years ago I moved to the heart of the Navajo Reservation in northern Arizona. I was a graduate student, working on my PhD at the University of Illinois, and I wanted to live for a while among the People, the Dine’, to find out what research for my dissertation would be most helpful to the tribe. Within a few weeks, I fell in love: in love with the incredible landscape of red sandstone cliffs and mesas that was as different from the Midwestern rain and black soil as if I had moved to Mars. And in love with the magnificent people and the way they welcomed me as family. So I dropped out of my doctoral program and decided to stay in Navajoland. I needed to provide something in ret... posted on Feb 11 2017 (20,119 reads)

of us walk through our lives feeling so certain of what we hold to be true; then along comes a crisis – like cancer – and sud­denly all bets are off. But I’m a good person, so God will heal me… God doesn’t give us any more than we can handle… Everything happens for a reason… A positive attitude is every­thing… Cultivating gratitude is the only way to experience peace… If you haven’t said such platitudes to yourself, you’ve undoubtedly heard them countless times from others. While these statements of faith may have seemed true at another time and place, right now, in these cir­cumstances, they ju... posted on Feb 15 2017 (13,958 reads)

victory of Brexit in the UK has provoked a confrontational atmosphere, characterised by some as a growing gulf between left-leaning pro-Europe liberals and groups of poor and disenfranchised people voting against the ‘establishment.’ The former accuse the latter of prejudice and/or ignorance. The latter see the former as elites who don’t understand their situation and are reluctant to oppose the status quo. Prejudice and self-interest are likely part of the picture on both sides. But binary decision-making processes like referendums reflect positions on one issue at one point in time, not whole people with complex lives. Simplistic versions of eve... posted on Feb 17 2017 (12,337 reads)

United States prides itself on being a beacon of innovation. But there has been a substantial dive in the nation’s creativity in the last few decades, according to research by educational psychologist KH Kim, author of the new book The Creativity Challenge. Kim has tested more than 270,000 people, from kindergartners to adults, looking at (among other things) their ability to come up with original ideas, think in a detailed and elaborative way, synthesize information, and be open-minded and curious—what she considers creativity. Her research has found that Americans’ creativity rose from 1966 to 1990, but began significantly declining after then. An... posted on Feb 21 2017 (13,856 reads)

time you leave home, Another road takes you Into a world you were never in.   New strangers on other paths await. New places that have never seen you Will startle a little at your entry. Old places that know you well Will pretend nothing Changed since your last visit.   When you travel, you find yourself Alone in a different way, More attentive now To the self you bring along, Your more subtle eye watching You abroad; and how what meets you Touches that part of the heart That lies low at home:   How you unexpectedly attune To the timbre in some voice, Opening in conversation You want to take in To where your longing Has pressed hard enough Inwar... posted on Feb 23 2017 (52,996 reads)

students are driven by a need to belong. In classroom environments where the need to belong is thwarted, however, young people may grasp for power and prestige rather than learn how to form authentic connections. We all know students who try to fit in in negative ways: bullying, striving to be “cool,” buying in to peer pressure, or conforming to negative stereotypes. They typically lack the necessary social-emotional skills to form healthy, supportive relationships and do not understand that these behaviors obstruct rather than satisfy the need to belong. This can produce a fear-based classroom atmosphere that impedes learning. We can intentionally design classroom comm... posted on Feb 26 2017 (21,713 reads)

I was working on The Art of Possibility—a book about changing one’s story rather than battling the world as it appears through the lens of that story—I used to go on weekends in fall and winter to a cabin south of Boston to do the writing. The cabin is on a pond, in front of a cranberry bog, and surrounded by acres of conservation land. It provided everything I needed to get my work done: freedom from interruptions, a relaxed atmosphere, beauty, and quiet. As I looked forward to my very first weekend in my recently purchased hideaway I was extremely excited. I was going to spend three days in an environment in which nothing would disturb my concentration. That ... posted on Feb 27 2017 (14,524 reads)

the conclusion of Valarie Kaur’s Jan. 4 electrifying keynote address at the College Conference at Montreat, the tandem lines on either side of Anderson Auditorium were at least ten deep with students all but on fire to have her respond to their questions. In fact, “fire” was an operative word for Kaur, an American interfaith leader, lawyer, filmmaker, Sikh activist, and founder of The Revolutionary Love Project based at the University of Southern California. She had so galvanized the conference by charging her listeners “to have the courage to walk through those flames of hatred and bigotry and rage, and love anyway,” that attendees were eager to stay well... posted on Mar 10 2017 (13,150 reads)

was a 344-page book that set Sherry Riva on the path to launching Compass Working Capital, a nonprofit that provides financial services to struggling families, in 2005. “Assets and the Poor,” by Michael Sherraden, argued that poverty is a problem of wealth, not just income, and its message resonated with Riva, who had already logged a decade working with low-income women and their families. “If you think income is the problem, then your solutions are income-based,” says the Boston-based entrepreneur. But social safety nets like welfare, food stamps and housing subsidies don’t help families build wealth. In fact, many programs geared toward those with ... posted on Mar 2 2017 (13,226 reads)

has a popularity rating most teenagers can only dream of. Her main Facebook page has more than 160,000 likes. Her musings about life with her two dads in Ontario, Canada, draw thousands of comments. And while she can’t take selfies, her photos get forwarded around the world. Here’s Esther cuddling with Shelby, one of her two canine roommates. Esther stretched out on the couch. Esther rooting through the laundry. One picture shows Esther sitting in her kiddie pool. The caption reads: “The hardest decision I want to make today is piña colada or strawberry daiquiri.” But Esther the Wonder Pig does more than make people laugh. Evidence of what her human guar... posted on Mar 3 2017 (22,466 reads)

an award-winning film on Liz and the transformational work of the Equinisity retreats. Brilliantly shot, and documenting a group of retreat attendees from the time of their arrival to the end of their stay, "Herd" poignantly captures the light and shadows of individual journeys and the gentle miracles that unfold between the people, the land and the animals. It has always been second nature to Liz to transform her love into art -- not just through words but also images. In addition to writing, producing the film, managing the retreats and caring for her animals, she has been a published artist for over 25 years, and her subjects include protected wildlife are... posted on Mar 9 2017 (16,929 reads)

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 world’s largest and most-awarded audio communications agency, Elias Arts.  It's from this uniquely intuitive and empirical place that he stands against the conventional economic thinking that businesses exist simply to make a profit. Scott’s work is a force for bringing out the very heart and soul of business.  By des... posted on Mar 16 2017 (8,128 reads)

some years ago David Milarch hovered above the bed, looking down at his motionless body. Years of alcoholism had booted him out of his life. An inexplicable 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 to today, and Milarch is now the keeper of a Noah's Ark filled with the genetics for repopulating the world's most ancient trees. Founder of the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive he is on a mission to restore the lungs of the planet -- a mission that now reaches close to 300 mi... posted on Mar 23 2017 (29,720 reads)

in the footsteps of his grandfather, Anthony Chavez wants to make difference in the lives of young people. "What I want to tell the youth is that their voices do matter that they can start making change now," Chavez says. He is the grandson of César Chavez, who formed the United Farm Workers union and led the Farm Workers Movement in California in the 1960s, fighting for civil rights while promoting nonviolence. "I remind students what my grandfather said, 'We don't need perfect political systems, what we need is more perfect participation,’" Chavez has said. Anthony, the oldest son of Socorro and Paul Chavez, César'... posted on Mar 22 2017 (10,861 reads)

that amount of food provided to the cubs was reduced gradually. This was done to compel the cubs to interact with prey species for hunting and reduced their dependence on keepers. Finally, after one year, the cubs were radio-collared and released in the forest. After that, locals reported sightings of a spotted cat with a collar but Dr Choudhary wanted to know for sure if the rehabilitated cubs had survived. A year later, after a long wait, installed camera traps finally captured images of a collared clouded leopard. As the collars are meant to fall of after a year, there were no further sightings but Dr Choudhary remains hopeful about their continued survival. He says, &... posted on Mar 25 2017 (15,050 reads)

1978 In honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.’s memory we also acknowledge non-violence as a truly powerful weapon to achieve equality and liberation, in fact, the only weapon that Christians who struggle for social change can claim as their own. Dr. King’s entire life was an example of power that nonviolence brings to bear in the real world. It is an example that inspired much of the philosophy and strategy of the farm workers’ movement. This observance of Dr. King’s death gives us the best possible opportunity to recall the principles with which our struggle has grown and matured. Our conviction is that human life is a very special possession given by... posted on Mar 31 2017 (18,716 reads)

article was originally published in October 2015 Photo: Justin Pumfrey/Getty Images This week, the Cut is talking advice — the good, the bad, the weird, and the pieces of it you really wish you would have taken. If there is one piece of advice I give regularly to my friends, it is this: “Just talk to him!” Or her, or them, or whomever. I’m constantly advising my friends that their problems would be more quickly and efficiently solved were they to just say something to the person currently stressing them out. And, probably, this works. I wouldn’t know, as it’s something I rarely do myself. It’s one thing to give advice t... posted on May 30 2017 (7,955 reads)

two lives saved twice as good as one life saved?” I asked my friend. He thought about it and said, “Yes, from a 30,000 feet view, that seems reasonable, but something about it doesn’t sit right.” What is it about reducing a life to a number that feels uncomfortable? Time Jump: 1922, Munich German Middle School The teacher walked into the class and nodded. The class stood up and took the oath they recited daily before beginning lessons, “I was born to die for Germany.” As they took their seats, the teacher noticed  one boy still standing. They locked eyes, and the boy found his voice, “I think I was born to live for Germany,&r... posted on Mar 27 2017 (11,365 reads)

Vanderkam is the bestselling author of multiple books on productivity and time management, including I Know How She Does It, 168 Hours, and What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. She recently joined Leah Weiss, a professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, writer, and consultant who specializes in the application of mindfulness to workplace environments, for a Heleo Conversation on incorporating mindfulness into our day-to-day lives. This conversation has been edited and condensed.  Laura: Could you talk a little bit about what you mean by mindfulness and purpose? Leah: Mindfulness is a term that is be... posted on Apr 1 2017 (14,972 reads)

forms. The challenging part is that this is not yet the norm and there’s a risk of falling into the comparison game by measuring success based on extrinsic factors. For example, I made the decision to veer away from image-based marketing and focus on content-based outreach, like this interview. That has reaped rewards for our community, as we have a diverse set of bodies coming in the door everyday. When I hop on Facebook, though, it can be challenging to scroll through my feed and see images of sexy yoga poses and packed classrooms, and not fall victim to the frailty of the ego. This is where a personal practice is of supreme importance. As teachers and studio owners, we must maint... posted on Apr 21 2017 (10,164 reads)