found that the "let them cry" approach to child-rearing "harms the baby permanently," and "changes the nervous system so they're sensitive to future trauma."... posted on Dec 25, 682 reads

Pavarotti Teaches for Free
Opera legend Luciano Pavarotti announced that he's going to become a teacher, pass on his experience to aspiring singers. After a difficult year, in which he lost his mother, father and a baby son during child birth, he boldly declared, "I'm going to teach for free."... posted on Oct 10, 1548 reads

Volunteer Boom
Baby boomers, Americans who were born from 1946 to 1964, have the potential to be one of the most powerful volunteer forces the world has ever seen. This 70 million person cohort, that begins turning 60 this year, are better educated and are expected to live longer than any other generation before them. The Harvard School for Public Health is one of many institutions that are launching campaigns ... posted on Jan 26, 1083 reads

From Linda to Chad to Michael to You
Whenever Linda goes out with her 7-year-old granddaughter, they play a contest: "Who Can Make the Most People Smile?" Over time, Linda subconsciously started tuning into the kindness around her. One day, while she was in line at the drug store, a young woman with a sick, crying baby was asked to come back in 2 hours; a tear trickled down her cheek, when suddenly, an older fellow sitting on the sid... posted on Mar 8, 4021 reads

Embrace: A Solution That's Saving Infant Lives
Millions of children under the age of five die from hypothermia -- their body temperature is too low because they don't have enough fat to maintain a healthy weight. In 2008 business student Jane Chen and a small band of classmates put their heads together to prevent such tragic losses. Their work led to the founding of Embrace, a nonprofit organization that created an innovative baby wrap that co... posted on Dec 7, 4742 reads

Mizuko Kuyo: A Unique Japanese Grieving Ritual
When parents lose a child, there are rituals to mark their grief -- holding funerals, sitting shiva, bringing casseroles. But when that loss happens before birth, it often isn't marked. Sometimes, it's barely even mentioned. It's different in Japan, which has a traditional Buddhist ceremony that some US Americans are adopting as their own. Called 'mizuko kuyo', which could be translated to 'water ... posted on Oct 3, 3192 reads

Untitled
In Navajo culture, there is something called the First Laugh Ceremony. Tradition dictates that each Navajo baby is kept on a cradleboard until he or she laughs for the first time. Then the tribe throws a celebration in honor of the child's first laugh, which is considered to be his or her birth as a social being. (From: The Power of Laughter (c) Richard Lederer)... posted on Aug 20, 1101 reads

Workplace Spirituality
Baby boomers who are reaching the apex of their careers, are asking, "Is this it?" They're searching for greater meaning in their lives, a big part of which is their life at work. A Gallup poll in 2002 reported that almost 70 percent of Americans yearn to experience spiritual growth, compared with 20 percent in 1994!... posted on Dec 20, 675 reads

Service as Retirement
A recent survey of American baby boomers found that over half are interested in using their retirement to work in jobs that help improve the quality of life in their communities.... posted on Jun 22, 2283 reads

Homeless Man Writes Symphony With No Musical Training
A self-trained musician who slept rough on the streets for a decade has been hailed a genius after writing a symphony. Stuart Sharp, 67, saw a vision of the musical masterpiece in his mind after his baby son Ben died 35 years ago. He could not read or write music but the tunes were so vivid he was determined to turn the 'imaginary' sounds into a symphony in memory of his lost child.... posted on Oct 19, 5902 reads

The Woman Behind India's First Testing Kit
"India has been criticized for its poor record of testing people in the battle against coronavirus. That, however, is set to change, thanks in large part to the efforts of one virologist, who delivered on a working test kit, just hours before delivering her baby .On Thursday, the first made-in-India coronavirus testing kits reached the market, raising hopes of an increase in screening of patients ... posted on Mar 31, 5045 reads

The Divided Brain
In this RSA produced video, the world of today is explained by Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist, writer, and former Oxford literary scholar. He came to prominence after the publication of his book The Master and His Emissary, subtitled The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World. The words of McGilchrist, and the illustrative and clever graphics accompanying the audio, describe how the t... posted on Jul 2, 2104 reads

In Praise of Fallibility, Everybodyism & Confusers of Certainty
Where universalism maintains only that "all humans will be saved, whatever their sect or non-sect," essayist Amy Leach's everybodyism espouses a more playful and radical redemption for "not just all the human rascals but also all the buffalo rascals and reptile rascals and paddlefish and turkeys and centipedes and wombats and warty pigs." While Leach's admiration for Earth and its inhabitants is s... posted on Jun 21, 1992 reads

To Know The World
"I wrote To Know the World: A New Vision for Environmental Learning because I believe that we are entering an unprecedented era of global environmental change, requiring new approaches to both teaching and learning as well as emergent concepts and issues. First and foremost is the convergent tides of change--the inextricable relationships between the health of the biosphere and questions of social... posted on Oct 12, 1136 reads

Stretch Your Heart and Say What You Mean
"Join Sounds True's Tami Simon in conversation with author and teacher Oren Jay Sofer, as he shares his innovative method for productive discourse and authentic connection. In Stretch Your Heart and Say What You Mean, Tami and Oren explore how contemplative practice is an essential ingredient for healthy conversations and relationships, and vice versa; three foundations for mindful communication; ... posted on Sep 21, 3510 reads

Resilient Threads: Weaving Joy and Meaning into Well-Being
Physician burnout, depression, and suicide are tearing at the fabric of our health care system, which Dr. Mukta Panda has witnessed firsthand, written about, and sought to address for years. She is a physician, speaker, and facilitator whose work seeks to transform the heart of patient care and medical education. In her latest book, Resilient Threads: Weaving Joy and Meaning into Well-Being, Dr. P... posted on May 18, 5529 reads

The Abundance of Less
"Nakamura and I were sitting there drinking tea on a winter's day at his fire pit in the middle of the floor, and the shoji screens were open. We were looking across the valley; the snow was clinging to the cedar boughs, and the wind would come up throwing these sheets of powdered snow into the air. Mist was hiding the branches of the trees, and then revealing them. It felt like a Chinese ink pai... posted on Aug 19, 1903 reads

IntraConnected: Discovering MWe (Me + We)
"We may have a mental understanding that all of life is one inseparable whole, yet how do we actually feel into this reality? And how do we relate to others and the world from this felt awareness? Dr. Daniel J. Siegel is a visionary creative thinker, professor, and founder of the field of interpersonal neurobiology. In this podcast, Tami Simon speaks with Dr. Siegel about his book IntraConnected: ... posted on Mar 10, 2414 reads

Why Do We Not Sing These Things as Miracles?
"You will say to me that time passeth, that What Was is now only memory, that we cannot reclaim or resurrect that which is inarguably past, but I am going to quibble about this, and quiz and question you hard and close, for I dont even have to shut my eyes and it is six in the morning, long ago and right now, far away and right here, and it is snowing heavily, and there is a silvery shiver to the ... posted on Mar 11, 2127 reads

Relational Neuroscience & Art: A Love Story
"I want to tell you a love story. It spans 20 years. A woman exploring tide pools was approached by a 24-legged sunflower sea star who came out of the sea grass, touching her shoe and exploring her pant leg. The woman fell in love with that beautiful creature, and it changed her life forever. The woman is me, an artist, psychotherapist, and student of Relational Neuroscience and Interpersonal Ne... posted on Sep 26, 3297 reads

Nick Cave: Loss, Yearning, Transcendence
"Here are some experiences to which Nick Cave gives voice and song: the "universal condition" of yearning, and of loss; a "spirituality of rigor"; and the transcendent and moral dimensions of what music is about. This Australian musician, writer, and actor first made a name in the wild world of '80s post-punk and later with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. He also underwent public struggles with addic... posted on Dec 6, 3482 reads

Marie Howe: On Matters of Life and Death
"Marie is the kind of poet whose accomplishments are too many to mention, so I'll keep it short and say that she's the author of four collections of poetry, the recipient of a Guggenheim, and a former poet laureate of New York. While in that role, she made it her mission to make poetry as ubiquitous as a Gap ad, and she succeeded in bringing poetry to the streets and the subways of New York. And s... posted on Mar 23, 1946 reads

Lost Together
"Love is what we are all looking for in life, isn't it? To love as our true selves and to be loved for who we truly are. Yet so many of us struggle to be our authentic selves, so we end up being unable to connect deeply with others. We most often interact with the world from our roles and our persona. This film explores how one person is learning how to become free to be herself. Like Siti Nur Ima... posted on Sep 15, 1564 reads

Your Brain on Art
"We now know that working on an art project for forty-five minutes can reduce stress by 25 percent and that just one art experience per month can extend your life by ten years. That playing music increases synapses and gray matter, enhancing learning. That the vibrations of a tuning fork can create sound waves to counteract anxiety. That new technology like virtual reality can provide cutting edge... posted on Oct 23, 1996 reads

Songs of Trees
Just how much is in one tiny patch of forest? Biologist and author David George Haskell found himself visiting the same square meter of forest again and again over the course of a year, and then many years since. "When we walk into a forest, we're not walking into a place that is full of separate interacting individuals ... We're walking into a living network, a place where every creature exists o... posted on Jan 7, 5247 reads

John Toki: Earning It
"There’s always a lot one won’t learn about someone, especially those not asking you to focus on them -- and John Toki is one of those people. ... It must have been twenty-five years ago and I was purchasing some clay ... The little store had been around for decades and it seemed that every potter and clay artist in the [area] knew the place and felt at home there. ... As no one was wa... posted on Apr 7, 1075 reads

Behind One Mother's Whimsical Fairy Forest
Therese Ojibway wanted to be able to "find things" with her son, who has autism, in their walks on a local forest trail in Millburn, New Jersey. She built and placed tiny fairy homes in the nooks and crannies they could "discover" together. As time went on and she added more and more homes, it became known as the Fairy Trail and loved by locals. "She thought this was a dynamic way of getting littl... posted on Apr 28, 1680 reads

Milan Rai: The Butterfly Effect
"One day I was thinking, and suddenly, I noticed this tiny butterfly in my studio. I was drawn to it and managed to capture it. I'd heard a Native American proverb that said if you capture a butterfly and whisper your wish and let it go, it will take your wish to the greater spirit and your wish will come true. So I made a wish and without expecting my wish to come true, I just let it go. That was... posted on Jun 14, 4953 reads

Finding Hope in Hopelessness
In a time of uncertainty and increasing grief, suffering, aggression and violence, Margaret Wheatley proposes we release our hope of an outcome, walk without a vision of the future, and let hopelessness be our companion. In our insecurity, self-doubt, and groundlessness, we can orient our soul, spirit, and heart to transcend the experienced world and anchor ourselves in faith. The value, rightness... posted on Dec 26, 19581 reads

We Contain Multitudes
"It's possible to be a person with all of a multitude of experiences all at the same time. You can be a kid barely removed from a trailer park with an illiterate grandfather and disruptive mental illness in your family and go to Duke and study Shakespeare and build a successful career and eventually go to New York City and take a company public as a CEO. I actually think we would be better served ... posted on Mar 9, 9324 reads

Seven Generations of Love
"The ranch, it turns out, is no ordinary ranch. It is a 13,000-acre property nestled next to Laramie Peak that Mark's grandfather bought in 1945. It is made up of hills and valleys, meadows and creeks, plains and buttes, caves and waterfalls. Sage and cheat grass cover the ground, and pine trees spring up near the hills. Giant granite boulders give way to cliffs and streams. All kinds of wildlife ... posted on Mar 7, 8392 reads

The Courage Way: Leading and Living with Integrity
"Leadership demands courage. You have to make good decisions while balancing inevitable tensions and knowing when to take risks. You need to keep your values in sight regardless of the pressures around you. At its core, leadership is a daily ongoing practice, a journey toward becoming your best self and inviting others to do the same. And that's where The Courage Way comes in. It's a guide to lead... posted on Jul 22, 6160 reads

Connecting Individual & Societal Change
"Disaster relief workers, activists, social entrepreneurs, health-care providers, teachers, and others actively weaving the healthy, just, and caring fabric of our society live and work at the heart of great challenges. But even as these change makers find solutions and make progress, many are burning out and experiencing a host of personal challenges such as depression, divorce, and the early ons... posted on Oct 13, 1214 reads

Our Evolutionary Leap
"In this podcast, Lynne Twist joins Sounds Trues founder, Tami Simon, to discuss the challenges and opportunities now facing humanity...they also talk about our unique place in time and the emerging new approach to business; the Pachamama Alliance and the prophecy of 'The Eagle and the Condor'; tapping the wisdom of 'grandmother energy'; Buckminster Fuller and creating a world that works for every... posted on Mar 12, 3008 reads

Tyson Yunkaporta: Humans as a Custodial Species
"You don't need to believe in ghosts to balance spirit and live the right way in this world. You can use any metaphor you like--for example ego, id, superego and persona. Frontal lobe, monkey brain, neo-cortex and lizard brain. Athos, Porthos, Aramis and d'Artagnan. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Malfoy. Monkey spirit, Pig spirit, Fish spirit and Tripitaka. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Whatever stories... posted on Nov 8, 1458 reads

My Wish For Humanity
Learning to love takes time, sometimes a long time. Sometimes we feel crushed and like we can't rise up again, but Antoinette Pienaars wish for humanity is for all to know that we are never completely dead inside. Life can begin again. Mother Nature teaches us the truth of our resilience and is there to help us. In this film, she wants humanity to remember these words: Open your heart like a flowe... posted on Jan 20, 2028 reads

Giving Up on Your Dreams
"Perhaps being prudent in dreams also comes down to having a sound sense of self. By rejecting the expectations imposed by others, you can devote time and effort towards what truly works for you, such as growing stout and taking up track and field. Such is the case for the Somali ostrich, soundest and heaviest of all living birds. Not needing to train his pecs for flight means that every day becom... posted on Jul 10, 2694 reads

Love's Work: Gillian Rose on the Value of Getting it Wrong
""There is hardly any activity, any enterprise, which is started with such tremendous hopes and expectations, and yet, which fails so regularly, as love," the humanistic philosopher and psychologist Erich Fromm wrote in his classic on the art of loving. In some sense, no love ever fails, for no experience is ever wasted -- even the most harrowing becomes compost for our growth, fodder for our comb... posted on Jul 14, 2501 reads

Michael Nye: Images & Voices on the Edge of Revelation
Wherever he travels, Michael Nye carries an antique 8x10 camera and a voice recorder. He has been aptly described by National Public Radio as "part reporter and part anthropologist". His projects have taken him to Iraq during the first Gulf War, refugee camps in Palestine, as well as Siberia, China, Morocco, and Mexico. His documentaries, photography and audio exhibitions, "Children of Children --... posted on Jul 20, 2584 reads

The 8 Kinds of Humility to Help You Stay Grounded
"I'm wary of those who counsel deferential or pious humility to contain and admonish those who have strong opinions and perspectives. For example, the stereotype of humble Asians and Asian Americans acts to silence important messages that are quite critical to our time of change and distress. To be bold and not "humble" per se risks being called "arrogant" or "difficult to deal with." I think it's... posted on Sep 13, 5495 reads

Today You, Tomorrow, Me
"In 2010, Justin Horner was driving down a busy freeway in Portland, Ore., when his tire blew out. He pulled over to the side of the road and made a sign that said he needed help. Three hours later, a van finally pulled up. Out came a family of four. They were Latino, and their young daughter acted as translator between her parents' Spanish and Horner's English, so that they could work together to... posted on Feb 4, 2674 reads

14 Engineering Challenges
Throughout human history, engineering has driven the advance of civilization. From the metallurgists who ended the Stone Age to the widespread development and distribution of electricity and clean water, to automobiles and airplanes, radio and television, spacecraft and antibiotics, computers and the Internet, engineering has made incredible strides. For all of these advances, though, as the popul... posted on Feb 21, 4335 reads

In the Pursuit of Happy
"Happiness is defined as a sense of well being, a feeling of joy or delight, and a state of balance and contentment. However, it is easy to confuse intensity, pursuing pleasure, and thrill seeking with joy, delight and contentment. The qualities of happiness include having a sense of freedom to make choices; being loved and giving love; acting in kind and compassionate ways; and seeing life in a c... posted on Nov 3, 9981 reads

Free Tea and Company: Ten Years And Counting
For Guisepi Spadafora, offering people free tea has been at the center of a decade-long journey that has changed both his life and the lives of others. In his early twenties, Guisepi wanted to meet interesting and genuine people, but he wasn't finding them in the usual places. He decided to go somewhere unusual instead and parked himself on Hollywood Boulevard. Using a camp stove beside his truck ... posted on Jul 7, 0 reads

How Nature Resets Our Minds and Bodies
"Nature restores mental functioning in the same way that food and water restore bodies. The business of everyday life -- dodging traffic, making decisions and judgment calls, interacting with strangers -- is depleting, and what man-made environments take away from us, nature gives back. There's something mystical and, you might say, unscientific about this claim, but its heart actually rests in wh... posted on Mar 12, 16546 reads