Sangha of Auspicious Companions

Broken Things to Bold Ideas: Edinburgh’s Festival of Repair

In the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland, the International Book Festival returns with a theme as old as time yet as urgent as the morning news: “Repair.” This year, the festival becomes a crucible for “mending what’s broken-in society, the environment and ourselves,” as Festival CEO Jenny Niven eloquently explains. With 641 writers from 35 countries, the event is a tapestry of voices weaving tales of reconciliation, environmental reverence, and personal healing. From the Japanese art of kintsugi that breathes beauty into brokenness to geopolitical dialogues that confront global dissonance, the festival asks us to confront discomfort and embrace conversation as a salve. The theme of Repair whispers the truth that fixing the fractures of our world begins in the imagination, asking each participant to return ready to stitch their own communities with newfound threads of empathy and understanding.

Be The Change

Engage in a local “repair café” or start a small gathering with friends or neighbors where you share skills to fix broken items.

Adoption in the Animal Kingdom

Marat, a foal, was born as a result of a “decades-long commitment to saving the endangered Przewalski’s horse, which over the last 15 years has progressed remarkably well.” However, he became critically ill, and had to be transferred to a medical center. The separation led his mother to reject him – “a behavior not uncommon among wild horses after separation.” In the Minnesota zoo, another mare, Alice, had lost her newborn and with the help of the zoo, the owners introduced the foal to Alice. “From their first meeting, Alice accepted Marat as her own, nuzzling him gently and allowing him to nurse. The two have formed a heartwarming bond.” Once declared extinct, “fewer than 2,000 Przewalski’s horses exist today, making each foal born in human care critical to the species’ survival.”

Be The Change

Explore ways you might contribute to caring for creatures in need.

World Champion of Doing Nothing

In a world constantly buzzing with activity, a unique competition challenges participants to do absolutely nothing for 90 minutes. Born from the creativity of Korean artist Woopsyang in 2014, the Space-Out competition advocates for a break from relentless productivity. Over the hour and a half, dozens of contestants work hard to do nothing; they aspire to win by being the one with the steadiest heart rate, which is measured by judges every 15 minutes. Denis Kwan Hong-Wang, a winner in Hong Kong last October, shared, “Though it was a ‘space out’ competition, I was doing the opposite: actively practicing mindfulness.” During those precious minutes, it’s about observing, not reacting, and finding peace in pure stillness. The experience suggests that, amidst our hectic lives, taking a moment to be, rather than to do, is not only a relief but a necessity. For the winner, a trophy based on Rodin’s The Thinker is a daily reminder to embrace these nourishing pauses.

Be The Change

Set aside 10 minutes each day to sit in silence, observing your breath and thoughts without judgment.

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How 20 Women Revived a Dying Forest

In the heart of Kerala, India’s western mountains, twenty remarkable women are rewriting the story of ecological resilience at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary. Without any formal training, these women have nurtured over 2,000 native plant species, reviving a dying forest and attracting a symphony of wildlife back into their care. “Nature can come back. But only if we stop the processes of destruction,” remarks Suprabha Seshan, an educator at the sanctuary. This isn’t just conservation; it’s a deeply personal journey of transformation and hope. Today, under the leadership of Laly Joseph, who started as a young recruit nearly forty years ago, the team’s quiet dedication has turned the sanctuary into a “Noah’s Ark for plants,” offering a blueprint for patient, loving restoration in a world desperate for quick fixes.

Be The Change

Set up a small garden in your community or home, using native plants to support local biodiversity and create a sanctuary for both flora and fauna.

This Week’s DailyGood Digest

This week, a series of uplifting stories emerged, each one weaving a tale of transformation and unity from the most surprising places.

In the heart of Paris, the soulful melodies of the Thanda Choir have transcended borders, captivating audiences worldwide and garnering millions of online admirers. In a high-stakes blend of nature and technology, the California red-legged frog finds a glimmering lifeline as AI strains its digital ears, bridging a 260-mile gap in their historic range. Anton Haig’s journey from golf prodigy to a man of resilience is a testament to the complexity of redemption, as he rebuilt himself from the ground up, proving victory off the course is the truest win. In Goodyear, Arizona, a police officer and a mechanic teamed up to help a homeless mom, their small acts of kindness bridging the chasms of hardship. In Ethiopia, paleoanthropologists are rewriting history with their discoveries, as local scholars reclaim the narrative of humanity’s origins. The Sonic Heritage project invites us to reconsider the poetry of sound, offering an auditory passage into realms often subsumed by tourism’s clamor. Bhawna Dehariya’s ascent to Everest, with a toddler on her hip, challenges narratives about women’s roles, proving that ambition and care are intertwined paths. Each story this week is a reminder of the transformative power of human spirit and the unexpected beauty found in perseverance.

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Unlikely Amazon Allies: Ocelot and Opossum

In the lush depths of the Peruvian Amazon, a surprising friendship between an ocelot and an opossum has astonished scientists. Ocelots are commonly known to prey on opossums, but multiple video recordings, spanning four years and different regions of the Peruvian Amazon, found these two creatures defy normal prey-predator roles by strolling together like old pals. It’s a captivating partnership, pushing our understanding of interspecies relationships and drawing parallels to the famous camaraderie between North American coyotes and badgers. This unexpected duo hints at nature’s complex tapestry, illustrating that unlikely alliances are not only possible but perhaps beneficial. Dr. Isabel Damas-Moreira, a senior researcher, notes, “This discovery was accidental. It reminds us how important it is to observe closely – because nature is often more complex than we think.”

Be The Change

Take a moment to observe the world around you, recognizing the unexpected connections and relationships in your environment.

Priceless Note Left on a Receipt

Katie Miller, a 25-year-old restaurant server, experienced the profound impact of a kind interaction when a couple left her a heartfelt note on their receipt after their meal. Unbeknownst to Miller, this was the couple’s first outing since their daughter’s unexpected passing. Miller’s simple compliment about the woman’s hair brought them a much-needed smile, showing how a seemingly mundane conversation can bring unexpected comfort. “You will never know what it means to us,” the couple’s note read. Miller’s story went viral on TikTok, underlining how basic acts of kindness can profoundly affect others. The incident has sparked numerous similar accounts from others, highlighting the shared human experience of connection and empathy.

Be The Change

Compliment a stranger today and offer a genuine smile, keeping in mind that we often do not fully know what someone may be going through.

Takin’ My Time: the Power of a Pause

In a world consumed by speed, distractions, and pressure, hip hop humanitarian Nimo Patel invites us to slow down and embrace the beauty and power found in a pause. Through a stunningly playful music video created in collaboration with musician Daniel Nahmod and filmmaker Ellie Walton, the singers reminds us that ‘taking my time’ is not about idleness, but a mindful choice to savor life’s moments, nurture relationships, and align with purpose. Nimo himself is no stranger to the power found in taking a pause. With his early adulthood spanning MTV rap stardom, high-paced Wall Street life, and founding an animation startup, a gnawing sense of emptiness led him to return to his ancestral roots, which found him meditating in the mountains of North India and surfacing a path of service through the performing arts with children in the slums and communities around the globe. His journey is a testament to a life transformed by listening to inner whispers and flowing in the spirit of humanity. Enjoy this latest music video that captures the colorful spirit of takin’ our time.

Be The Change

Today is Nimo Patel’s birthday! Send him a note of appreciation by sharing how you took your time today or what “takin’ my time” means for you in life: