Sangha of Auspicious Companions

Chefs Who Left Prestigious Culinary Jobs to Cook at Nursing Homes

David Martin passionately reinvents nursing home cuisine with Harry Shen, turning stereotypes about elderly dining on their head. At St. Vincent’s Care in Melbourne, Australia, they craft meals that rival top restaurants, ensuring residents savor every bite while meeting their nutritional needs. “We want to break the stereotype that aged care food is just a lump of food on a plate,” Shen says. Their culinary creations not only delight taste buds but also spark relationships, as chefs connect with residents daily. Beyond just feeding, they’re reshaping the perception of aged care as a creative culinary pathway. With this bold mission, they’re mentoring future chefs and proving that passion knows no age limit. Together, they’re cooking up change, one meal at a time.

Be The Change

Volunteer with a local nursing home or community center and build connections while nourishing others.

The Art and Science of Rest

Rest is more than a pause from activity; it’s a necessary shift that lets you fully recharge. Imagine rest not as a luxury but as a vital part of life’s rhythm. “Rest is where integration happens,” explains Patty Freedman, highlighting how downtime enables our brains to process emotions and ideas. She outlines seven types of rest — physical, emotional, creative, sensory, mental, social, and spiritual — each of which serves a unique function in rejuvenating us. Whether it’s stretching, doodling, or simply closing our eyes, genuine rest comes when we stop chasing and simply arrive in the present. Recognizing when and how to invite these moments into our lives can transform how we function day-to-day.

Be The Change

Today, choose one type of rest practice—perhaps indulge in a moment of “sensory rest” by turning off digital notifications and relaxing in nature.

Invisible Abilities Unveiled

The India Inclusion Summit reveals a reality where the most overlooked individuals are, in fact, the leaders who are illuminating our future. Michelin star chef Suvir Saran shares how this extraordinary gathering in Bangalore transformed his understanding of dignity and courage. From entrepreneurs like Prateek Khandelwal, who turns obstacles into opportunities, to artists like Gayatri Gupta, whose talent defies societal limitations, these individuals show us that the true disability is often our own inability to see different forms of value. As Helen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision,” and Saran’s experience at the summit reminds us that inclusion isn’t about charity, but about courage and connection.

Be The Change

Start a conversation with someone whose life experience is vastly different from your own, and listen with an open heart.

Array of Deep Sea Life Is Newly Documented

Several oceanic organizations are working together to more quickly describe new species through collaborative workshops, advanced imaging, and DNA analysis. “By coupling expeditions with species discovery workshops, we compress what often takes more than a decade into a faster pathway while maintaining scientific rigour by having world experts involved,” an independent expert said. Only 240,000 marine species, about 10% of ocean life, have been formally identified out of millions. Much deep sea footage shows species humans did not know existed; nor did the species know of humans. “Each confirmed species is a building block for conservation, biodiversity studies, and untold future scientific endeavours.” “Scientists are rushing to document ocean biodiversity before climate change, overfishing and other threats erase species we don’t even know about yet.”

Be The Change

Engage your curiosity about the natural world. Learn something new about your ecosystem.

Catholic Sisters Return Land to a Tribal Nation

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration sold a two-acre lakefront property in northern Wisconsin, valued at $2.6 million, to the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa for $30,000, the price the sisters paid for it in 1966. Over the past years, the sisters have been involved in several educational, Land Back, and Land Justice movements. They are aware they can never repair the damage of the past from the boarding schools in which they participated that stripped Indigenous children of their culture. “One of the Franciscan hallmarks is to be in right relationship with all of creation, all people. And so this is another opportunity to live into that.” The Tribal President said, “This return represents more than the restoration of land — it is the restoration of balance, dignity, and our sacred connection to the places our ancestors once walked.”

Be The Change

Explore pathways in recognition of the sacred to be in right relationship with Indigenous people and place in your community.

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Has the World Become Less Grumpy?

A global survey on emotional health shows people, generally, are cheering up. “The study tracks the emotions that people experience on any given day, such as anger, sadness, laughter and enjoyment.” Numbers increased as “… nearly nine in ten said they had felt respected and more than 70% said they had smiled, laughed or enjoyed themselves.” There are many factors that influence their emotions, and “Not everyone is finding reasons to smile.” Circumstances greatly influence the responses. Poorer countries, politically unstable states, and those in war grow angrier, sadder, more worried, and less respected. “Age plays a part too. Young adults everywhere are angrier than older people; the middle-aged are the most stressed.” Not surprisingly, the highest share of enjoyment was in Denmark that also ranked second in the World Happiness Report.

Be The Change

Monitor your emotions on a given day. Perhaps that awareness will help you tap into the internal joy that does not depend upon what happens.

Tama Kieves: Being Available to Infinite Intelligence

What does it mean to truly trust yourself? Tama Kieves, a Harvard Law grad turned author, delves into the importance of listening to the inner voice of love rather than fear. Her journey from a high-flying legal career to a life as a creative and coach shows that trusting yourself isn’t always easy, but it’s crucial. As a friend once asked her, “If you’ve been this successful doing something you don’t love, what could you do with what you love?” Kieves shares practices that encourage kindness and resilience, emphasizing that personal growth happens when we open our hearts and embrace the unknown.

Be The Change

Spend a few moments each day reflecting on your dreams and aspirations, and write down what your inner voice is telling you.

The Fifth Monk’s Journey in Animal Advocacy

The journey of the “fifth monk” is a tale of four monks who realized that transforming the world required hitting every level: from direct rescue efforts to consciousness transformation. The fifth monk teaches that “skillful means” —wisdom combined with compassion — can invoke a transformational quality in systems change. “When we unite them—when our actions arise from both clear seeing and an open heart—we become skillful,” Ariel Nessel observes. In the case of food systems and animal advocacy, Nessel adapts this parable and reflects on his own journey towards more compassionate food systems.

Be The Change

Reflect on the concept of “skillful means” discussed in the article. Think of a problem you are concerned about or trying to solve. Take your next step towards it by asking how would both compassion and wisdom hold it?