the creative orientation is also contagious. Every time we see someone stepping up to accept responsibility for themselves and the world, we’re more likely to imitate their courage. Over time, these inclinations ripple through the cultures of entire communities, schools, organizations, and even countries. In this way, making the move from victim to

The act of granting personhood to a natural feature challenges us to do more of the same elsewhere. It also shows the absurdity of our conventional view of corporate power. That is, why is it that we are so willing to grant personhood to large corporate organizations, but so reluctant to grant the same status to the very land that sustains our

Force your pet to live in isolation for a few weeks and you’ll see some serious behavior problems. There’s nothing wrong with your dog. The problem is with his world.

the human organism is always being influenced by society and culture, by forces of history, habitat and the activity of the microbiome. These long body forces are so powerful and pervasive that we might well come to the conclusion that our impression of personal free will is nothing more than a neurological magic trick.

The health of the human body is ultimately dependent on the health of habitat and community. And yet, this connection is almost universally ignored in modern health disciplines where biomedical reductionism rules the day. Human health and environmental preservation are treated as entirely different fields, with miles of empty space between them.

But when you get right down to it, the thing that’s really destroying our home and our future is a story.

Mirror neurons also help us learn fundamental movement patterns. That’s why it’s so important to observe skilled role models in athletics and dance. We observe and feel their movements, which we then attempt to duplicate. Once the mirror neurons are stimulated, descending pathways communicate with the deeper limbic system, the emotional center of

She doesn’t get bogged down assigning responsibility. Her job is to exercise creative vigilance, always scanning her world for opportunities for play, humor, beauty, and art, even in the midst of “impossible” situations.

In fact, getting away from the self may well be an essential part of developing wisdom.