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Love is the highest form of acceptance. Judgment is the mechanics of non-acceptance. Some may say that without “good judgment” there would be no “discriminating wisdom” but discriminating wisdom is the process of weeding out the causes of suffering and choosing love, “the greatest good”. The mind ... [Read more] Seed questions for reflection: How do you relate to the notion that it is the momentary absence of desire that gives rise to the state of satisfaction? Can you share a personal story of a time you met desire with compassion and a satisfaction in momentary beauty? What helps you weed out the causes of suffering and choose love instead? |
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Sister Marilyn Lacey: Stirring Stories of Mercy Sister Marilyn Lacey, founder of Mercy Beyond Borders, has spent decades working with refugees in Haiti and Sudan. As part of this work, she has created opportunities for at-risk women and girls to access education and leadership training. Learn more about these heartful efforts here. During a recent Interfaith Compassion call, Sister Marilyn shared four first-hand stories of deep compassion. Watch the video here.
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Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business As a mother with young children, Betye Saar couldn't walk in protests. Instead, she began creating art as a weapon against issues such as racism and sexism. Check out this brief inspiring video about her process - including her integration of found objects. |
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She started remembering the coyotes, rabbits, deer, birds, a great pine tree, and amazing sunset orange poppies. She remembered playing with friends on a trampoline, and neighbors who lived next to the lot who brought grandkids and the best baked goods she had ever had. Turns out the lot wasn’t so empty after all. She said, “The only problem is, I didn’t realize just how much I enjoyed it until it was slowly being taken away. I think that’s the same with everything in life. Sometimes, you might not realize just how much you appreciate something until it’s no longer present.” [Read more ...] |
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Feeling called to support affordable housing efforts, churches across the United States are partnering with nonprofit developers to create rental units and homes along with other necessary community facilities. Last fall, one church shared it's plans to provide “18,000 new affordable rental and homeownership opportunities and 72 community facilities — such as adult day care, child care, health clinics, and more — on vacant or underutilized church-owned land across the country.” Read the full story here.
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Kathleen Yap was born in Singapore but moved to Taiwan and then England by the time she was 5 years old. She felt like an outsider, judged and friendless, as a child. Nature became a solace anywhere she went. "I want to show people that it's okay to be vulnerable in my love for nature. To inspire others to do the same" said Kathleen. Check out the moving video below, a tribute to the possibilities and connection possible through nature.
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Entrepreneur Promotes E-bikes In Ghana British-born businesswoman, Valerie Labi, began converting secondhand pushbikes into e-bikes during the pandemic. Four years later, there are 300 delivery riders using e-bikes in Ghana's capital, Accra, with a vision to expand the effort into additional African countries. Read the full story here.
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A Famed Cellist Played For Bison In Montana The legendary Yo-Yo Ma took his cellist to a buffalo pasture in Blackfeet lands. He was playing for the free roaming buffalo herd reestablished by the Blackfeet Tribe toward a multi-Tribal effort to restore 30 to 60 million bison in the western United States. Read the full story here.
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Me-to-We Youth Retreat in Ahmedabad + Ripples Last month a retreat was held in Ahmedabad with youth aged 18 to 25. It was an embodied head-hands-heart journey from me-to-we in the spirit of inner transformation and service. During the retreat, youth had a lot of fun singing, dancing, listening to each others’ life journeys, and participating in acts of kindness together. They also met some uncommon love warriors and had a few surprises throughout their three days together! Watch an uplifting video of highlights from the retreat here and check out this post about some ripples of kindness that emerged.
We are not merely what we do, but who we become by what we do. |
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I no longer pray— now I drink dark chocolate and let the moon sing to me. I no longer pray— I let my ancestors dance through my hips at the slightest provocation. I no longer pray— I go to the river and howl my ancient pain into the current. I no longer pray— I ache, I desire, I say “yes” to my longing. I no longer pray as I was taught but as the stars crawl onto my lap like soft animals at nighttime and God tucks my hair behind my ears with the gentle fingers of her wind and a new intimacy is uncovered in everything, perhaps it's that I’m finally learning how to pray. ... [Read more] Seed questions for reflection: How do you relate to the notion of prayer as finding an intimacy with everything? Can you share a personal story of a time you recognized intimacy with everything? What helps you feel your connection to all that is? |
