8 Fearless Questions
"What, really, is available to us if we can't save the world? What do we fund our work for? Where do we gain energy if we don't believe that we're going to be successful? How can we do our work without hope that we will succeed? There's something very interesting to understand about hope. That is, that hope and fear are one. Any time we're hopeful, we don't know it necessarily, but we're bringing ... posted on Jul 08 2013, 42,967 reads

The Morality of Meditation
Meditation is a hot trend in the arena of mind-improvement. Mounting evidence that the practice can boost memory, creativity and IQ has attracted mainstream attention. "But gaining competitive advantage on exams and increasing creativity in business weren't of the utmost concern to Buddha and other early meditation teachers. As Buddha himself said, "I teach one thing and one only: that is, sufferi... posted on Jul 07 2013, 39,267 reads

Love Books? 4 Ways to Share Them
Love books? Learn how you can share this love with others with these simple and fun ideas. From sending your books on a journey to creating a tiny library in unexpected places, these ideas offer a way to promote literacy and build community.... posted on Jul 06 2013, 26,931 reads

Mama Hill: A Gang's Worst Nightmare
This is an inspiring story of a 73-year-old former school teacher who has transformed her home into a refuge and resource center for local youth in Watts, CA. From her days of marching with MLK Jr., to raising kids as a single mom, and a long career serving in some of LA's toughest schools, Mama Hill (as she is endearingly called by her community) has a deep understanding of what urban youth need... posted on Jul 05 2013, 8,631 reads

Can Patriotism Be Compassionate?
Patriotism can be a tricky word in a world where love of one's country can sometimes be streaked with a fear or intolerance of other nations. But that's not the whole story..."When the Greater Good Science Center analyzed the results of its "connection to humanity" quiz, it found plenty of people who identified with both country and humanity. They are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, so far the res... posted on Jul 04 2013, 20,086 reads

What I Learned From 30 Years Of Watching A River
"In all the years I have spent standing or sitting on the banks of this river, I have learned this: the more knowledge I have, the greater becomes the mystery of what holds that knowledge together, this reticulated miracle called an ecosystem. The longer I watch the river, the more amazed I become (afraid, actually, sometimes) at the confidence of those people who after a few summer seasons here a... posted on Jul 03 2013, 9,910 reads

Talking It Out: Conversation Centered Leadership
"Every year, hundreds of thousands of new graduates enter the business world, eager to climb the corporate ladder. Their progress on the early rungs of that journey will often be determined by qualities like hard work, determination, knowledge and technical proficiency. But business consultants Alan S. Berson and Richard G. Stieglitz argue that those same qualities prove less helpful at higher run... posted on Jul 02 2013, 36,344 reads

Is Technology Shaping Your Life Or Vice Versa?
"Sherry Turkle founded and directs the intriguingly titled MIT Initiative on Technology and Self. She made waves with her book Alone Together; it was widely reviewed as a call to "unplug" our digital gadgets. But as I've read her and listened to her speak, I hear Sherry Turkle saying something more thought-provoking: that we can lead examined lives with our technology. That each of us, in our ever... posted on Jul 01 2013, 28,641 reads

A Story For People Who Want To Change the World
Change happens when we think differently about the stories that we hold about ourselves and others. In the case of best-selling author, Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, her approach to medicine changed when she stopped perceiving her patients as broken beings who needed to be fixed, but rather, as "an infinite number of tiny sparks of wholeness" that merely need to be restored to their complete state. In t... posted on Jun 30 2013, 66,502 reads

Lessons from Messes
"While making tacos one evening several years ago, I heard the pitter-patter of my son's toddler toes scampering toward me, paired with a hearty, mischievous giggle. I remember thinking, "I wonder what's so funny...He's been so quiet, playing all by himself." A quiet toddler? Playing by himself? For 30 minutes? I should have known better: rookie mistake. I turned to greet my then 16-month-old and ... posted on Jun 29 2013, 17,514 reads