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 (18,715 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)

Rhonda Magee is a faculty member at the University of San Francisco law school, an expert in contemplative pedagogy, the President of the Board of the Center for Contemplative Minds in Society, and a teacher of mindfulness-based stress reduction interventions for lawyers and law students. She has spent her career exploring the interrelationship between law, philosophy, and notions of justice and humanity. Having grown up in a segregated North Carolina, Magee developed an early interest in racial and social justice, as well as a deep sense of spirituality and inner work - both aspects of her personal life that profoundly inform her daily work. In this Awakin call conversation, with ... posted on Jun 1 2017 (14,424 reads)

Pradervand has worked for decades in personal development and social justice. His career includes work on nearly every continent. He is the author of The Gentle Art of Blessing: A Simple Practice That Will Transform You and Your World, in which he posits that making the conscious choice to bless every person or being around you can truly make a world of difference in yourself and in others around you. Drawing from his own personally transformative experience while engaged in international development work, through which he converted to joy his own resentment (that “was literally eating me up”) by consciously blessing his detractors, Pierre shows that the pra... posted on Apr 7 2017 (16,082 reads)

a poem is, Arthur goes looking in the pantry, only to hear the noodles sigh that there is no poem there. He searches in the closet and under his bed, but the vacuum cleaner and the dust balls have no poem, either. Determined, Arthur continues his search. He runs to Lolo’s bicycle shop. Lolo knows everything, laughs all the time, and is always in love. He is repairing a tire and singing. So begins the wonderful meta-story of how poetry comes into being as a tapestry of images, metaphors, and magpie borrowings. Each person along the way contributes to Arthur’s tapestry a different answer, infused with the singular poetic truth of his or her own life. Lolo offer... posted on Apr 12 2017 (18,358 reads)

father who left before she was born.  Relocating with her mother and uncles as refugees from Vietnam to Canada as a young child.  Growing up in an overcrowded household.  Gangs.  A scholarship to the prestigious engineering program at the University of Waterloo.  Systems engineering jobs at some of the world's most prestigious technology corporations.  A diabetes diagnosis after nearly bleeding to death.  A recommitment to health, and a Kickstarter campaign to learn to cook and share it with the world.  A return to Vietnam as a foodie and blogger, and a newfound sense of purpose as a traveling food writer and published author.... posted on Apr 20 2017 (13,662 reads)

people who know me best know that at heart I am just a quiet gardener. My garden has probably taught me the most about how things grow - and thrive in a vibrant and sustainable manner. These lessons have shaped my approach to encouraging responsible growth in business and to the ways I apply my intention, attention and energy. A gardener sees the world as a system of interdependent parts - where healthy, sustaining relationships are essential to the vitality of the whole. "A real gardener is not a person who cultivates flowers, but a person who cultivates the soil." In business this has translated for me into the importance of developing agreements and partnerships whe... posted on Apr 26 2017 (12,330 reads)

following article is based on an Awakin Call interview with Teri Delane.You can listen to the recording of the interview or read the full-length transcript here. Founder and principal of San Francisco’s Life Learning Academy, Dr. Teri Delane says that the success of the school that serves the city’s highest-risk, highest-need students can be replicated.  The school tracks a 99% graduation rate with 85% of the students going on to college.  The kids that do so well here are the kids with histories of school failure, truancy, arrest and substance abuse.  The ones that traditional school settings can’t provide for. Having the right people ... posted on May 15 2017 (9,717 reads)

Pranis learned about peacemaking circles through her work in restorative justice in the mid-1990s.  Her initial teachers were First Nations people of Yukon.  Since her initial "accidental" exposure to indigenous people's use of peacemaking circles, the circle has become the center of all of Kay's work: "The circle became a way for me to see how humans can live more successfully with each other and the natural world, balancing group and individual needs and gifts," Kay says. "The circle became a way to move to a kind of world that I want to live in." What follows is the edited transcript of an Awakin Call interview with Kay P... posted on May 17 2017 (22,329 reads)

Ponce is a 16-year-old animal rights advocate and a citizen lobbyist from Casselberry, Florida. He is the founder of Lobby For Animals, the Coordinator for Fin Free FL, and founder of Harley’s Home, which is used as his school-based animal rights club. A vegetarian at age of 4, he began writing about animal rights at the age of 5.  Soon after, Thomas’s parents realized that his advocacy for animals was not a phase, but a way of life. “I feel that it is our responsibility as both citizens and human beings to use our minds, hearts and voices to speak up against the injustices we see in the world,” explains Thomas. What foll... posted on May 22 2017 (18,976 reads)

haven’t discovered what hasn’t already been discovered. The ancestors before us meditated on these things…I think the problem [with humanity] is obvious. We fall short…we can do better. I wouldn’t be in the world doing what I do if I didn’t think we can do better. Three to four houses had recently burned down in Tommy Joshua’s North Philadelphia neighborhood. In an empty lot behind his home, Tommy came to figure out the origins. The youth of the neighborhood used that space to hop around on the furniture, play with the debris, and kick the wood.  One Wednesday afternoon, Tommy was on the second floor of his home and heard commoti... posted on May 8 2017 (9,842 reads)

three constraints. We wanted to: 1) Show a celebration of love and respect for women  2) Tell the daily stories of women and 3) Do it all within a low budget.  These three aspects aligned in the idea of holding an art exhibition where the strength, courage and generosity of women of all generations could be displayed through art, making it festive -- by inviting the community to come and celebrate those paintings, and using post-production tricks to dive into some of the images (zoom in), and tell three unique stories of three different women (a mother, a wife and a grandmother). Q: Are there any inspiring stories from the process of composing the bi-lingual lyrics... posted on May 14 2017 (13,830 reads)