How to Cultivate Global Compassion
Paul Ekman, legendary psychologist and Professor Emeritus at UCSF, is an expert on emotion recognition and his work has been instrumental in helping us understand the universality of emotion and its place in our social lives. More recently, inspired by his exchanges with the Dalai Lama, Ekman's work has focused on applying his knowledge of emotion and compassion toward bettering human social inter... posted on Apr 24 2016, 11,481 reads

Living Reverence: There is a Spark in Everything
In a world that has been relentlessly primed to favor the myths of independence and certainty over the truths of interconnection and mystery, the practice of reverence can seem foolish and unfashionable. But no one exists independent of all others. And the vast complex of our knowledge, though impressive, is erected on the shores of an ocean of unknowns. Reverence is a glad acknowledgement of thes... posted on Apr 23 2016, 17,686 reads

The Intelligence in All Kinds of Life
"Why is the world so beautiful?" This is a question Robin Wall Kimmerer pursues as a botanist and also as a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. She writes, "Science polishes the gift of seeing, indigenous traditions work with gifts of listening and language." An expert in moss - a bryologist - she describes mosses as the 'coral reefs of the forest.' She opens a sense of wonder and humility fo... posted on Apr 22 2016, 14,597 reads

House Calls for the Homeless
In 1992, Dr. Jim Withers camouflaged himself as a homeless man to make medical visits to people living on the streets of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was shocked to find out how ill people were. In 24 years, Withers' "street medicine" has reached over 10,000 people, and his comprehensive program, Operation Safety Net, provides mobile medical vans, drop-in centers and helps advocate for insurance a... posted on Apr 21 2016, 3,509 reads

Prison Gardens: Food for Body and Soul
"Prison vegetable gardens, where inmates plant and harvest fresh produce to feed the larger prison population, are on the rise in correctional facilities from New York to Oregon. In addition to being a cost-effective food source, the gardens are seen as a way to save money on healthcare for prisoners struggling with diabetes, hypertension, and other ailments. But the gardening itself provides oppo... posted on Apr 20 2016, 11,254 reads

Unlocking Multiple Forms of Wealth
Much of today's society is designed through the lens of financial wealth, but is our world richer for it? Nipun Mehta uses that question as a springboard to make a compelling case for alternative forms of wealth that are often overlooked -- like time, community and attention. Drawing on his personal journey with ServiceSpace, as well as fascinating research and real-world examples, this inspiring ... posted on Apr 19 2016, 50,978 reads

10 Ways to Have A Better Conversation
"When your job hinges on how well you talk to people, you learn a lot about how to have conversations -- and that most of us don't converse very well. Celeste Headlee has worked as a radio host for decades, and she knows the ingredients of a great conversation: Honesty, brevity, clarity and a healthy amount of listening. In this insightful talk, she shares 10 useful rules for having better convers... posted on Apr 18 2016, 104,669 reads

The Magic Shop of the Brain
James Doty is a Stanford brain surgeon and a leading convener of research on compassion. In 1968, he wandered into a magic shop and met a woman who taught him what she called "another kind of magic" that freed him from being a victim of life circumstances. Now, James is on the cutting edge of knowledge of how the brain and the heart talk to each other -- both metaphorically and physically. This fa... posted on Apr 17 2016, 31,044 reads

An Unforgettable Meeting with a Reclusive Genius
Becoming increasingly intrigued by painter Agnes Martin, Hadi Tabatabai took a chance and sent the famously reclusive artist a small painting of his own. To his surprise, she responded warmly and extended an open invitation for a visit. A year later, he traveled to Taos, New Mexico to meet her. Here's the account of that meeting.... posted on Apr 16 2016, 14,372 reads

Generosity: The Most Powerful Animating Force of Art
Annie Dillard notes, "People love pretty much the same things best. A writer, though, looking for subjects asks not after what he loves best, but what he alone loves at all...Why do you never find anything written about that idiosyncratic thought you advert to, about your fascination with something no one else understands? Because it is up to you. There is something you find interesting, for a rea... posted on Apr 15 2016, 12,830 reads