There is an ecological transformation unfolding in the places we love and come from. On a front edge of this reality, which will affect us all, Colette Pichon Battle is a singular model of brilliance and graciousness of mind and spirit and action. And to be with her is to open to the way the stories we tell have blunted us to the courage we’re called to, and the joy we must nurture, as life force and fuel for the work ahead. As a young woman, she left her home state of Louisiana and land to which her family belonged for generations, to go to college and become a powerful lawyer in Washington, D.C. Then in 2005, after Hurricane Katrina made, as she has said, “a crack in the universe,” she returned home to a whole new life and calling. Colette Pichon Battle is a vivid embodiment of the new forms societal shift is taking in our world — led by visionary pragmatists close to the ground, in particular places, persistently and lovingly learning and leading the way for us all.
Welcome to...
An Adventure
in the mystery and the art of living
A Home
for shaping your presence in a tender, tumultuous world
A Companion
to the pleasure in thinking deeply with others
A Calling
to be part of the generative story of our time
On Being is a conversation that has been building for over two decades with wise and graceful lives — across spiritual inquiry and science, social healing and the arts. You likely know us through On Being with Krista Tippett, our Peabody award-winning show that began on public radio — now podcasting a season of new shows every spring and fall. We can be found in ears, and in conversations that matter, around the world.
We are animated by humanity’s ancient questions, newly alive in this century:
What does it mean to be human?
How do we want to live?
And who will we be to each other?
Foundations for Being Alive Now
On seeing the generative story of our time, living your questions, taking a long view of time, and the calling to be whole. Start listening now.
Also enjoy Krista’s new TED Talk: 3 Practices for Wisdom and Wholeness.
Latest Episode
In this concluding episode of “Poems as Teachers,” our special miniseries on conflict and the human condition, host Pádraig Ó Tuama says the poems discussed in this offering are a different kind of teacher: “not as teachers that give us rules to follow — more so teachers that share something of their own intuition.” And for a final reflection, he offers Kai Cheng Thom’s “trauma is not sacred,” which speaks directly, fiercely, and lovingly to the pain, scars, and violence that we humans carry and inflict upon one another.
We’re pleased to offer Kai’s poem, and invite you to read Pádraig’s weekly Poetry Unbound Substack, read the Poetry Unbound book, or listen back to all our episodes.
Featured Starting Point
Conflict and the Human Condition
A special Poetry Unbound mini-season featuring poems as teachers — with wisdom, protest, assertion, curiosity, understanding, refusal, strangeness, dreams, declaration, and admission.
All Starting Points
Grounding Virtues
We speak together differently in order to live together differently. These six “grounding virtues” guide the On Being way of conversation. They are inspiring and grounding initiatives — analog and digital, institutional and communal — around the world. Read More.
Libraries
Our Libraries are thematic collections of writings and episodes from the On Being archive dating back to 2003. Wander the rows and scan the shelves.
The Pause
Join our constellation of listening and living.
The Pause is our seasonal Saturday morning ritual of a newsletter. Replenishment and invigoration in your inbox. Wisdom to take into your week. And when you sign up, you’ll receive ongoing, advance invitations and news on all things On Being.
Our Funding Partners
Search results for “”
View
- List View
- Standard View
- Grid View
Filters