What's Happening at
SpiritualityandPractice.com

April 3, 2020
Editors' Picks
By KidSpirit Online

April is National Poetry Month, and we are delighted to have the opportunity once again to offer poems from youth voices as part of our ongoing collaboration with KidSpirit . Today's poem is " From " by Taylor-Marie Freeman, who was 12 years old when she wrote this ode to the strong black women in her family.
By the S&P Team

We continue to add to this index of resources, with daily links from our homepage. Check out Kathy Bozutti-Jones' special tonglen practice for activists in isolation, Jelaluddin Rumi's poem about looking for the helpers and seeking mercy, our gallery of lessons about resistance from the six-year-old girl in Beasts of the Southern Wild , Frederic Brussat's ideas on embracing boredom, and more .
Practices
By Frederic Brussat

"If we can overcome cruelty, to human and animal, with love and compassion," writes global conservationist Jane Goodall, "we shall stand at the threshold of a new era in human moral and spiritual evolution." To celebrate her birthday today, you can read book and film reviews, excerpts from her writings, and quotes. View her video about COVID-19 and our call to compassion.
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

This year, Passover (Pesach) falls from April 8 - 16. Good Friday is on April 10, and Easter on April 12. May these holy days bring you support for any grieving you're experiencing and hope in the resilience of life.

More Practices : Birthday of Maya Angelou, Golden Rule Day, Birthday of Ram Dass, National Library Week, Birthday of Paul Robeson, Teilhard de Chardin Day, Anniversary of Apollo 13 Moon Mission, Birthday of Leonardo da Vinci
E-Courses
By Philip Goldberg
April 6 - May 1, 2020

Learn about the historic impact of Indian spirituality on the West. Apply the four yoga pathways to form a holistic approach to spiritual development. Discover new meditation techniques, breathing practices, and devotional chants from the yogic tradition. Explore little-known teachings that are both fascinating and useful, such as kundalini science and tantra. And take part, if you wish, in a Practice Circle, available 24/7. Read more and sign up:
By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
April 20 - May 29, 2020

The COVID-19 crisis has literally changed the landscape, with people's access to the outdoors restricted in ways that vary by locality. At the same time, our need for nature has increased : as an antidote to anxiety and stress and for the sake of health. So even if being in nature right now for you means seeing the sky out a window or appreciating all the ways that nature comes inside -- in the form of light, of wood, of water, of other creatures even if they're as small as a ladybug -- this course is for you. Read more and sign up:

Living with Uncertainty. Dealing with Disappointment. Working with Worry. Mastering the Art of Resilience. If any of these themes are cropping up in your life, these specially selected e-courses -- for as little as $14.70 with a special 30 percent discount -- can provide vital support. You get to choose your own start date and pace.
Films
Directed by Thomas Heise

By excavating correspondence, resumes, diaries, and other fodder from his prolific relatives' archives, director Heise slowly reveals the evolution and devolution of Germany through an often alarmingly intimate lens. His gifts as a prophetic voice shine daringly.
DVDs and Streaming Releases
Directed by Brent Wilson

In the era of "Doo-Wop," young African-Americans created fresh vocal harmonies under the streetlights. This rollicking and revealing documentary includes interviews and abbreviated performances by the major movers and shakers of this universally appealing music.

Books
By Earl Johnson

In weather crises, nuclear power station accidents, mass shootings, and terrorist attacks, brave and selfless individuals are needed to rescue and take care of survivors. But they need care too. From first-hand experience, the author provides coping strategies and asserts that many more first responders are needed to deal with an upswing in all forms of disasters.

More Books : Back-Pocket God, Dressed
Children's Books
By Nancy Churnin

Born in 1887 and undeterred by social standards of the time, Laura Wheeler Waring let her passion for chestnut, topaz, ebony, russet, and all the other nuances of color she could see in the eyes and skin of her family take her work all the way to the National Portrait Gallery.

Blogs
Praying the News Blog
By Micah Bucey

These concise, meaningful prayers from New York City -- currently the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic -- bless healthcare workers, faith leaders, artists, elected officials, those who are afraid, those who have died, and more.
Short & Sweet Spirituality Blog
By Frederic Brussat

A Pueblo verse reminds us to "hold on to what is good, even if it is a handful of earth." This and other wisdom in the form of affirmations, slogans, and questions convey trust, hope, and confidence in grace.
Practicing Democracy Project
By Chris Durrance and Barak Goodman

What can citizens do to protect the fragile American democracy? This instructive and inspiring film shows how voters who object to gerrymandering are fighting to end this manipulation of the people's right to fair representation.
By Lindsay McLaughlin

A reminder that the democratic value of the common good takes into account our belonging in the family of things and our need to bring to mind all that we love and hold dear, all whom we miss and long for, all that has been lost and all that still may be.

More in the Practicing Democracy Project : Birthday of Dolores Huerta , Birthday of Amy Goodman
From Our Wisdom Archive
From the Plains Tribe, recorded by Jose Hobday

This practice, first posted on Spirituality & Practice in 2005, could have been written for the circumstances in which we find ourselves now, as we seek to be gentle with our companions and friends, to affirm the value of our own lives, and to trust in the Spirit of Mystery.
A Thought to Carry with You
One of the shining lights during the COVID-19 Pandemic has been Jane Goodall, whose birthday is today. You will know her for her landmark studies of chimpanzee behavior and, more recently, for her founding of Roots & Shoots, which connects hundreds of thousands of young people in more than 130 countries as they strive to make the world a better environment for people and animals. She serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and is a strong, clear voice for nuclear disarmament.
 
We had the great honor of hearing her speak in person at the 2015 Parliament of World Religions, where she addressed such difficult issues as climate change, economic disparity, desecration of indigenous sacred sites, and nuclear stockpiles. She said, "I believe this is a time of crisis. Many feel it's a point of no return. I choose not to believe that." She suggested that if we link our clever brain -- the one that distinguishes us from chimps -- to the heart, we can foster the love and compassion necessary to make significant changes happen.
 
She continues this message of honesty blended with hope in the face of the current pandemic. In a video which you can find on this page celebrating her birthday , she speaks about acts that reflect the darker side of human nature, like discriminatory attacks on Asians and Asian Americans. But then she observes, "… there are far more stories about people caring for the sick, donating masks where they're needed, ensuring the housebound have sufficient food, reaching out -- without touching -- to those who are discriminated against. So many people during these dark days showing the best of human qualities: compassion and altruism. Let's all use the gift of our lives to make this world a better place, especially at this time."
What is one thing you can do this week that will make the link between head and heart stronger and add to the world's share of compassion? Please know that we, too, will be reflecting on this question and holding you, our neighbors and communities, and our beloved Earth in our prayers.

Blessings, 
Your Spirituality & Practice Team 
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat 
Patricia Campbell Carlson 
Sue Tracey