On Being with Krista Tippett: religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas -- on public radio and online [OnBeing.org]

May 10, 2012
Quiet, Gordon Hempton says, is a "think tank of the soul." The acoustic ecologist has criss-crossed the world searching for and recording some of nature's most elusive sounds. He says the experience of silence is in danger of being lost and explains why nature's "silence" is vital to our minds, our relationships, and the natural world as well. He walks us through those environments — from the Hoh Rain Forest to thunder in the Kalahari Desert.
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About the Image

Gordon Hempton records the winter silence of the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park near One Square Inch of Silence.

(photo: Richard Darbonne)

In the Know:

» Nurture Wherever It Is Cold, Nurture Wherever It Is Dark
"This Mother’s Day, I celebrate my own mother and I celebrate the nurturing spirit which we can each inculcate by sharing the stories of our lives, our own janam sakhis, our own birth stories." —Preeti Kaur

A guest essay by a Sikh woman who honors the celebrated role of nurturer and, in particular, those mothers who support the "young men who wear turbans." And a poem too!

» The Photos Used in Foreign Policy's "Sex Issue" May Be a Test Case for Cultural Insensitivity

The provocative cover photo and article by Mona Eltahawy have been heralded by media outlets in the U.S. But, are many of us equipped to understand the historical context and larger issues at hand for women in Arab and Muslim communities?

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1»
Seane Corn Demonstrates "Body Prayer"
The yoga instructor demonstrates how she channels her energy and love through a practice she calls "body prayer."

2»
The Photos Used in Foreign Policy’s 'Sex Issue' May Be a Test Case for Cultural Insensitivity
This provocative cover photo and article have been heralded by media outlets in the U.S. but are many of us equipped to understand the historical context and larger issues at hand for women in the Arab and Muslim communities?

3»
What Would You Be Willing to Sacrifice?
A video that's so heartbreakingly gorgeous and unswerving in its emotional sway, it'll have you pondering your own station in life.

4»
The Witness of True Love and the Grace of Loss (Video)
An extended, animated short of Annie and Danny Perasa talking about love and dying. An absolutely moving five minutes from StoryCorps.

5»
Touch Wood in a Japanese Forest with Bach
A spectacular feat of engineering and creativity that you have to see to believe. And just guess what inspired its making. Just marvelous!