The Spirit of Gift
A gift. It is a simple gesture of care. Like an open palm, it is an invitation to connect ... But can it be more than that? Can gifts restructure our monetary system? In a recent interview, teacher and writer Charles Eisenstein shared insights from his own journey with a gift-economy. His unique journey includes the raising of three kids, the writing of three books, going broke, facing his fears a... posted on Aug 18 2012, 17,869 reads

Global Warming: A Case for Inner Change
"Alarming data and warnings about climate change have been with us for twenty years. The issue has morphed into something like a low-level toothache. [...] If human nature is to evolve, a new set of assumptions would look something like the following: Human life isn't set apart from life on earth. We must live in balance with Nature. Consumerism isn't unlimited and doesn't lead to happiness. Toxic... posted on Aug 17 2012, 17,848 reads

The Man Who Planted A Forest
The year was 1979 in Assam, India. Floods had washed a great number of snakes onto a barren sandbar. When Jadav "Molai" Payeng -- then only 16 -- found them, they had all died. "The snakes died in the heat, without any tree cover. I sat down and wept over their lifeless forms." Then he dried his tears and asked forest officials if they could plant trees in that area. When they told him nothing wou... posted on Aug 16 2012, 79,210 reads

The Measure of Meaning: Visiting Wendell Berry
"One of my favorite moments was when Wendell said that he is a member of two organizations: 1) The Slow Communication Movement and 2) The Preservation of Tangibility. He noted that anyone can join these and added with a grin, 'Actually, I think I founded them.'" In this beguiling article, a young singer-songwriter, describes the pilgrimage she took with three friends and a baby to visit Wendell B... posted on Aug 15 2012, 14,478 reads

Around the World in 40 Places
Every community needs a commons where people can gather as friends, neighbors and citizens. This can be a grand public square, a humble Main Street or a vacant lot with a few handmade benches where locals sit down for conversation. Or even a bridge, beach or bus station. Project for Public Spaces, a New York-based group compiled a comprehensive catalog of more than 600 of the best public spaces ar... posted on Aug 14 2012, 17,221 reads

How to Be Happy: The Fine Print
Most of us want to be happy and stay that way, and research from positive psychology has shown that making a habit of certain day-to-day activities -- like expressing gratitude, exercising, or performing acts of kindness -- can help us get there. But few researchers have considered how to identify an activity that's best suited to your particular personality and lifestyle. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a pro... posted on Aug 13 2012, 24,819 reads

Inflatable Bag Monster Art
Before seeing the work of street artist Joshua Allen Harris, most people wouldn't have considered the artistic possibilities of subway exhaust. Fortunately, Harris had: using only tape and garbage bags, he creates giant inflatable creatures that become animated when fastened to a sidewalk grate. Check out this amazing short video of what can be done to brighten others' days with a little serendipi... posted on Aug 12 2012, 4,558 reads

5 Books to Inspire Innovation
The human brain is a few pounds of pale pink jello inside the skull. It's also the wondrous source of consciousness and creativity, the place from which our emotions and insights emerge. The following books look at the mystery of the creative mind from many different angles. They investigate the quirks of human nature and the science of beauty, the importance of stories and the necessity of invest... posted on Aug 11 2012, 11,670 reads

Little Ellie & the Olympian: The Kindest Race Ever
He's a world record holding sprinter from South Africa who is known as "The Fastest Man on No Legs." She's a spunky little girl from Essex, England. In an inspiring series of images that have recently gone viral, the two strangers, united only by a stubborn refusal to let double amputations stop them, race each other in a friendly bionic foot race. The following article shares more about Olympian ... posted on Aug 10 2012, 70,655 reads

Dakota 38: One Filmmaker's Ride of a Lifetime
"I remember Silas telling us about meeting a Native American elder who talked about a dream he'd had, an important dream, one that he'd tried to ignore. But finally he understood that the dream had to be re-enacted. There would be a ride of Native Americans on horseback, over 300 miles across the Dakotas in the dead of winter, a healing ride to the place where 38 Native Americans had been hung dur... posted on Aug 09 2012, 4,466 reads