For the young, music is an intimation of life. Each sonata or concerto cracks, but does not fully open, the door to worlds not yet experienced. The violin, singing of unknown desires, stirs desire. The cymbals' crescendo resounds with heights of elation not yet relished. The bass drum booms a cryptic proclamation of great events - happening where? For the old, music is a memoir of life. The buried strata of past experience, loosened by the mysterious psychoanalysis of sound, erupt into consciousness. Sorrows and joys which played singly through time now harmonize into a grand symphonic impression of the tremendousness of living. Must not the brittle self shatter to have been poured so full of experiences?   Read more...

Click for a short meditative walk in the woods, all while sitting at your desk. Be in the moment. Being in the moment promotes balance and harmony. Whether it's done through yoga, meditation, eating slowly or listening to music, being in the moment enriches your life.   Read more...

It’s after 1 A.M. and I’ve been YouTubing again. It’s my late-night fix, along with Facebook and blogging. I’ve been using YouTube to research Positive Affirmations. In my quest I came across a great video by James Ray, who has been featured in The Secret, on Larry King Live, and on Oprah, talking about doing what you love.   Read more...

According to the Tao Te Ching, the Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. Understandably so, as words can only convey a limited meaning and only share or convey ideas which have already been experienced. What about the Tao that can be skied?   Read more...

FairMail India has officially opened its doors to teenagers of the Nagwa slum near the holy city of Varanasi, India. 24 teenagers attended the first meeting showing their interest to be trained to become a photographer for FairMail.   Read more...

International Women's Day is just around the corner (March 8th). It's an international holiday celebrating the achievements of women in both social and political fields. Women like Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Marie Curie, Susan B. Anthony and many others have changed the world for the better. Here is a selection of the many courageous women who have been featured in Ode who are still changing the world today.   Read more...

Better The World is the world’s first, effortless fundraising platform that provides people with free and easy ways to raise money for the causes they care most about. The platform unites people, companies and charities with a shared interest in a cause - with the goal of driving positive social change.   Read more...

“What’s the good news today?”, I asked the group. Seventeen blank faces stared back at me in silence. I rephrased my question. “Who’s got some good news to share?” Still no response. “No one in this room has one good thing to say about something that is happening in their life today? I don’t believe it! What’s wrong with you people?” I joked.

This is a common routine, one which I repeat in each of my fitness classes at a YMCA in New York City. You’d think the folks who gather in those classes each week would be prepared for it by now and be ready with an answer. No such luck.   Read more...

"Change is only a click away" seems to be Social Actions' goal in launching their Change the Web Challenge. Social Action has created a database of 60,000 volunteer actions that you can take on the web. The challenge is to create an easy-to-use web application that allows net surfers to use the Social Action database in creative ways. The grand prize: $5,000, with 2nd and 3rd place winners receiving $3,000 and $2,000.

Social Action already has a few applications that might get creative juices flowing: one application uses keywords in Wordpress to generate an automated list of related volunteer actions. A Firefox extension allows the user to highlight phrases and find related ways to serve. The point is to create an innovative way for people to get involved.

Need an infusion of intelligent optimism? Ode now has a presence on some of the leading social networks, making it easy for you to stay on top of all the inspiring stories that are posted on www.odemagazine.com. Be sure to join and share Ode with your friends!   Read more...