A Monday Washington Post article discusses what appears to be a good news front moving in: cases of swine flu are diminishing and several economic indicators are shuffling in the direction of "up." Along with these changes, there's a dramatic shift in optimism, much of it centered around the president.

So has one man really made a difference? In a way, yes. Optimism and confidence are contagious. And once people are confident, they are in a better position to help themselves.   Read more...

Ubuntu is an African concept of coexisting with other people, of compassion, of responsibility to other people. Although it's not as widespread in the US, for example, as the Christian concept of charity, it crops up now and again, frequently in interesting places (such as the name for a linux interface). Watching this Global Oneness video is a good way to get a handle on the concept and appreciate this wonderful aspect of African culture.   Read more...

When I need to think, I think out loud. Silent reflection is a lonely interior affair, whereas saying one's thoughts audibly splits the self into speaker and listener and turns monologue into dialogue. Nor is any dialogue quite so enjoyable as a dialogue with oneself.   Read more...

Living in Japan, I'm amazed by the bonsai displays of local people who keep their collections as a hobby. One of my favorites is a treasure trove of about one hundred chrysanthemums in the yard of an older gentleman. Some of the plants stand close to five feet tall and have one massive bloom each. Other varieties are short and dense and have been shaped to look like colorful clouds.

Out for a stroll one day, I noticed the flowers looking more robust than ever. My neighbor was bent over inspecting the leaves of a large, blooming chrysanthemum, and I finally decided to strike up a conversation.   Read more...

When Marc Stephen's wife went into labor suddenly, he simply googled "how to deliver a baby" and found instructional videos on YouTube. He then helped deliver their fourth child, safe and sound. Of delivering a baby for the first time, without doctors, nurses or midwives, he said: "The videos gave me peace of mind. I think I would have coped, but watching videos made things much easier."

The whole episode is a rather stunning example of the incredible ability of humans to cope with emergencies. Admittedly, humans have been giving birth long before modern hospitals or drugs existed, but even so, I'm impressed at the confidence of a man delivering a baby for the first time after watching a few online videos. I'm also impressed at the trust of his wife.   Read more...

The evolution and transformation of the universe, what Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry called "Cosmogenesis" in their book relating the story of the universe, proves more compelling than the guesswork that comprises our previous mythos.

That mythos has much to teach us about ourselves, but its lessons only become comprehensible against the backdrop provided by the investigative and historical sciences. Brian Swimme's various DVDs and CDs, especially the "Powers of the Universe" set, found at www.brianswimme.org, intensely and thoughtfully relate what we've learned about whence we came and where we might go together if we wake up to the wonder and the challenges of our steps not only to an ecology of mind but an ecology of mindful coevolution.   Read more...

This book is a gem. Whether you’re new to the notion and practices of holistic medicine and body/mind/spirit consciousness, or a forty-year veteran, Jesse Dylan’s new book, The Good Life, deserves a place in your library and consideration as a perfect gift for a friend or loved one. It is a comprehensive, clear and highly accessible compendium of both the most fundamental wisdom and the latest state-of-the-art knowledge, that promote personal health, happiness and peace.   Read more...

War Child is aanwezig op alle dertien Bevrijdingsfestivals in het land om met de actie Laat kindsoldaten niet schieten op sportieve wijze aandacht te vragen voor de situatie van kindsoldaten wereldwijd.   Read more...

What is the connection between an article in Ode magazine and a gala concert at the Victoria Hall in Geneva, Switzerland with an audience of over one thousand five hundred people and more than five hundred and fifty performers on stage?

Inspiration. See what an Ode article can do.   Read more...

The LivinginPeace Project seeks to bring together the elements of travel, permaculture, art and education into a sustainable business model that is self-sufficient, energy efficient, environmentally responsible and socially empowering.

The project includes a backpackers' hostel (www.rongobackpackers.com), a motel complex (www.karameamotels.com), a gallery (www.globalgypsy.com), a community radio station, permaculture farm and eco-tourism adventures. It is run by a group of dedicated, enthusiastic, positive volunteers from all over the world.   Read more...