A Classroom With Love At The Center
Peggy Sia has some remarkable fifth grade moments. "One morning, as we were discussing the meaning of resilience, a student recalled something his coach said to the team during a practice. The things one chooses to do that others will not do today, will enable one to do the things that others cannot do tomorrow. Such powerful words coming from that of a 10-year-old." Every day, they move her to ri... posted on Feb 27 2015, 19,267 reads

Ecosophy: Nature's Guide to a Better World
The perfect storm of crises we now face may well prove to be the challenge that drives us into our greatest evolutionary leap. Ecology cannot be made subservient to economy if we want to continue our life on Earth as a healthy, embedded global human society. In this thought-provoking article, evolution biologist Elisabet Sahtouris explores the way of Ecosophy - "the human household in which econom... posted on Feb 26 2015, 22,340 reads

The Art of Stillness
Giving up what seemed like an exhilarating life and a dream job in the heart of New York City, Pico Iyer made a pivotal decision by moving half way around the world and into the foothills of Kyoto, Japan. Gone was the hustle and bustle of a city that never sleeps, and found was a place that he felt afforded him a chance to find what he was looking for... stillness. For as Pico Iyer believes, it is... posted on Feb 25 2015, 38,308 reads

The Deaf & Blind Artist Who Never Gave Up
The story of Emilie Gossiaux, a native of New Orleans who now lives and works in New York City, is nothing short of extraordinary. At the age of 5, Gossiaux began to suffer from an untreatable disorder that caused her to start losing her hearing. Years later, in yet another cruel twist of fate, Gossiaux was in an accident that left her blind. Remarkably, she continued to follow her love of art and... posted on Feb 24 2015, 18,769 reads

5 Essential reads On Empathy
"One of the most enlivening things about exploring empathy has been the amazing response I get from people I talk to...just about everyone instinctively 'gets' the concept, even without any formal enquiry. It seems as though we instinctively feel that empathy is central to healthy, social, human life. Our understanding of empathy is rapidly developing thanks to various thought leaders elevating th... posted on Feb 23 2015, 27,752 reads

Lily Yeh: Healing Our Broken Places Through Art
Art teacher Lily Yeh started an initiative that transformed an abandoned lot in inner-city north Philadelphia into an art park. It blossomed into the Village of Arts and Humanities, which has built more art parks and gardens, renovated abandoned homes, and created educational programs, art workshops, after-school programs, a youth theater, and joyful community celebrations. Now Lily's new organiza... posted on Feb 22 2015, 25,206 reads

The Power of Story
For thousands of years stories we've heard have altered our thinking and how we engage with the world. Recently research has shed light on how this transformation takes place from inside. Using modern technology like functional MRI (fMRI) scanning, scientists are examining what effect powerful narratives have on our brains and how a story-inspired perspective might result in behavioural change...<... posted on Feb 21 2015, 22,870 reads

The Beauty Of Craft
The world is filled with a vast array of wonderful art forms - from basket weaving, pottery and dance, to calligraphy, decorative ironwork and artisan bread-making, there are innumerable ways in which people across the ages have brought head, heart and hands together in service of creativity. Enjoy this glimpse into the studios of artists and craftspeople in and around the San Francisco Bay area i... posted on Feb 20 2015, 15,507 reads

SpiritHorse: Helping Children With Disabilities Soar
Ex-telecom executive Charles Fletcher created a global network of therapeutic riding centers serving children with disabilities--free of charge. Noting that the special connection between children and horses was restorative, he wanted do more than offer feel-good pony rides. So he studied up on how to help heal and plowed his Social Security checks into launching SpiritHorse, an organization whi... posted on Feb 19 2015, 25,008 reads

Three Ways to Be a More Mindful Leader
Oftentimes people are drawn to leadership roles fueled by a deep desire to make a difference in the lives of others. But the role of being a leader comes with a price: being responsible for not only getting the best out of others, but also making sure you bring out the very best in yourself. With this in mind, Janice L. Marturano, the Executive Director at the Institute for Mindful Leadership, off... posted on Feb 18 2015, 28,263 reads