In association with hhdlstudycirclemontreal.org
Archive for September, 2011
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Video of the Week
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Sep 30, 2011 |
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Power of One
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| Sunday, October 2 marks both the United Nations’ International Day of Non-Violence and the birthday of one of its biggest proponents: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This week we pay tribute to the concept and the man by re-introducing out subscribers to the “Power of One.” We honor the values and practice of the nonviolent civil actions that changed a nation — and indeed, the world. |
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Two things awe me most, the starry sky above me and the moral law within me.
– Immanuel Kant –
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Runner Carries Competitor Half a Mile
When high school cross-country runner Josh Ripley heard the screams of a competing runner, Mark Paulauskas, Josh knew he needed to help. While other competitors in the race ran by, Josh stopped to see what was wrong. In the first mile of a 2-mile race, Josh found Mark holding his ankle and bleeding profusely. Worried that Mark had punctured his Achilles heel, Josh carried the wounded runner for a half a mile to get him to his coach and parents. After making sure Mark was in good hands, Josh jumped back into the race. “I didn’t think about my race, I knew I needed to stop and help him,” Josh said. “It was something I would expect my other teammates to do. I’m nothing special; I was just in the right place at the right time.” { read more }
Be The Change
Surprise another participant with kindness the next time you find yourself in a “competition” — at work, school, or in play. |
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There comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now.
– Wangari Maathai –
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She Planted Ideas — and 35 Million Trees
“The planting of trees is the planting of ideas. By starting with the simple step of digging a hole and planting a tree, we plant hope for ourselves and for future generations.” Visionary, human rights advocate, environmental activist Wangari Maathai passed away on 25 September 2011 from cancer. She leaves behind a legacy of “firsts,” including being the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. Her organization, the Green Belt Movement, has planted over 35 million trees, and now works internationally to empower communities in protecting the environment and promoting good governance and cultures of peace worldwide. This 3 minute video shares her work and vision. { read more }
Be The Change
Read Wangari Maathai’s Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech. { more } |
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To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.
– Henry David Thoreau –
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To Affect the Quality of the Day
“Either way, there I am with recently-turned-eight year old Neha under the Coral Jasmine tree; I reach over and shake the trunk gently and she tilts her head up and watches the white sudden swirl of blossoms falling like stars, like snowflakes with an expression of perfectly mingled awe and delight (my day is Made in that moment). And then we both bend to the sweetly-scented task at hand. I find myself wondering with a faint twinge of apprehension and amusement — what Neha is going to say — I don’t want the conversation to wander from this magical to the mundane just yet — and in some admittedly silly way I want to ‘protect’ the sacredness of this space from small-talk. ‘Do you like Mother Teresa?’ Neha’s question asked between blossom-picking is matter-of-fact and sans preamble. ‘Yes’ I answer — somewhat startled — and intrigued by her choice of conversation threads.” A beautifully-told everyday story about tuning in to small moments of wonder, joy and connection. { read more }
Be The Change
Affect the quality of your day — invite wonder, joy, and connection into moments today. |
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There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.
– Edith Wharton –
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Why Collaboration is Risky — And Worthwhile
“Why is teamwork so difficult? Because collaboration is actually a pretty risky business. Perhaps, like me, you are generally of the mindset that two heads are better than one. But because your ideas frequently get co-opted, there’s a risk-reward imbalance that makes you reluctant to engage. Or maybe you’ve reached out to a potential collaborator only to have your lack of expertise exploited. So, rather than ever again experiencing the one-two punch of ignorance and vulnerability, you’d prefer to soldier on alone. In both instances, the fundamental barrier to collaboration is a lack of trust. How do we lay the groundwork for trust so that when we need to collaborate we can quickly slip into a workable partnership? Based on my experience, here are a few suggestions.” Whitney Johnson shares her insights. { read more }
Be The Change
Take a “risk” — collaborate on something that you usually handle alone, but that might just be better achieved with someone else. |
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The only gift is a portion of thyself.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson –
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6 Ways to Boost Your Helping Habits
“Just last year, a survey of 4,500 American adults showed that 73 percent agreed that “volunteering lowered my stress levels,” 89 percent reported that “volunteering has improved my sense of well-being,” and 92 percent agreed that volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life. These benefits are available even — or perhaps especially — to those in the midst of crisis. A recent study by my colleagues Stephanie Brown and Dylan Smith found that people who’d been widowed recovered from depressive symptoms more quickly if they helped others. And research led by Maria Pagano has found that alcoholics who helped others during chemical dependency treatment were more likely to be sober over the following year.” Stephen G. Post, a professor of preventive medicine, shares his suggestions for boosting our helping habits. { read more }
Be The Change
Dr. Naomi Rachel Remen offers a different and insightful perspective on the difference between helping, fixing and serving. { more } |
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We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more.
– Anne Sophie Swetchine –
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The Flip Side of Your Signature Strength
“As an executive coach interested in exploring what drives people to successes and failures, I have worked with hundreds of ambitious people including business executives, sports legends and Nobel laureates. One key discovery I made repeatedly over the last fifteen years is that there is a common driver to the successes and failures of the people I studied. I call this driver, the ‘Signature Strength’ and its downside, the ‘Core Incompetence’. A signature strength forms in a person when a certain competence matures in a person due to his nature and/or nurture. I found that the initial successes produced by the signature strength make people mistake a particular manifestation of the strength for the strength itself. They then convert that manifestation as a success formula and apply it to all of their goals. When this behavior continues indiscriminately, it becomes a Core Incompetence.” { read more }
Be The Change
Reflect on where your own strengths might subtly be becoming weaknesses. |
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The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds.
– Theo Jansen –
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Wind Powered Art
Beautiful art can inspire a person to see life in a totally new way. Theo Jansen is the Dutch creator of what he calls “Kinetic Sculptures,” where nature and technology meet. Essentially these sculptures are robots powered only by the wind. Amazingly, these machines are made completely of recycled items. The ‘stomach’ of the sculpture is made with retired plastic bottles that capture the air pumped by the wind. To harness the wind, Jansen employs bicycle pumps, plastic tubing and rubber rings! Witness beauty through ingenuity in this short video. { read more }
Be The Change
Watch Theo’s TEDTalk on the development of his art. { more } |
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Video of the Week
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Sep 23, 2011 |
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Elephants Never Forget
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| After years alone in captivity Shirley is reunited with an elephant she knew 25 years earlier. This short clip presents itself as an elephant reunion, but at it’s core lies a deep and beautiful lesson in love. Watch in the first few minutes as Solomon James (Shirley’s keeper of 22 years) says goodbye. Those few moments of film capture a depth and meaning of true love that no explanation ever could – truly amazing. |
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“I was six years old and in foster care. My foster mother was not the kind of person I would have chosen to stay with. One morning she sent me to the store for a sack of flour. On the walk back home I was doing what any six year old would have been doing — playing. Because of that I dropped the sack of flour and it burst open spilling the flour all over the ground. I knew that this meant I would be in big trouble when I got home. A driver saw the distress on my face and pulled over. He came over to me and asked what was wrong. I told him that I would probably get the beating of my life if I went back without the flour I had been sent for. He took me by the hand and led me back to the store where he bought me a new sack of flour – and some candy! Then he wiped my tears and sent me on my way home. I never told my foster mother about the kind gentleman but Iâm twenty-three years old now and I still remember him and his kindness.” –Hasifa
Sangha of Auspicious Companions 