One of the most remarkable stories in the late Oliver Sacks’ posthumously published book is about Sacks’ unexpected meeting with an orangutan while visiting the zoo. It describes Sacks “”a brilliant singularity”: his ability for showing us the big fat gifts to be found in the everyday. Perfection in 274 words.
Read MoreAlex Soth and Richard Long on What Can Be Made From the Process of Moving Through the World
At his instagram, photographer Alex Soth posted a beautiful little video of a rock rolling down a path, an homage to artist Richard Long’s work, who mightily inspired an interesting view…
Read MoreThe Secret Language of Trees via Animated Drawings And Richard Power’s Wondrous Novel
Through charming animated drawings, forestry experts Camille Defrenne and Suzanne Simard explain how trees communicate with one another. Novelist Richard Powers tells it another way in The Overstory.
Read MoreJean Shin Transforms Dying Trees into a Place of Rememberance and Gathering
Artist Jean Shin transformed Storm King Art Center’s dying Maple trees into a sculpture that embodies the trees inner life and energy…
Read MoreOliver Sacks: Nature is a Therapy More Powerful Than Medication
An essay in a posthumously published book by the very wise Oliver Sacks gives a scientist’s view of the healing power of Nature and gardens.
Read MoreDept of Astonishment: Listen to The Sound of a ‘Waterfall’ Made By Millions of Butterflies
For the first 3 minutes of this video of a visit to a butterfly reserve in Mexico, naturalist Phill Torres treks and talks while he makes his way to the winter encampment of millions of overwintering monarch butterflies. Then at 3:39, a miracle happens:
Read MoreTacita Dean’s Trees: Ideas Fueled by Openness to Chance, Accident, Poetic Associations
This astonishing tree is one of a group of photographs of ancient trees in the South East of England made by artist Tacita Dean. It is the product of Dean’s unique approach, which is as wonderful as the work itself.
Read MoreAnnals of Anonymous Art: Heart Writ in Cherry Blossoms (with Haiku)
Over the days that the bright pink cherry blossoms fell like snow around Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, two hearts formed out negative space appeared. We found the perfect Basho haiku to accompaniment them:
Read MoreClouds in Art and Daily Life, ‘Their Contemplation Benefits the Soul’
At designer Pamela Hovland’s instagram, we were stunned by this image of “cloud studies” by J.C. Dahl, Norway’s greatest landscape painter. He reminded us of others who view clouds as Nature’s display of poetry…
Read MoreBeth Moon’s Photographs of Ancient Trees Under Night Skies are Magic
Inspired by studies that view trees as receivers of stellar energies, photographer Beth Moon traveled to the world’s “last dark places” to photograph ancient trees at night, in color.
Read MoreBring a Little Piece of Nature Into the Home, Heart, Day (Yoko Ono, Max Lamb)
It usually takes just a shift of orientation, or your usual route to work or the store, to work some living trees into your day and heart. Here’s some inspiration from Yoko Ono and Max Lamb…
Read MoreThis Serene Water Opera Echoes Music Made by Whales
The serene made-underwater music in Breathe, an experimental “water opera”, echoes ancient songs made by whales.
Read MoreA Lesson in ‘Right Now’ From A Tree, Stonehouse and The New Yorker
The convergence of a tree in blossom, a poem by a 13th century Buddhist poet and a New Yorker cartoon provided a stunning lesson in ‘right now’.
Read MoreA Magic Pill to Cure Stress
When my closest friend was in the hospital with a serious illness, he, the patient, was a mess; I, the caregiver, was possibly even worse for worry and fear. It was then I discovered the magic pill.
Read MoreRunning With Wild Horses (W.S. Merwin)
View this video full screen to feel like you are galloping with one of the oldest breed of horses on earth. Then read this astonishing poem.
Read More‘When Everything in the World Has Been Lost But Soon We Will Find It Again’ (W.S. Merwin)
In his poetry, W.S. Merwin expressed what lies largely beyond our conscious mind, yet there, waiting to be recognized like this about the inbetween time before spring is fully apparent,
Read MoreIn Memory of W.S Merwin: Life as Spontaneous Poetry
W.S. Merwin, one of the great American poets, passed away on Friday. We found some beauties of poems plus a practice of his that we’re going to try ourselves, in his honor.
Read MoreWrite Messages and Poems Instantly In Katie Holten’s Tree Alphabet
Katie Holten developed her Tree Alphabet to let us “translate our words into something beyond us”. Experience just that at when you type in words to her webportal and/or download her gift of a font.
Read MoreRandom Wisdom: Let’s Be Like Rivers
Occasionally, random wisdom comes unexpectedly from someone I know or strangers I’ve overheard…like this, synchronously accompanied by Milan Radisics’ remarkable photographs.
Read MoreTrees Ordained as Monks, Forest Bathing and A New Lexicon Helps Heal our Connection to the Natural World
Disconnection from nature is being recognized as the cause of widespread psychological trauma in modern life. A new lexicon and age-old practices are being used to heal it.
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