The Group That Builds the Future Together

Developer Jonathan Rose and physician Prabhjot Singh each published books infused with systems thinking in 2016. Rose’s The Well-Tempered City: What Modern Science, Ancient Civilizations, and Human Nature Teach Us About the Future of Urban Life offers a model for how to design our cities in ways that increase the equality, resilience, adaptability, and well-being of its residents. Singh’s Dying…

The Unfolding Story of the Universe

In their Journey of the Universe project—which includes a film, book, and website—philosopher Brian Thomas Swimme and historian of religions Mary Evelyn Tucker attempt to tell the biggest story ever told: the history of the universe. Through a compelling blend of scientific facts and humanistic inquiry, they move from exploring the formation of the galaxies, stars, planets, and evolution of…

Getting the Next Generation to Fall in Love with the Planet

The first 25 years of my career as a journalist focused on ways to foster sustainable human progress centered on science illuminating the biological and geophysical interplay of people and the planet. But over and over, I came to realize that decisions about addressing, or ignoring, environmental risks were shaped more by communities’ basic needs and individuals’ perceptions than basic…

The Urgent Need to Slow Down

Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert and Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard talk about environmental destruction and what it means to be alive during humanity’s greatest crisis.

More Than Mindfulness: An Interview with Norman Fischer

Last week, during “Mindful Lawyering: A Meditation Retreat for Law Professionals and Students” at the Garrison Institute, we caught up with retreat leader, poet, and Zen Buddhist priest Norman Fischer. Earlier this week, Fischer participated in our event “Mindfulness and the Art of Aging,” as part of the “Garrison Talks at the JCC” series in Manhattan. We spoke about mindfulness,…