Why Happiness Is The Wrong Pursuit
"On some abstract level, we know that money and other outward signs of success won't ultimately make us happy -- perhaps because we know wealthy or famous or powerful people who are deeply unhappy -- but on another level, we don't really believe it ... or at least we don't believe it applies to us. Why do we experience such a disconnect between what we know to be true in the abstract and what we b... posted on Feb 05 2015, 36,388 reads

Using Brain Science To Transform Schools
After Sept 11th 2001, child trauma psychiatrist Pamela Cantor was hired to assess the emotional impact of the attacks on New York school children. What she discovered surprised her. "From lower Manhattan to the Bronx, most of the children I met were traumatized less by what they had witnessed that terrifying morning than by the experience of growing up in poverty," says Pamela. She found that "one... posted on Feb 04 2015, 38,212 reads

Lee Hoinacki: Conscience & Courage
Lee Hoinacki, author of four books, ex-Dominican priest, scholar and deeply connected with Ivan Illich, was a remarkable man. One example: having left academia to become a subsistence farmer he found he needed money to help his daughter. He began looking for a job, "Then it hit me, why am I trying to get one of these respectable jobs? That's the worst thing I could do! That's what I left years ago... posted on Feb 03 2015, 16,969 reads

34 Affirmations For Healthy Living
"When day-to-day life seems to revolve around providing for others, we can forget to nourish our own bodies and spirits. And yet, self-care is what empowers us to give back to the world, fully and joyfully. Start your practice by taking just a few moments each day to affirm your commitment to eat well and live a healthful life." Read on for a selection of inspiring everyday affirmations.... posted on Feb 02 2015, 69,002 reads

Wendell Berry on Solitude And Creativity's Enemies
Wendell Berry's remarkable work, What Are Humans For?, is filled with philosophical insights for the would be artist in us all. Here, Maria Popova of Brainpickings extracts some of the most poignant and moving moments from his piece, interweaving them with thoughts from Thoreau and psychoanalyst Adam Phillips.... posted on Feb 01 2015, 27,309 reads

Photographing Horses To Save Their Lives
They are the symbol of the American West -- strong, resolute, assured. And yet, nearly 150,000 wild horses are sent to slaughter each year in the U.S. Though, The Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971 was intended to protect them, an increase in cattle interests has caused their allocated territory to diminish. Until recently, their plight has gone largely unnoticed. But, thanks to t... posted on Jan 31 2015, 8,021 reads

Can Hugs Help Keep You Healthy?
When somebody says they "need a hug," it's possible that they are not just being overly dramatic or merely frivolous. According to research from Carnegie Mellon University, it turns out that people might actually need hugs to help ward off illness. Psychologist Dr. Sheldon Cohen, who headed the research, came to this conclusion, "those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infecti... posted on Jan 30 2015, 34,527 reads

9 Inspiring Quotes About The Sacredness of Seeds
"Essential to survival, seeds have profound spiritual implications. For centuries the planting of seed in the earth not only nourished humanity, but also symbolized the mystery of life and the journey of the soul. In our current supermarket lifestyle of pre-packaged products, far removed from the cycles of planting, we have nearly forgotten this mystery. Now as the integrity of the seed is threate... posted on Jan 29 2015, 39,889 reads

The Difference Between Education & Training
"The root word of education -- educare -- means to lead forth a hidden wholeness in another person." These are the words of Rachel Naomi Remen, whose course, the "Healer's Art," is now taught in half of American medical schools and seven countries around the world. Her words remind us that competence and completeness are each held within the other, and that we are already enough.... posted on Jan 28 2015, 34,903 reads

The Forgiveness Of Unforgivable Acts
As a child, Sujatha Baliga experienced repeated abuse at the hands of her own father. The deep pain and trauma of her experience would spur her towards victim advocacy. She enrolled in law school determined to become a prosecutor and help punish the perpetrators of such crimes. But a personal crisis in India followed by a serendipitous sit-down with the Dalai Lama himself, changed everything. "Ho... posted on Jan 27 2015, 44,375 reads