By Carol S. Pearson To thrive in today’s world, it is critical to be able to track emerging cultural stories that empower rather than limit you. One change I’ve noticed is the shift in the environmental and evolutionary sciences from a focus on “survival of the fittest” stories to narratives about ecological systems—a change that […]
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By Carol S. Pearson Ever feel lost, despairing, angry, and searching for answers? I have, and found some answers through learning how to trigger my body’s joy hormones. Dopamine rewards accomplishment: Having goals, a purpose, and actively achieving desired outcomes. Oxytocin rewards caring and belonging: Feeling connected to and supported by others; giving and […]
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By Cynthia Anne Hale, Ph.D. How can we support each other and work with hope for the future when all around us human life is being violated? Daily we hear the news of brutality around the world and in our own communities—killing, rape, kidnapping, and torture are some of the worst I know of, and […]
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By Carol S. Pearson The situation is bleak. The dark side has taken over again, the proof of which is how regimented and violent its soldiers are, and the light is being held only by a rebel band, guarded by a republic. The two great masculine heroes—Luke Skywalker and Han Solo—have lost faith in their […]
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By Carol S. Pearson Most people have no idea that the stories inside our heads determine much of what we notice in the world or how we string our observations together to make meanings of them. This suggests that stories that are invisible to us define a good deal of what we experience, so we […]
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By Carol S. Pearson Christmas is a time when many of us show our love for friends and families through presents and lovely occasions with decorations and the foods and precious traditions, old or new, from our families or friendship groups. I know that part of what I loved as a child was not so […]
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By Carol S. Pearson When I married my husband, David, one of the extra joys that came with our union was experiencing Jewish rituals. I particularly love the story of Hanukkah, which tells how, after the desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC, the Jews were anxious about how to keep […]
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By Carol S. Pearson Why is Thanksgiving week often so stressful? Feeling gratitude has been shown to decrease stress, help us feel happier, promote emotional and mental health, and foster spiritual growth. But the Thanksgiving holiday can be stressful for all sorts of good reasons that undercut the very purpose of a day dedicated to […]
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By Carol S. Pearson Although all the Abrahamic religions are monotheistic, believing in one God, there have been many times in history when their adherents, in the name of that God, have killed others who have different worship practices and beliefs. And yet, all of these three major religions have foundational beliefs in love. Jesus’s […]
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By Dori Koehler Between 1929 and 1939, the Walt Disney Animation Studio rode high on the success of its animated short cartoons. While many animation studios suffered a downturn due to the Great Depression, Walt Disney enjoyed his very own Midas touch. Of particular significance during this period are the Silly Symphonies cartoons. These shorts, […]
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