When we practice meditation, we are doing something useful for all beings. . . . With the experience of greater clarity, we learn how to bring happiness onto our pathway and can engage in meaningful actions for ourselves and others. ~Dza Kilung Rinpoche

1. 28 Days of Black History, “A virtual exhibition of 28 works that celebrate Black legacy in the U.S.” In related news, Honoring Black Agency & Black Joy. “Here at Facing History, we know that Black history is central to all of American history, and should be part of a robust teaching curriculum year-round. Alongside the lessons of Black history, it’s also critical to honor the resilience, creativity, and vitality of Black people in the face of inequity and violence, past and present. That’s why, this year, we’re celebrating Black History Month by honoring the themes of Black Agency & Black Joy.”

2. Inclusive Life Podcast, “for anyone who is interested in transforming their lives to be more inclusive, equitable and just.”

3. Jamie Ridler talks with Natalie Goldberg.

4. Living with the Dark Winters in Sweden, a gorgeous video.

5. Black Archivist “believes in the power of the Black narrative and that Black artists are best suited to tell the stories of our community. We provide the tools and resources for Black people to document the life around them, both triumphs and tribulations. We believe access to equipment should not be a barrier to entry for documentation or compensation.”

6. *Marketing Without Social Media* 21 ways to find clients and customers without using social media from Alexandra Franzen.

7. Wisdom from Abe Osheroff: “When I was younger, I acted because I hoped to achieve a certain something. Now I’m path-oriented. I act to get in contact with the best part of who I am. I do the work whether we win or lose.”

8. Belief and knowledge from Seth Godin.

9. PBS American Masters Archive Releases 1,000+ Hours of Uncut, Never-Before-Seen Interviews: Patti Smith, David Bowie, Neil Young & More.

10. Find Original Poetry Hiding in the Pages of Your Paper on The New York Times. “Creating an erasure poem means finding your voice lurking in another’s words. It can be a way to start writing when words fail.”

11. Black Lives Matter Nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize.

12. If You’re Feeling Isolated on The New York Times. *Spoiler alert*: write a letter.

13. Regular afternoon naps linked to improved cognitive function. “Researchers find that afternoon snoozes may help your brain function, but not all naps were created equal.”

14. An Unleashed Dog, Sentenced to Death After an Attack on The New York Times. Be aware that this is a hard read. In happier news, Women influenced coevolution of dogs and humans.

15. Here’s Why Introverts Make the Best Writers.

16. This little dude and all the good food he eats makes me so happy. (video)

1. 5 Reasons to Meditate on Lion’s Roar, by Pema Chödrön, which starts with this:

The mind is very wild. The human experience is full of unpredictability and paradox, joys and sorrows, successes and failures. We can’t escape any of these experiences in the vast terrain of our existence. It is part of what makes life grand — and it is also why our minds take us on such a crazy ride. If we can train ourselves through meditation to be more open and more accepting toward the wild arc of our experience, if we can lean into the difficulties of life and the ride of our minds, we can become more settled and relaxed amid whatever life brings us.

2. Soto Zen Buddhist Association releases statement responding to Capitol attack on Lion’s Roar, because this:

Although countless conditions led to the attack at the capitol, we see that the violence at the capitol was deeply tied to the white supremacy that has characterized this nation since its inception.

White Supremacy was a founding principle of the United States, and remains one of the hierarchical conditions on which this nation operates. Until this country fully acknowledges and repairs the damage of the horrific violence and day to day inequities of its racist systems, we will continue to reap its fruit. We must recognize the poison of racism not as an evil committed by terrible people, but as a part of the fabric of our collective karma which we must unravel together if we want to be truly free.

3. my word of the year practice from Karen Walrond on Chookooloonks.

4. Healing Takes Time, And Healing Is Painful on Terrible Minds by Chuck Wendig. “That’s how we fight the trauma, I think. By acknowledging it, seeing that it’s real, by mourning what was lost — and then getting to work, the constant work, the diligent work.”

5. 4 Ways Introverts Can Benefit From Using Their Writing Superpower.

6. 46 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2021. In related news, Four Hundred Souls: A Landmark Anthology Announces a Star-Studded Audiobook Cast.

7. The Biden-Harris Administration Immediate Priorities on The White House official website. There are people who are untrustworthy, reckless enough that when you ride in a car with them, you can’t relax. In your hypervigilance, you find yourself doing things like slamming your foot into the floor pumping the imaginary brakes or yelling “watch out!”. There are others who when they are at the wheel, you can actually stay calm, maybe even take a nap. This list feels like that second one.

8. Trump’s Final Lie Count Is Insane and More Than 10,000 Came in the Final 5 Months.

9. Bernie Sanders turned his Inauguration meme into a sweatshirt and all the money is going to Meals on Wheels. In related news, This Lady Created A Crochet Bernie Sanders Doll And It Is Everything!

10. 7 Ways to Create Peace in Your Home as an HSP.

11. Lost touch: how a year without hugs affects our mental health.

12. 7 Nosework Games for Dogs.

13. This week in COVID-19 news: Why Vaccines Alone Will Not End the Pandemic on The New York Times, and Fauci on What Working for Trump Was Really Like on The New York Times, and Dr. Anthony Fauci: Divisiveness has failed America “in every single way”, and Fauci threw a lot of shade at Trump in his first comments as a Biden adviser, and U.S. Will Remain In WHO, Fauci Announces, As Biden Reverses Trump Move.

14. Indigenous Beaders Are Getting Dropped by Instagram With No Explanation.

15. Amanda Gorman reads inauguration poem, ‘The Hill We Climb.’ (video) In related news, Amanda Gorman’s poetic answer to pandemic grief: ‘Do not ignore the pain’, and Amanda Gorman Delivered An Achingly Moving Poem In Response To BLM Protests Over The Summer, and Amanda Gorman | Roar | Moth GrandSLAM (video).

16. The pro-Trump inauguration protests at state capitols were complete duds.

17. Recipe I want to try: Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken. I also want to try this: This Viral TikTok Tortilla Hack Will Change Your Snacking Forever.

18. Folks In Awe Of Georgia Fire Captain Who Both Recited And Signed Pledge Of Allegiance During Inauguration.

19. Relief, but Lingering Rage on The New York Times in which Charles Blow says:

There is the feeling of releasing resistance, of allowing the tension in the neck to relax and the shoulders to drop. It is the feeling of exhaling. It is the feeling of returning to some form of normalcy — a normal presidency, a normal news cycle, a normal sleep habit.

But embedded in that feeling is the knowledge that normal is a removal of Trump’s outrageous behavior and incompetence, not a return to fairness, equity and equality. Those things didn’t fully, truly exist before the Trump presidency. Normal wasn’t working even then.

20. Nikole Hannah-Jones on “The 1619 Project’s” Genesis, Backlash And What’s Next.

21. 400 Lights, For 400,000 Dead, Illuminate Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In related news, On Ceremony by Wendy Videlock.

22. Listing: Body-positive, fat-positive, inclusive and accessible yoga teachers.

23. The Blue Hour: Lyrical Illustrations Catalog a Menagerie of Specimens in Earth’s Rarest Pigment.

24. Day care friends. (video) “Every day that 91-year-old Gene McGehee steps outside his house in Vidalia, La., he discovers a bunch of kids from the day care across the street, eager to include him in their fun. And because McGehee has severe dementia, every day brings a wonder of discovery. Steve Hartman reports on how youth brings sunlight to the elderly living in shadows.”