Sangha of Auspicious Companions

May 7, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

How We Can Change Our Minds

The study of neuroplasticity is changing the way scientists think about the mind/brain connection. How can we use scientific discoveries linking inner experience with brain function to effect constructive changes in everyday life? How does the brain change as we influence each other? How can we re-shape our brain to become more open and receptive to others? New evidence is showing that the mind can control the brain’s chemistry, which means refocusing the mind literally reprograms the brain, giving us more control over our lives. { read more }

Be The Change

Today, see if you notice any recurring thoughts which might warrant re-evaluation.

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May 6, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Harvesting Water, Out of Thin Air

The African Namib beetle has found a distinctive way of surviving. When the morning fog rolls, it collects water droplets on its bumpy back, then lets the moisture roll down into its mouth, allowing it to drink in an area devoid of flowing water. What nature has developed on it’s own, Shreerang Chhatre, an MIT graduate student, wants to refine, and help the nearly 900 million people worldwide that live without safe drinking water. But how much water can you possibly get from air? In some field tests, in just a day, fog harvesters have captured one liter of water per square meter of mesh. { read more }

Submitted by: N. Verma

Be The Change

Stuck on a problem? Look to nature for a clue, and learn more about the emerging design discipline of biomimicry. { more }

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May 5, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Secrets from 17 Years of Silence

In 1971, after the devastating 800,000-gallon oil spill in the San Francisco Bay, John Francis, then a young man, pledged to never ride a motorized vehicle again. Two years later, he added voluntary silence to his vow, spending 17 years in silence as he walked the world and became known as The Planetwalker. The first words that he spoke again were in Washington, D.C., on the 20th anniversary of Earth Day. In 2009, Francis, by then a National Geographic fellow with a Ph.D, told his remarkable story in the candid and deeply inspirational Planetwalker: 22 Years of Walking. 17 Years of Silence. { read more }

Submitted by: CF

Be The Change

Try listening twice as much today. Try a day in silence.

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May 4, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Simple Philosophy of the World’s Oldest Man

Walter Breuning had a deceptively simple philosophy that he lived by for 114 years. And it was these ideas for living that appeared to be his secret to a long life. “Every change is good.” “The more you do for others, the better shape you’re in.” “We’re going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die.” Learn more about the world’s oldest man. { read more }

Be The Change

Consider the simple philosophies that are a part of your world. What will sustain you?

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May 3, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Intelligence That Transcends the GRE

Was Albert Einstein a wise man because of his intelligence? Did Mother Teresa’s spirituality make her wise? These are the type of questions that UC San Diego researchers are trying to answer in a new study that attempts to define the abstraction we call wisdom. According to their findings, wisdom is not limited to a high IQ quotient or moral righteousness, but is a form of advanced cognitive and emotional development based on experience that can be learned and increased with age. They found that wisdom is a uniquely human characteristic defined by six prominent qualities: general knowledge of life, emotional regulation, insight, helpfulness to others, decisiveness and tolerance of different values. { read more }

Be The Change

Cultivate your wisdom, by practicing one of the six traits listed above.

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May 2, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

30 Years of Work Bears Fruit

Thanks to decades-long effort, the variety of fruit-bearing shrubs and trees in Wattles’ common areas is staggering: bananas, mangos, papayas, nectarines, apples, guavas, key lime, dwarf tangerines, olive, figs, Oro Blanco grapefruit, Washington navel oranges, blood oranges, persimmons, pomegranates, Chinese pear, cherimoya, peach, apricot. The list of multicultural delights goes on and on. As head of the tree committee, Thomas and a team of eight are responsible for feeding and pruning the trees and harvesting and distributing the fruit. { read more }

Be The Change

Find innovative ways of sharing the ‘fruits’ of your hard work with others.

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May 1, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

When a Homeless Man Used Twitter

A few folks in New York City wondered what it’s like to be homeless. So they gave four men cell phones and Twitter accounts to help them share their stories with the world. For Daniel Morales, these gifts would change his life. Three weeks into the project, Morales used the social neworking tool to find his 27-year-old daughter, whom he hadn’t seen in over a decade. After posting his cell phone number and a photo of her when she was 16, a stranger saw the message and the next day, Morales got the call he’d been waiting for. “Just to find my dad after 11 years…I don’t even know how to feel right now, I’m just very, very happy.” { read more }

Be The Change

Reach out to someone you haven’t seen or spoken with in a long time. Let this person know how much she or he means to you.

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April 30, 2011

a project of CharityFocus

Portraits of Hope

In the world’s largest garbage dump, Artist Vik Muniz finds beauty in resilience, art in compassion. Returning to his native Brazil, he finds himself along the outskirts of Rio de Jeneiro, amidst the garbage pickers of the Jardim Gramacho landfill. Determined to help, Muniz creates wildly creative, intimate portraits of the garbage pickers to sell back in New York. All the money earned goes to his subjects. “Think about what you are going to do when you get out of Jardim Gramacho,” he tells one woman from behind the camera lens. Her hard stare cracks into a smile. { read more }

Be The Change

Make an extra effort to recycle and reduce waste. Here are ten easy ways: { more }

DailyGood is a volunteer-run initiative that delivers “good news” to 106,147 subscribers. There are many ways to help. To unsubscribe, click here.

Other CharityFocus projects include:

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