December 2023

With the advent of December the holidays are definitely upon us. As wonder | wonder | world breathe in the crisp and clear chill of winter's approach we turn toward these words of esoteric educator Rudolf Steiner.

In ancient times, a man felt himself on Earth, saying this: before I stood on Earth, I was in a spiritual - soul world, figuratively speaking - in a light world. This light still mysteriously shines in my inner me. I, as a human being, am a shell of the Divine Light that still continues to live in me.

"The Adoration of the Magi" tapestry - designed by Edward Burne Jones with details by William Morris and John Henry Dearle

In the process of development, a [hu]man loses his sense that he is a shell of the Divine. He no longer feels in the image of the Divine, as the Greek experienced.

The modern task of man is to find again this attitude of man to himself and to the Divine. A person must obtain the impulse of a living, living spiritual from his own mental strength.

space & silence

In a world of constant noise and distraction, we have forgotten the value of silence and solitude. We are constantly bombarded with information, from the news to social media to the latest gossip.

This constant stimulation adds stress, anxiety, and overload. wonder | wander | world pick of the week recommends the words and sage advice of author and podcaster Cal Newport of The Deep Life Movement.

photograph by Natalia Swarz

We need to create space in our lives for silence and solitude. This doesn't mean that we have to live in a cave or give up all forms of technology. But it does mean that we need to be mindful of how much information we consume and how much time we spend interacting with others.

When we make time for silence and solitude, we give ourselves a chance to relax, recharge, and reconnect with ourselves. We can start to see the world in a new light and come up with new ideas. We can also develop a deeper sense of peace and contentment.

It's not easy to create space for silence and solitude in our busy lives. But it's worth it. It's the only way we can truly find peace and happiness. ~ Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

lost women of science

This week's pick on wonder | wander | world is the Lost Women of Science. It tells the remarkable stories of groundbreaking women who never got the full recognition they deserved – until now. How many other unknown women scientists are out there - hidden and forgotten?

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The Lost Women of Science Initiative is a non-profit educational organization with the overarching goal of inspiring girls and young women -- especially those from communities chronically underrepresented in the STEM professions -- to embark on careers in STEM. 

The Initiative’s flagship is its Lost Women of Science podcast. As a full, mission-driven organization, the Lost Women of Science Initiative plans to digitize and archive our research efforts and make all primary source material available to students, educators, and historians of science. 

The Lost Women of Science podcast series is an exemplar of top-notch journalism, training a lens on forgotten but heroic women of science. Each multi-episode season will focus on a different female scientist and will be told as a deeply reported, scripted, and scored audio narrative. 

Please give a listen to the podcast series, Lost Women of Science which features a diverse group of women, scientific fields, and historical periods.