Spirit in Action

I ran into Olivia Chalkley through an article of hers featured on the website of the Center for Action and Contemplation called A Home for My Loving Action , and I determined I needed to have a deeper visit with Olivia. It turns out that she has explored deeply and worked widely in the not-so-many years she's been on the planet.

We've got Chuck Collins with us here again today, sharing from his new book, Burned By Billionaires , a deep look into the damage to the entire world, and almost all Americans, of the soaring epidemic of wealth inequality in the US. Chuck was born on third base, but chose a better way, reducing his wealth. Notwithstanding his moderation, he has worked with the Patriotic Millionaires to bring our s...

Having done this program for 20 years, I have had the opportunity to see the work my guests do evolve over time, and such is the case with Eileen Flanagan .

Edgar Villanueva  is back on Spirit In Action with an importantly updated edition of his book,  Decolonizing Wealth 2 nd  Edition: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance .

I ran into Pete Bastounes at a campground in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and learned about his transition from a political conservative and a Rush Limbaugh enthusiast to a Thom Hartmann and Bernie Sanders liberal, a change that could be promising for those who wish to speak across the political & cultural spectrum. Pete Bastounes is union steward for local 150 operating engineers in Illin...

Jeremy Lent  explores the way forward for humanity & all life on Earth by a deep dive into knowledge, connection, insight, and wisdom in his latest book,  The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science & Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe .

The work of the  International Center for Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)  is to develop & share the knowledge needed for effective civil resistance, and they are providing the info in more than 60 languages to freedom, justice, & democracy workers all around the world.  Hardy Merriman  has been Preside

I've seen alternative & sustainable energy technology evolve tremendously in my lifetime, and yet I know there are applications, like hydroelectric energy, that continue to be valuable contributors to our world. One that, sadly, has diminished mightily in most of our eyes, is the water-pumping windmills. At one time they were spread widely across our country, but now they are mostly broken, no...

Our guest is Suzanne Parry (and on Instagram ), and she is the author of a historical fiction novel, The Communist’s Secret , the 2nd of a trilogy centered on events during WW2 around Russia.

Many of us have been deeply concerned about domestic violence and been heart-broken at people we've known who've suffered, and maybe died, within a violent marriage, unable to leave. Today's SIA guest is Michael Neely , and he has testifying power about domestic abuse because of his many years in a marriage where he was badly abused. He'll talk about that today, but you can also find portions in h...

Our guest-host today is Jan Spencer and this is his 7 th time sharing an episode of Creating A Preferred Future , and this is a rather picturesque guided tour of what kind of change will prepare us for a better future.

Sonita Alizada grew up in Afghanistan under that Taliban, and then later in Iran, in a culture where females faced all kinds of trials, including forced marriage for young girls, and much more. Sonita found refuge and nurture via education by NGOs working in Iran, and through which she discovered a talent as a rap artist, with songs like Daughters For Sale .

Though fears about rising fascism in the US are rampant at the beginning of Donald Trump's 2 nd term, there has been a wide-spread increase in fascist movements world-wide over the past few decades, and today's guest, Craig A.

I am so grateful when I find people working for a better world from the depths of their spiritual tradition, and that's exactly what today's guest, Mirele Goldsmith does. She is an environmental psychologist, something that I didn't even know existed, and she is co-founder of the Jewish Earth Alliance .

Chloe Schwenke is a teaching professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University, and has keen observations about the incredible damage, destruction, and death being visited upon Africa and many other areas by the Trump administration's reckless attack on US Agency for International Development, USAID.

Some 15 years ago Maaria Mozaffar began as a civil rights lawyer & mediator, and since then her work has grown to center around both education and legislative advocacy, crafting & organizing legislation centered on religious freedom and rights. As a Muslim, Maaria sees more clearly the tilt, and sometimes the walls, that US society builds against minority faiths and ethnic groups.

This week is the conclusion of our visit with the amazing & inspirational Peter Samuelson about his new book, Finding Happy: A User's Guide to Your Life, With Lessons From Mine . You'll laugh, cry, gasp, pray, & get wiser though all the stories, insights, & lessons that Peter shares.

You've likely encountered Peter Samuelson through his work in the movie industry, like with his movies Revenge of the Nerds , Finding Henri , Wilde, and Tom & Viv , but you may or may not have known of the amazing & extensive work he's done through his non-profits, like Starlight Children's Foundation , First Star Academies , and EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) .

We visit with David Welder , and his wife, Veronica, at their off-grid home called Fisher Cat Creek Forest Preserve (on airbnb and Hipcamp ), to talk about his book, Forth to Basics: A Guide to Goin' Off-Grid (And Living More With Less) , and his life experience leading up to

In this special Spirit in Action episode, guest-host Nicole Diroff welcomes Dr. Shanon Shah, Director of Faith for the Climate , for a conversation that weaves together faith, identity, and the urgent call for climate justice. A queer Muslim scholar, journalist, and advocate, Shanon shares how his lived experience and academic insight converge in powerful ways to challenge systems of oppression an...

A dive deep into the analysis and understanding of why & how evil is done in the world - not theologically, but behaviorally - with our guest Elizabeth Minnich , author of The Evil of Banality – On the Life and Death Importance of Thinking .

Jan Spencer is guest-host today for the sixth time, sharing an episode of Creating A Preferred Future , equipping us further in anticipation of changes we need for a better future. Jan explains why anyone interested in emergency preparedness can "graduate" to an interest in paradigm shift and moving towards sustainability. Preparedness for unplanned disruption is a very prudent idea.

Today for Spirit in Action we welcome back Pamela Boyce Simms of Singularity Botanicals . In 2017 we visited with her about Evolutionary Cultural Design , and in 2019 the topic was the African Diaspora Plant Medicine Project .

Today's guest-host, Peterson Toscano , brings deep riches from his occasional podcast called Bubble and Squeak . There is deep encounter & meaning in this episode, wrestling with stories, overtones of stories, & personal resurrection of Lazarus in the Bible, and recovering from conversion therapy in reality, a recovery of oneself through true unbinding.

Our guest-hosts today are Peterson Toscano & Elise Silvestra of Citizen's Climate Radio , bringing together voices exploring how emotional honesty, sound, and art can open pathways from climate despair to collective action.