Wherever you are in the world, a quiet—one might call it a “mindful”—revolution is taking place in education. Visit a classroom in a high school, college, university, or professional school, and you might well see students sitting quietly with their eyes closed attending to their breath. They are using an age-old contemplative practice to settle
KidSpirit Online is a free teen magazine & website for kids created by and for young people to tackle life’s big questions together. Teens share online writing, poetry, artwork, volunteer opportunities and examine their spiritual development in a non-affiliated and inclusive forum.
We invite you to delve into these PerSpectives, a concluding note on the theme of each magazine issue written by a spiritual elder.
Making Peace, Becoming Awake: Contemplative Practice in Education
- April 16, 2012
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- A Lens on Learning
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The Golden and Diamond Rules: Essential Jewels of Heart and Mind, Body and Soul
As the song goes, “Be kind to our four-legged friends,” but what about our siblings, other relatives, neighbors, friends, or mere acquaintances? Loving actions and empathic compassion are both wise and desperately needed in this violent, competitive world. Just how is it that each of us can live in such a way to contribute toward
- January 23, 2012
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- Ethics and Morality
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Who Turned Off the Lights?–When Creativity Leaves the Room
I am a writer who is most creative when I am not writing. Ideas for my novels strike when I am doing the simplest things. Taking a shower. Walking the dog. Playing Candyland with my four-year-old. The perfect idea never seems to be perfectly timed—at the picturesque café with the excellent coffee, or watching a
- November 4, 2011
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- Creativity and Imagination
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Clowning Around: The Genesis of Comic Identity, or How to Be a Goofball
People often ask comedians, “Were you the class clown?” Only a few of us can answer, “yes.” I think many comics start out not as class clowns, but as serious class weirdos, class problems and class misfits. I remember wanting to fit in so badly, just hungry for validation and attention. I didn’t want to
- July 22, 2011
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- Exploring Humor
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The Mysterious Inner World of Spiritual Peacebuilders
I have spent the last twenty-seven years of my life as a peacemaker working on the Arab/Israeli conflict. It has been a long hard road, but I have traveled this road with many amazing people. Their stories have rarely been told, as they are not ‘famous’ in the Western world that defines fame and power
Searching for Meaning with Saba Hank
I was in a new school. New teachers, new classmates, new bus route, new schedule. I was struggling. My new middle school classes were difficult enough. Having to make friends at the same time was completely overwhelming. I found myself at once isolated and confused, determined but uncertain. Worst of all was the lack of
- January 31, 2011
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- The Question of Meaning
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The Lens of Strength and Compassion
I did not set out to become an artist. I was a young college student asking questions, the difficult kind that cannot be answered in a classroom. Students like me received exposure while studying, but traditional methods of addressing new concepts and issues are not always enough. Discussions concerning international trauma in places like Croatia,
- October 11, 2010
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- Finding Your Spirit in Art
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Riding the Waves of Change: An Ancient Remedy for 21st Century Living
Finding balance in today’s hectic world is no easy task. Let’s face it: we human beings are a complex species! To live in a state of inner poise amidst the many worlds we straddle as individuals, all of which are constantly undergoing change, requires that we become expert surfers on the waves of change. One
- July 29, 2010
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- The Body in Balance
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Making Yourself Worthy
Eboo Patel is the founder and Executive Director of Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC), a Chicago-based institution building the global interfaith youth movement. I met Brother Wayne in the spring of 1997, when I was living and working in Chicago after university. Besides being a Catholic monk, Brother Wayne had a PhD in philosophy and had
- May 3, 2010
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- Rituals and Traditions
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Thriving Starts on the Inside
I love watching shows like American Idol. It is not the competition or the judging that appeals to me. It’s the passion and joy I see when people are in the moment and expressing their gift. Remember 19-year-old Joshua Allen, winner of last season’s So You Think You Can Dance? He captured the hearts of
- September 27, 2009
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- Competition and Achievement
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