AuthorJuliana Essen

Getting In-shape via Energizing Food (Part 3) Right – continuing on with more tips on boosting our mental and physical wellbeing by eating a whole, plant-based, chemical-free diet. This week, we start to shift the focus a bit to the bigger picture: how this diet benefits not only our families, but also countless families we

Getting In-Shape via Energizing Food (pt. 2) Welcome to Week 2 of INTENT 365: daily tips to create wellbeing for people and the planet. Last week we introduced the first letter of INTENT, “I”, which stands for being In-shape and represents the first dimension of wellbeing: physical. We also introduced the first lesson I learned

Getting In-Shape via Energizing Food (pt. 1) Raise your hand if you made a New Year’s resolution to get in shape (again). I always start out the year enthusiastically and then fizzle out. If you’ve had the same experience, I suggest we take a different approach this year. Instead of struggling to shed pounds or

They say you have to walk a mile in a person’s shoes to truly understand what her life is like. For me, it was six miles, barefoot, across irrigation ditches and rice fields in northeast Thailand. The people I hoped to understand were members of the Santi Asoke Buddhist Reform Movement—a fringe Buddhist group who

Though the INTENT framework comprises six interdependent dimensions of wellbeing (physical/mental, social, material, community, environmental, and existential), being nature-loving is quite likely the keystone of them all.  We can fully understand this by looking at its absence – the pervasive disconnect from nature that characterizes modern society.  Western culture has long celebrated mastery over nature –

Strengthening communities through giving — the subject of the last installment of the Intentional Wellbeing Project — might be viewed by some as an elective activity. Individuals in this free society can chose when, how, and how much to give…or not at all. There is, however, another kind of community engagement that is both a

 No man is an island / Entire of itself Every man is a piece of the continent / A part of the main In these oft-quoted lines from a centuries-old poem, John Donne reminds us that individuals are not isolated—we are integral parts of the communities we live in.  What a comforting thought. Yet with

There’s a direct connection between consumption and waste: the more we consume, the more waste we create—and vice versa.  At Srisa Asoke, the ethic of “consuming little” also means actively reducing waste, specifically through the “3 Rs”: reuse, repair, and recycle. This installment of the Intentional Living Project’s exploration of material wellbeing (a.k.a., “being thrifty”) looks

Being thrifty, or not wasting money and resources, is a long-held American virtue that fosters material wellbeing. Material wellbeing starts with the ability to meet basic needs for food, water, shelter, and clothing, plus essential services like health and education. If you’re reading this now, there’s a good chance that you have that covered. But

Besides social interactions that provide positive emotions and influence (see Networked, Part 1), we need mutual support to thrive. The intentional community of Srisa Asoke thrives because everyone shares work and resources—the residents support the community, and the community supports them. A tour through the village shows how well this system works: At the center

It’s a sad irony that modern technology has provided us with greater capabilities than ever before to connect with each other, yet we have never been so socially disconnected.  This decline social life has been well documented by Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard, in Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community. Putnam drew

Physical exercise is not a national craze in Thailand as it is in the US. For one thing, it’s just too darn hot. To beat the heat, Thais like to stretch out on bamboo platforms under their houses or trees during the hottest part of the day. Actually, Thais excel at napping. You can find