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I am reflecting on an inspiring engagement in Portugal and lessons on peacemaking. The Ubuntu Fest gathering that I participated in was a celebration of Ubuntu and the African principles of connection and compassion (https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyRAXZEsjAq/?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ==). IPAV, which runs the Ubuntu Leadership Academy, works in schools to develop empathy and service …

Continue reading “Insights from Portugal on the Path to Peace (at a Time of War)”

How we can transcend the cycles of war and trauma in our world All Quiet on the Western Front is up for the best picture at the Academy Awards. It is not a happy or inspiring movie, but an important one. It sheds light on the horrors of war, tracing …

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The antidote to Fear, Inc. The state of things today is one of turmoil and uncertainty. The world we knew is being upended on multiple fronts – political, economic, and environmental. With this, there is a rise in anger and anxiety, and a drop in wellbeing. This shows up in …

Continue reading “The Secret of SMOJ”

It’s another new year. Like many other people, I’m taking stock and considering choices. Intention and action are the engine and wheels of personal change. This issue surfaced for me in the latest Matrix movie which I watched over the holidays. Without delving into the complex plot, the Matrix movies …

Continue reading “Red Pill, Blue Pill, or Purple Pill? Escaping the Matrix in the New Year”

I am reading a book on Greek mythology and the great heroes like Heracles (also known as Hercules) and Jason (of the Golden Fleece legend). Mythologist Joseph Campbell, in his framing of the Hero’s Journey, suggests that we’re all heroes of our own lives. The question is what is the …

Continue reading “The Real Heroes Amongst Us”

Long ago, I watched the first Star Wars film. The dazzling science-fiction spectacle is set in an alternate universe but Star Wars tells an old and eternal human story — about the battle between good and evil. It is a familiar narrative. The bad guys are faceless stormtroopers. The good …

Continue reading “Star Wars & Story Wars: Changing the Narrative”

Like many millions of people around the world, I watched the hit Squid Game Netflix series. At a base level, it is a gripping thriller. At a deeper level, it is an exploration of human nature and culture. I offer some reflections here while trying to avoid any spoilers.  Material …

Continue reading “If Life is a Game, Are We Playing the Squid Game?”

Disruption is the word of the day, almost every day. Things that take a long time to build can collapse quickly. Afghanistan is a case in point. And there is disruption from COVID, technological change, and disasters.  Sometimes big and catastrophic change is the result of an unforeseeable crisis like …

Continue reading “Dealing with Disruption: Of Black Elephants and Blind Spots”