This week: Feb 17 was Random Acts of Kindness Day but we should practice this amazing heart-set all year long!
Kindness Pledge
The Health Benefits of a Random Act of Kindness Random Acts of Kindness Day doesn’t have to be limited to one day a year. A simple act of kindness does much more than help the receiver, studies show, and any kindness you give to others is also a gift to yourself.
Dog Saves Dog After Lab Alerts Owner to Golden Retriever Trapped in Sinkhole for Nearly a Day Wrigley, a chocolate Labrador retriever, located the other dog stuck inside a hole at Marilla Park on Saturday, according to Streator Animal Control
Birds are Remarkable and Beautiful Animals – and They’re Disappearing from Our World In the past half century, North America has lost a fourth of its birds. Earth is now a coalmine, and every wild bird is a canary
The Incredible Winners of the 2021 International Landscape Photographer of the Year Competition:
Misty valleys and magical woods win prestigious photo contest The judges chose from 4,504 entries, with photographers from the U.S and Turkey claiming medals. Here are the winning shots and shortlist favorites.
This Is The Wildlife Photo of the Year as Chosen by the Public:
An image of a frozen lake and the reflection of willow branches above the water’s icy surface has claimed the top prize in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award 2021.
‘I Didn’t Even Know This Was Humanly Possible’: The Woman Who Can Descend Into the Sea On One Breath: Scientists once thought humans could swim to a maximum depth of 30m on a single breath.
Amber Bourke has gone deeper than 70m and physiology alone can’t explain why…
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of a Song that Transcends Time and Space:
Playing for Change- Song Around The World
“The Weight,” features Ringo Starr and The Band’s original member Robbie Robertson, along with musicians across 5 continents. Great songs can travel everywhere bridging what divides us and inspiring us to see how easily we all get along when the music plays. Take a load off and turn it up!!
The Doomsday Clock Reveals How Close We Are To…Doom The clock isn’t designed to definitively measure existential threats, but rather to spark conversations about difficult scientific topics such as climate change, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, which created the clock in 1947.
The Bad Guys Are Winning If the 20th century was the story of slow, uneven progress toward the victory of liberal democracy over other ideologies—communism, fascism, virulent nationalism—the 21st century is, so far, a story of the reverse.
Plum Village, France 10:30pm 21st January, 2022 Dear Beloved Community, With a deep mindful breath, we announce the passing of our beloved teacher, Thay Nhat Hanh, at 00:00hrs on January 22, 2022 at Từ Hiếu Temple in Huế, Vietnam, at the age of 95. Thay has been the most extraordinary teacher, whose peace, tender compassion, and bright wisdom has touched the lives of millions. Whether we have encountered him on retreats, at public talks, or through his books and online teachings–or simply through the story of his incredible life–we can see that Thay has been a true bodhisattva, an immense force for peace and healing in the world. Thay has been a revolutionary, a renewer of Buddhism, never diluting and always digging deep into the roots of Buddhism to bring out its authentic radiance. Thay has opened up a beautiful path of Engaged and Applied Buddhism for all of us: the path of the Five Mindfulness Trainings and the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing.
As Thay would say, “Because we have seen the path, we have nothing more to fear.” We know our direction in life, we know what to do, and what not to do to relieve suffering in ourselves, in others, and in the world; and we know the art of stopping, looking deeply, and generating true joy and happiness. Now is a moment to come back to our mindful breathing and walking, to generate the energy of peace, compassion, and gratitude to offer our beloved Teacher.
It is a moment to take refuge in our spiritual friends, our local sanghas and community, and each other. We invite you to join our global community online, as we commemorate Thay’s life and legacy with five days of practice and ceremonies broadcast LIVE from Hue, Vietnam and Plum Village, France, starting on Saturday January 22nd. Please see our website for more details coming shortly: www.plumvillage.org/memorial
Let us each resolve to do our best over the coming days to generate the energy of mindfulness, peace, and compassion, to send to our beloved Teacher. Over the coming hours on the Plum Village website, we will publish some inspirational chants, texts, and mindfulness practice resources, to support you to come together with your local sangha to generate a collective energy of mindfulness and compassion, and create your own ceremony or session in tribute to our Teacher. As Thay has always taught, nothing is more important than brotherhood and sisterhood, and we all know the power of collective energy.
We invite you to share your messages of gratitude or personal transformation and healing on our website: plumvillage.org/gratitude-for-thich-nhat-hanh With love, trust, and togetherness, The Monks and Nuns of Plum Village.
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation | 2499 Melru Lane, Escondido, CA 92026
“This body is not me; I am not caught in this body, I am life without boundaries, I have never been born and I have never died.Over there the wide ocean and the sky with many galaxies, All manifests from the basis of consciousness.Since beginningless time I have always been free. Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out.Birth and death are only a game of hide-and-seek.So smile to me and take my hand and wave good-bye.Tomorrow we shall meet again or even before.We shall always be meeting again at the true source, Always meeting again on the myriad paths of life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Learning Leadership from a Great Master Courtesy of Moshe E and the Amare Wave: Last week, Thich Nhat Hanh died peacefully at 95 years old. Thầy, as he was known, was a Zen Master, global spiritual leader, and peace activist, renowned for his powerful teachings on engaged Buddhism and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace.
Thầy was also a model for modern day leadership, one who made love the center of his being and work. Love-centered leadership (the essence of The Amare Wave) believes, as Thầy did, in promoting nonviolent solutions to conflict and raising awareness of the interconnectedness of all beings.
His passing invites us to clarify our own guiding beliefs and principles. What are your core leadership principles? Are you willing to commit your company to total non-violence? Will you integrate the fact of our interconnectedness into your business vision?
“True self is non-self, the awareness that the self is made only of non-self elements.
There’s no separation between self and other, and everything is interconnected.
Once you are aware of that you are no longer caught in the idea that you are a separate entity.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
And-
The Profound Power of Nature:
Arizona Monsoons that will reset your state!
Thanks this week go to beloved Master Thay, Moshe E, Killu S, Nicole K, Catherine G and Bob C.
Consider paying it forward…
Love,
Neville
“We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time,
and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves.
A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes, she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.
Turning to her daughter, she asked, “Tell me, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” the daughter replied.
Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, “What does it mean, mother?”
Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity—boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her daughter.
“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?
Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?”
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hour is darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?
Here’s my hope for you: May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy. The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything—they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
As a business professional, your time and efforts are dedicated to the service of others. “Giving back” is your practice, and you often devote more time taking care of others than yourself. Given all that you have on your plate, you can feel depleted and overwhelmed, finding it challenging to operate at peak performance. Isn’t it time to do something to enhance your life and well-being, which in effect will benefit those you serve? North County Philanthropy Council (NCPC) believes in the importance of balancing self-care with care for others. That’s why we’re offering Mentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice, a new model of mentoring that brings together business professionals to guide, motivate and support each other. Please Join UsMonday, Feb 8, 20229:00 to 10:30 am on Zoomfor an informational session aboutMentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of PracticeKen Druck, Ph.D Our information session will feature best-selling author and international expert in mentorship, executive coaching and compassionate self-care, Dr. Ken Druck. Ken will share his thoughts about the magic and power of mentorship, and how we become the best version of ourselves by bringing out the best in others. ATTEND THE INFO SESSIONWhat is Mentorship 2.0? With Mentorship 2.0, you’ll be part of a cohort of 4-7 individuals from our community to brainstorm ideas, identify business resources, develop their networks, explore career opportunities and provide emotional support to each other. Unlike the traditional mentorship model that pairs a more experienced “mentor” with a less experienced “mentee,” Mentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice, connects leaders at all levels who share a common concern, set of problems or interest in a topic and who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals. It recognizes that our unique experiences are valuable and that collaboration often yields innovative solutions. As a cohort member, you’ll be making a 4-month commitment to the program (March through June 2022). Your group will be expected to meet at least four times during that period (virtual sessions until it is safe to connect in person). The logistics, where to meet and how often to meet – as well as how to measure success, will be decided by the cohort. A member of NCPC’s Mentorship Committee will serve as your group facilitator, providing conversation prompts and guidance, as needed. The relationships that develop and the benefits derived from the experience are entirely up to you and the other group members. We hope you’ll take part in the launch ofMentorship 2.0, Fostering a Community of Practice.REGISTER NOWAttending on Feb 8 is not a commitment or required, but is strongly encouraged.Please register by Feb 1. If you are interested in Mentorship 2.0 but unable to attend the information session, contact Sandra Alston at 760.729.6711 or sandra@ncphilanthropy.org. All the best, Alex Goodman Chair, NCPC Mentorship Committee P.S. Do you have friends or co-workers who you feel will benefit from Mentorship 2.0, too? Feel free to forward this invitation to them. Participation in the Feb 8 meeting is limited to 100 people, so don’t delay.
North County Philanthropy Council | 760-729-6711 | PO Box 1641, Carlsbad, CA 92018
18th Annual Nonprofit Governance Symposium- Jan 27th, 2022:
First: Getting You In The Mood with the 2021 ANNUAL NEOLOGISM CONTEST
Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternative meanings for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coffee (N.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (V.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (V.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (Adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (Adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (V.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (N.), olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (N.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (N.), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (N.), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (N.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (N), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (N.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (N.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (N.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
This week:
The New Year once started in March—here’s why For starters, January didn’t exist for the ancient Romans. Here’s how their calendar evolved into our modern system of marking time.
7 Small Joys You Should Make Sure to Add to Your Daily Routine in 2022 One of your top priorities for next year should be your own happiness. These tiny pleasures can help.
If We Can’t Come Together on COVID, These Disasters Are Next From climate change to nukes, the world is showing no signs of the cooperation we need to survive.
So How do we Ring in the New Year with a Smile?L’chaim!
It comes courtesy of the phenomenally talented Lin-Manuel Miranda on the occasion of his own wedding back in 2010. Manuel was already a rising musical star but hadn’t hit the stratosphere of fame that would come years later with his musical Hamilton. For this lover of musical theater, there seemed to be no better song to sing to his bride Vanessa than one inspired by a culture and a time far different from his own. Such is the universality of hope, and music. The joy on the faces of everyone involved is impossible to contain!
Really? A Cloud Avalanche? This “cloud avalanche” occurred near the Kapuche Glacier Lake in the mountains of Nepal this year. At that time, a group of travel companions were camping by the lake, and they took the risk of taking pictures of this rare visual feast. The white snow clouds rushed down the valley, unstoppable, instantly swallowing the mountains and hitting the lake surface.
Rita Moreno speaks with Bill Whitaker about the turmoil she went through early in her career, her 1961 portrayal of Anita in “West Side Story”, and her new role in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming adaptation of the Broadway classic:
Make-A-Wish asks boy with a critical illness what he wants. ‘Feed the homeless,’ he says. Abraham Olagbegi, 13, asked Make-A-Wish to feed homeless people once a month in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.
Miniature Horse and Great Dane Bond Over Their Similar Size and Spots, and Become Best Friends Skye the Great Dane and Hot Fudge Sundae the mini horse became friends fast after meeting at their owner’s farm in Texas
This week: May Your World Be Full of Both Thanks & Giving!
Speaking of giving, first, thanks to all of you that supported last week’s campaign for Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week.
Together we raised $111,851 in support of these critical issues facing our community.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough”:
Gratitude is simply giving thanks for the people and things in your life. Here are the ways gratitude can benefit you:1
Lower your risk of major depression, anxiety, phobias and substance misuse
Help you sleep better
Lower your stress
Gratitude can transform you in the moment. Simply think of three things you are thankful for. For example, “I’m thankful for coffee and I enjoy a cup each morning. Or, “I’m thankful for the beautiful sunset each day. When we think about things we’re thankful for, it focuses our mind on a comforting thought. The brain responds with pleasant signals throughout the body. When this happens, you can stop stress in its path. That’s something worth giving thanks for too.
The Surprising Benefits of Gratitude:
When facing as much uncertainty as we have over the last year, resilience comes to mind as an increasingly critical skill. Resilience enables us to remain optimistic amidst disruption and destabilization. But what effect does focusing on the positive have on resilience?
Instead of Asking What Are You Thankful For? This Year, Try This Every year millions of people sit around holiday tables and say what they are thankful for.
That’s great, but here is a proactive question to make the world a little better.
How to Express Your Gratitude (Without Feeling Awkward) YOU MAY ALREADY have a regular gratitude practice—mentally savoring sunsets and other everyday wonders, or even journaling about your many blessings. But when it comes to communicating your heartfelt appreciation to others, it can feel, well, kind of awkward. What if they get embarrassed—or they think you’re sucking up? What if you start gushing and come off as insincere?
And Last But Certainly Not Least, Be Grateful for our Tiny Blue Planet:
Many moons ago, a NASA space mission was leaving the solar system when, at the request of Carl Sagan, it was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and take a last series of photos of Earth across a great expanse of space. The attached video’s accompanying words spoken by Carl Sagan are even more relevant and moving today.
“I Will Never Do That Again”: Teachers Share Incidents With Students That Caused Them To Change Their Policies “This realization shook me, and I still think about that student often.”
“The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.”- G.K. Chesterton
This week:
While we invest a great deal of time trying to optimize our inner climate, as the COP26 Climate Change Conference is winding up in Glasgow, Scotland with world leaders from more than 120 countries gathering to respond to our emergent climate catastrophe, this week’s Soul Food is about helping us understand the predicament we have put ourselves in, and our role in navigating the path forward…
If time is short, just read the first article to reframe the issue and the last to have a personal plan of action.
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
How attenuated is your survival instinct?
Love,
Neville
Hidden Brain Reframes the Climate Issue Brilliantly!
Capitalism is killing the planet – it’s time to stop buying into our own destruction:
When faced with an impending or chronic threat, such as climate or ecological breakdown, we seem to go out of our way to compromise our survival. We convince ourselves that it’s not so serious, or even that it isn’t happening. We double down on destruction, swapping our ordinary cars for SUVs, jetting to Oblivia on a long-haul flight, burning it all up in a final frenzy. In the back of our minds, there’s a voice whispering, “If it were really so serious, someone would stop us.” If we attend to these issues at all, we do so in ways that are petty, tokenistic, comically ill-matched to the scale of our predicament. It is impossible to discern, in our response to what we know, the primacy of our survival instinct.
Solutions to Climate change by sector that can be taken TODAY
Project Drawdown:
Our mission is to help the world reach “Drawdown”— the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change — as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.
Thanks this week go to all preservers and protectors of our tiny blue planet. Special thanks to Dana V and Fab V for sharing Project Drawdown with me.
Please pass it forward for future generations!
Love All,
Neville
“We can’t save the world by playing by the rules, because the rules have to be changed. Everything needs to change – and it has to start today!” – Greta Thunberg
Ken Druck, Ph.D Our information session will feature best-selling author and international expert in mentorship, executive coaching and compassionate self-care, Dr. Ken Druck. Ken will share his thoughts about the magic and power of mentorship, and how we become the best version of ourselves by bringing out the best in others. 
