Bill Isles was into all kinds of music and several instruments back in his youth, but then there was a hiatus of around 25 years where he was focused elsewhere. It took a near-death experience, where he had no heartbeat for 2 minutes, to spur him back to his passion for music, now partnered with his wife, Kate. Deeply rooted in the soil and water of his homeland in Northern Minnesota, Bill tells the story of his life and his homeland through his music.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Agnostic, Congregational, Nondenominational

All featured music is by Bill and Kate Isles:

Weightless - from Morning Sketchbook

Pamela Haines writes deep, profound and life-changing books, but she does it with simple, straightforward, and accessible language. With degrees in Social Ecology and Labor & Women's History, she is a self-taught economist and consummate communicator. Her greatest strength, however, is not her paper degrees, but her genuine and lifelong curiosity, integrity, and wide-ranging compassion, which lead her to write delightful books that all of us need and can appreciate.

Guest-host Peterson Toscano of Citizen's Climate Radio is sitting in today for Spirit In Action, assisted by several CCR activists. Eileen Flanagan, a writer, social change teacher, Quaker, and activist, dives deep with host Peterson into four different roles people have traditionally taken in change movements. Then Erica Valdez and Horace Mo join Peterson for a vibrant discussion about their personal experiences in taking one of these roles.

Back in 2020, early in the pandemic, I discovered the music of Raianne Richards and Mark Mandeville and instantly adored it, and had Mark as my Song of the Soul guest. They've just released their new album, Making Promises, and it's more of the folk-centric music they create, with wonderful harmonies, stirring stories, and great instrumentals. Today we're joined by Raianne Richards, joining us from near Worcester, MA.

Kiran Ahluwalia was born in the Punjab, in India, but moved with her family to Canada when she was 7, well after she started training in the traditional music of her region. Kiran has continued her training, both deepening it and widening it. While her 8 albums are definitely rooted in the music and dance of her homeland, she has also enriched, extended, and diversified the songs she creates, most often carrying a message of connection and compassion. She divides her time between her homes near Toronto, ON, and NYC.

Past/present religious/spiritual influences: Sikhism, Buddhism, Atheism, Meditation

Like so many witnessing the immense suffering in Gaza, Cassandra Dixon wanted to do something to help the situation. Cassandra has made numerous visits to Palestine and has come to know many people there as personal friends, so she strongly felt the call to join the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, carrying thousands of tons of humanitarian aid for the starving people of Gaza. At home in the Madison, WI, area, Cassandra does carpentry and home repair, leaving herself the time and freedom to annually spend a month or more in Palestine. Still, Cassandra needs and deserves our support, including through the GoFundMe to support Cassandra's participation in the flotilla.

Part 2 of a birthday celebration for Si Kahn on his 80th birthday, this week with John McCutcheon and Cathy Fink, sharing streams of music and meaning that flow from Si Kahn. Please consider donating to the Si Kahn Living Legacy on GoFundMe, to help gather and preserve the musical riches that Si has so prolifically generated. Both John and Cathy have half-century connections with Si, rich stories, and evocative music.

Timmon B. Wallis takes his life-long efforts for peace and the future of the planet to new depths and heights with his book, Warheads to Windmills - Preventing Climate Catastrophe and Nuclear War. In the book, Tim examines in thorough detail the threats that both nuclear weapons and climate change hold for the future of our planet, and then the wide range of factors implicit in our weaponry and energy sources, leading to a meticulous consideration of the agenda which will maximize the possibility of saving humans and the Earth, essentially beating swords into plowshares. Tim has spent his life building the tools of peace & getting rid of the weapons of war. Tim's Ph.D.

Brad Wolf has just released the book, A Ministry of Risk – Writings on Peace and Nonviolence – Philip Berrigan, powerfully capturing the life and ministry of Phil, in Phil's own words, his witness in the struggle for racial justice, against the Vietnam war and all wars, and against nuclear arms through the Plowshares movement. Brad is a deeply committed activist as co-founder of the Peace Action Network of Lancaster, and he recently coordinated the Merchants of Death War Crimes Tribunal.