Rumi, Grace & Human Friendship, by Tami Simon
Simon: Welcome to Insights at the Edge produced by Sounds True. My name is Tami Simon. I’m the founder of Sounds True. And I’d love to take a moment to introduce you to the new Sounds True Foundation. The Sounds True Foundation is dedicated to creating a wiser and kinder world by making transformational education widely available. We want everyone to have access to transformational tools, such as mindfulness, emotional awareness, and self-compassion, regardless of financial, social, or physical challenges. The Sounds True Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to providing these transformational tools to communities in need, including at-risk youth, prisoners, ve... posted on May 29 2021 (5,415 reads)

The Way of the Nomad, by Wakanyi Hoffman
than a decade ago, I packed up our wedding gifts, a new baby, and a career in a suitcase. The sum of my childhood and young adult life was shipped from my homeland in Kenya to my husband’s in Ohio. What I didn’t know then was that I would be signing up for a life measured in terms of time and distance, away from friends and loved ones. That first move signaled the start of a modern nomad’s life, which was recently captured in a painting by our 8-year-old daughter, in her attempt to document her quarantined life. It is simple a painting titled ‘The social distanced girl’ , which now tugs at my heartstrings, speaking volumes about how my little girl ... posted on Jun 5 2021 (4,746 reads)

Echoes of the Invisible, by Jesse La Tour
resident Steve Elkins has spent most of his adult life as a musician and filmmaker. His first feature documentary “The Reach of Resonance,” which took him ten years to complete, won the prize for “Best Film Essay” at Montreal’s International Festival of Films On Art. Elkins has recently completed his latest film, “Echoes of the Invisible,” which took him literally around the world and into the lives of scientists, monks, artists, and journalists to explore the search for silence in an increasingly noisy world. Steve Elkins in Tuva. I caught up with Steve recently (before the coronavirus pushed us all indoors) at Dripp Coffee in do... posted on Jun 27 2021 (6,956 reads)

Returning to the Village, by Hang-Mai and friends
those of us who live in urban areas, what does returning to a life in the village really mean? What is the impulse that moves folks to reverse the direction of migration of their recent ancestors to the city? What can living on the land, growing your own food, and using your hands to make clothing and shelter offer souls hungering for a real connection to the Earth? Here, Hang Mai, a Vietnamese natural farmer and social entrepreneur, who together with her partner Chau Duong mid-wifes those wanting to make this transition to the village, reflects on this question. I belong to the baby-boomer generation in Vietnam after the end of the war in 1975. My generation experienced the difficult... posted on Jul 8 2021 (3,622 reads)

Ceasing to Be Caught in the Waters of the Mind, by Tami Simon
natural state of the mind is like calm, still water, teaches Michael Singer. The practice of spiritual surrender—to “relax and release” our resistance to whatever arises in our experience—is the pathway to enjoying serenity of mind no matter what the universe throws your way. In this podcast, Michael Singer uses the analogy of an aquatic bird maintaining its balance on rough water to illustrate what to do and what not to do if we want to stay poised and upright when life gets turbulent. [You can listen to the audio of this podcast here.] TAMI SIMON: Welcome to the Michael Singer Podcast. Michael Singer is the author of two widely influential New ... posted on Dec 31 1969 (146 reads)

Re-inhabiting the World, by Fabiana Fondevila
plants that grow out of pavements have a history longer than our own. Birds communicate their news in songs and calls. Insects tunnel their way through the earth. The clouds draw the geography of the sky and the stars speak the language of light. We are surrounded by a living and vibrant universe that we barely know, and that we rarely feel as our own. On any given day, you may connect with nature at some random moment. Perhaps you take a quick look at the sky, admire the moon when it draws a perfect arabesque in the darkness, or stop to admire some blooms on a flower stall. On holiday, you may allow yourself to live a fleeting love affair with the sea, a river, or the green silence o... posted on Sep 5 2021 (4,749 reads)

Nature is a Jazz Band, Not a Machine, by Jeremy Lent
July 2021 From genetic engineering to geoengineering, we treat nature as though it’s a machine. This view of nature has deep roots in Western thought, all the way to Descartes and Hobbs, but it’s a fundamental misconception with potentially disastrous consequences, argues Jeremy Lent. Climate change, avers Rex Tillerson, ex-CEO of ExxonMobil and erstwhile US Secretary of State,  “is an engineering problem, and it has engineering solutions.” This brief statement encapsulates how the metaphor of the machine underlies the way our mainstream culture views the natural world. It also hints at the grievous dangers involved in perceiving nature in this way... posted on Sep 12 2021 (4,754 reads)

Two Simple Ways to Release Grief, by Cynthia Li
is the second in a series of articles: Enduring Wisdom in Times of Great Change. In the spring of 2013, during my decade+ journey with chronic fatigue and vertigo, I stumbled across the work of Francis Weller, a grief therapist and self-described “soul activist,” who facilitated daylong grief workshops. Though wrestling in the muddy realm of the soul with strangers was hardly how I wanted to spend one of my weekends, I imagined there were invisible, inaccessible stresses I had to contend with. Stresses that made me unpleasantly reactive instead of thoughtfully responsive. Stresses that kept me in a fearful state rather than a healing one. What is chronic fatigue, any... posted on Oct 7 2021 (12,303 reads)

Threshold Choir: An Interview with Kate Munger, by Richard Whittaker
27, 2010 Inverness, California As I drove up to Inverness on a Saturday morning a light rain fell intermittently and as I neared town, the clouds began to break up a little. Turning off Sir Francis Drake soon I was on Vision Road. Following my jotted notes, the roads became smaller and then the pavement ended. I faced a steep dirt road and wondered if the car could manage it in the rain. And where was I? The car did climb the road and it wasn't long before I was walking up a driveway hidden among the moss-covered trees.       I first heard about Kate Munger and the Threshold Choir from artist Jane Baker. Jane's stories of singing at the bedside... posted on Oct 6 2021 (6,955 reads)

Radical Self-Care for Survivors of Suicide Loss, by Nandini Murali
admit it. Self-care is hardly a priority for most people. This isn’t surprising though—we overvalue caring for others and downplay or minimize caring for ourselves. Worse, self-care is perceived as selfish or self-indulgent! What does self-care mean, and what does it involve? Simply put, it implies— physical, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual care. The very idea of survivors of suicide loss practicing self-care can seem radical. The stigma, shame, secrecy and silence that a survivor faces invisibilizes, erases and marginalizes any of their valid concerns. Equally relevant, most survivors  themselves feel they are not entitled to any form ... posted on Nov 27 2021 (4,445 reads)

The Do-It-Ourselves Revolution, by Mirella Ferraz
these trying times, ordinary people are taking matters in their own hands in extraordinary ways, confronting global problems collectively — and locally.  They’re saving lives by leaving uplifting notes in areas with high suicide rates, teaching people the importance of wild plants on the sidewalks, cleaning up roads while getting fit and connecting with others, and transforming abandoned spaces into bee sanctuaries. Indeed, these everyday people are creating a true do-it-ourselves revolution.  Saving lives According to the World Health Organization, “more than 700,000 people die by suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds... posted on Oct 28 2021 (4,159 reads)

What Almost Dying Taught Me About Living, by ted.com
was the spring of 2011, and as they like to say in commencement speeches, I was getting ready to enter the real world. I had recently graduated from college and moved to Paris to start my first job. My dream was to become a war correspondent, but the real world that I found took me into a really different kind of conflict zone.  At 22 years old, I was diagnosed with leukemia. The doctors told me and my parents, point-blank, that I had about a 35 percent chance of long-term survival. I couldn't wrap my head around what that prognosis meant. But I understood that the reality and the life I'd... posted on Nov 5 2021 (9,373 reads)

The Peacock Mosaic, by John Silliphant
easy to forget, but back in September 2020, people were stressed.  The pandemic had changed everyone’s life.  Some people were isolated; others lacked personal space.  Most people were suffering in some kind of way.  Including the kids. With low enrollment, our school, East Bay Waldorf School, in El Sobrante, CA, had closed for the year, leaving our kids school-less. We scrambled.  Teachers, now without jobs, connected together and formed backyard pods.  Our kids would meet in person, outdoors and masked – walking in the hills, and making the very best of it.  But with our 4th grade school day ending at 12:30, it didn&rsquo... posted on Nov 6 2021 (4,393 reads)

Let a Thousand Translations Bloom, by Mridula Nath Chakraborty
essay: is this the end of translation? In 399 CE, Faxian — a monk in China’s Jin Dynasty — went on a pilgrimage to the Indian subcontinent to collect Buddhist scriptures. Returning after 13 years, he spent the rest of his life translating those texts, profoundly altering Chinese worldviews and changing the face of Asian and world history. Faxian illustrated as visiting the Palace of Asoka in 407 CE, in modern-day Patna, India, in the 19th century English book series, Story of the Nations. archive.org After Faxian, hundreds of Chinese monks made similar journeys, leading not only to the spread of Buddhism along the Nirvana Route, but also opening up ... posted on Nov 23 2021 (3,514 reads)

Heart Light in Dark Times, by Ajahn Sucitto
been reflecting on the environmental crisis, and as I do, I find myself in the darkness, as I imagine we all are to some degree. And that says something, something we shouldn’t brush aside or try to make go away. This is a place for sharing truth—and the truth right now is darkness. I sometimes reflect on how I’ve been practicing meditation, morality, restraint, generosity, sharing, and simplicity for more than forty years with as much integrity as possible. I shouldn’t have to feel this bad, this hopeless, this guilty. Yet when I look at this crisis, I’m in the dark. Recently I’ve been on retreat in the woods at Cittaviveka Monastery. Back i... posted on Dec 3 2021 (4,867 reads)

Time to Shed Our Skins, by Fiona Hayhoe-Weiland
Phillip Ramakers “It’s time to shed our skins, not just confess our sins, it’s time to shed our skins, to feed the hunger within, for the paradise we have lost…” - Kira Kaipainen Nils Kercher and Kira Kaipainen are life partners and unique world musicians who take listeners on multidirectional journeys. Their music simultaneously draws listeners out into the stark realities of our greater world, while also drawing them inward into the dazzling potentials of the human spirit. Theirs is a music that believes deeply in our fundamental interconnection, and the capacity we have to heal together. They... posted on Dec 8 2021 (4,983 reads)

Love Letters to Presence: Three Poems, by Mícheál ‘Moley’ Ó Súilleabháin.
name is Mícheál ‘Moley’ Ó Súilleabháin. I am a poet from Ireland. These three poems are love letters to presence. That presence we feel when we are close to the source of this life. Gratitude, Wisdom, Determination, and Belief.  All three are excerpted from my poetry book, ‘Early Music’ (Many Rivers Press). The first poem, Turas d’Anam, means ‘journey of your soul’ in the Irish language. This piece is an invitation to grant permission to yourself. To experience a deeper sense of meaning in this life. It reimagines set backs, or conscious retreat, as a strengthening tool. This poem is an invitation to... posted on Dec 16 2021 (7,335 reads)

Love: Life's Greatest Gift, by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
in Common Ground All of us want, or need, to be loved. The need for love is one of the most basic human impulses. We may cover this need with patterns of self-protection or images of self-reliance. Or we may openly acknowledge this need to ourself or to others. But it is always present, whether hidden or visible. Usually, we seek for love in human relationships, project our need onto parents, partners, friends, lovers. Our lack or denial of love often causes wounds that we carry with us. This unmet need haunts us, sometimes driving us into addictions or other self-destructive patterns. Conversely, if our need for love is met, we feel nourished in the depths of our being. Love... posted on Dec 30 2021 (6,254 reads)

How to Support a Loved One Struggling with Mental Health, by Sahaj Kaur Kohli
one of us has mental health in the same way that every one of us has physical health. Yet despite the prevalence of mental health struggles, there is still so much stigma around them. Worldwide the leading cause of disability is depression, according to the World Health Organization, and in the US alone, nearly 1 in 5 of adults lives with a mental illness. As a mental health therapist-in-training and the founder of Brown Girl Therapy, the largest mental health community for children of immigrants living in the West, I regularly get asked this question: “How can I support a loved one who is struggling with their mental health?” With the multiple crises... posted on Jan 5 2022 (7,410 reads)

An Abolitionist's Handbook, by Nikkita Oliver
still remember the first time I answered a call from a jail. I barely heard the name, but I recognized the voice. It sounded like my father. Confused, I couldn’t figure out how to accept the call and mistakenly selected the option to disconnect. I was so upset. I immediately called my mom and asked, “Would Daddy be calling from jail?” She hesitated to respond before she reluctantly said, “Yes.” My dad, a factory worker, struggled to pay child support. Not because he didn’t try but because he didn’t make enough money to pay the court-ordered amount and make rent, his car payment, and buy basic necessities, like food, medicine, and personal hygien... posted on Mar 6 2022 (2,381 reads)