Peace can be elusive. And even for the well educated or the well traveled, one can seek the concept of peace but have difficulty understanding it, much less attaining it. This raises an interesting question: Is there a practical and proven path to both understanding and experiencing peace? Owning and Sowing Seeds of Peace examines various attributes and shades of peace. The text elucidates on some generic sources of turmoil that threaten to disrupt the cultivation of peace. Exploring spirituality, author Francis S. Nicol references three major world religions, and amply examines varied manifestations of turmoil and their contrasting influence on peace. Personal experience, readings, and research in relevant fields provide the basis for analysis, interpretation, and content presentation. Dr Nicol’s autobiographical investigation presents useful orientations and conditions for attaining, restoring, and maintaining peace. The recount of his relevant life experiences is rich, riveting, and inspiring.

In this essential and lucid book, author Bhante Kaboggoza Buddharakkhita offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercises by describing theories and benefits along with various approaches as a means to learning the skills of meditation and mindfulness - becoming awake and fully aware. The author lays out gently progressive and practical guidelines that introduces newcomers to meditation, ranging from the general to more specific techniques for healing and self-development. In doing so, the book integrates the formal practice seamlessly with daily life mindfulness. As the author describes: "Meditation is not about the content of our lives; it's about how we relate to our daily experiences, whatever they may be. Meditation is about waking up and seeing clearly how we're doing, what we're doing, and why we're doing it. Meditation is a reality check." This manual is a great introduction for those curious about and interested in exploring mindfulness meditation and will make a highly useful tool for teaching beginner students.

As a young girl in Kenya, Wangari was taught to respect nature. She grew up loving the land, plants, and animals that surrounded her--from the giant mugumo trees her people, the Kikuyu, revered to the tiny tadpoles that swam in the river. Although most Kenyan girls were not educated, Wangari, curious and hardworking, was allowed to go to school. There, her mind sprouted like a seed. She excelled at science and went on to study in the United States. After returning home, Wangari blazed a trail across Kenya, using her knowledge and compassion to promote the rights of her countrywomen and to help save the land, one tree at a time.

Argues that the Earth's deteriorating condition is man-made and outlines a way for the process to be reversed by rehabilitating the deserts using natural farming.

Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children is the fruit of decades of development and innovation in the Plum Village community's collective practice with children. Based on Thich Nhat Hanh's thirty years of teaching mindfulness and compassion to parents, teachers, and children, the book and enclosed CD cover a wide range of contemplative and fun activities parents and educators can do with their children or students. The activities are designed to help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude and confidence, deal with difficult emotions, touch our interconnection with nature, and improve communication. Planting Seeds offers insight, concrete activities, and curricula that parents and educators can apply in school settings, in their local communities or at home, in a way that is meaningful and inviting to children. The key practices presented include mindful breathing and walking, inviting the bell, pebble meditation, the Two Promises or ethical guidelines for children, children's versions of Touching the Earth and Deep Relaxation, eating meditation and dealing with conflict and strong emotions. Also included, are the lyrics to the songs on the enclosed CD that summarize and highlight the key teachings, as well as a chapter on dealing effectively with conflict in the classroom or difficult group dynamics, based on a conference with Thich Nhat Hanh, teachers and students. The accompanying CD has inspiring recordings of all the songs in the book as well as a guided pebble meditation, total relaxation, and children's touching the earth. Beautiful, color illustrations by Wietske Vriezen Illustrator of Mindful Movements (ISBN-13: 978-1-888375-79-4) accompany the various practices. Any adult wishing to plant seeds of peace, relaxation, and awareness in children will find this book and CD helpful. It is full of wisdom on how to simply be with children and nourish their compassion for themselves and others. Illustrated by Wietske Vriezen Illustrator of Mindful Movements (Mindful Movements – Ten Exercise for Well Being, ISBN-13: 978-1-888375-79-4). Includes 1 audio CD.

365 Meditations for Teachers by Teachers offers a year’s worth of short daily meditational readings written specifically for teachers, by teachers. Four different writers of faith present three months’ worth of meditations each, providing a variety of topics and writing styles. Designed to be used by readers of all ages, each daily meditation is brief enough to be read in just a few short minutes, yet meaningful enough to prompt a longer time of reflection and prayer if desired. Each day’s reading includes a focus Scripture verse, a brief reflection, and a prayer.

Established in 1911, The Rotarian is the official magazine of Rotary International and is circulated worldwide. Each issue contains feature articles, columns, and departments about, or of interest to, Rotarians. Seventeen Nobel Prize winners and 19 Pulitzer Prize winners – from Mahatma Ghandi to Kurt Vonnegut Jr. – have written for the magazine.