Peace of Mind: Self, Sanity and the Pursuit of Happiness

An evening of contemplation and music to benefit Still Waters in a Storm and Mission 22. Featuring music by Dar Williams and Amanda Palmer, meditation teaching by Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness, conversation with Susan Cain, author of Quiet, and a keynote speech by Bob Kerrey, former United States Senator and disabled veteran of the Vietnam War, about the pathway from trauma to peace. The show closes with chanting by Nina Rao, accompanied by cellist Noah Hoffeld.

Still Waters in a Storm is a one-room schoolhouse, a reading and writing sanctuary for immigrant children ages 5-17 in the neighborhood of Bushwick, Brooklyn. The structure of our meetings is the same in English, Spanish, Latin and Musical Notation: children and grown-ups study a text together, each writes something inspired by the text, then they take turns reading their writings out loud while everyone listens in a sacred hush. The one rule is, “Everyone listens to everyone.” The simple grace of this ritual changes lives for the better.

Mission 22 is a non-profit who combats the ever-rising veteran suicide rate. Every day, more than twenty veterans are lost to suicide. Mission 22 wants to bring that number to zero. It does this with three main programs; veteran treatment programs, memorials and national awareness. Mission 22 provides treatment programs to veterans for Post Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury and other issues they might be facing. It organizes events and builds memorials to create social impact and awareness for these issues. Mission 22 also has an Ambassador volunteer program for people to get involved as well. Ambassadors educate the public on veteran issues, help get veterans into Mission 22 treatment programs and create resources in their communities. Through these three programs, it enables a push for the betterment of our nation’s heroes and stands united in the war against veteran suicide.

Amanda Palmer is a singer, songwriter, playwright, pianist, filmmaker, and blogger who simultaneously embraces and explodes traditional frameworks of music, theatre, and art. She first came to prominence as one half of the Boston-based punk cabaret duo The Dresden Dolls, earning global applause for their wide-ranging theatricality and inventive songcraft. Her solo career has proven equally brave and boundless, including such groundbreaking works as the fan-funded Theatre Is Evil, which made a top 10 debut on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 upon its 2012 release and remains the top-funded original music project on Kickstarter. In 2013 she presented “The Art of Asking” at the annual TED conference, which has since been viewed over 10 million times worldwide. The following year saw Palmer expand her philosophy into the New York Times best seller, The Art of Asking: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Let People Help. Since 2015, Palmer has used Patreon, a patronage subscription crowdfunding platform, to fund the creation of her artwork while enabling her to collaborate with artists all over the world with over 11,000 patrons supporting her creations each month.

Described by the New Yorker as “one of America’s very best singer-songwriters,” Dar Williams is a renowned folk musician and composer based in the Hudson Valley who has sold millions of albums and toured across the United States. Williams is also a well-known environmental and social justice advocate.

Sharon Salzberg is a central figure in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher and NYT bestselling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness practices to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. She is the co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA and the author of ten books including NY Times bestseller, Real Happiness, and Real Love, her latest release by Flatiron Books. Acclaimed for her humorous, down-to-earth teaching style, Sharon is a columnist for On Being and hosts her own podcast: The Metta Hour. More details at www.SharonSalzberg.com

Bob Kerrey From 2001 to 2011 Mr. Kerrey was President of The New School, a university founded on democratic ideals and daring educational practices. From 1989 to 2001 Mr. Kerrey represented Nebraska in the Senate. His public service since leaving the Senate includes: the 9/11 Commission, advisory board of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association, co-chair of the Concord Coalition, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Mr. Kerrey served as a U.S. Navy SEAL during the Vietnam War. For his service, he received the Medal of Honor. While in Vietnam, he was wounded, permanently disabled, and received from this injury a great gift: sympathy for those who are suffering and an appreciation for the capacity of government to save your life.

Susan Cain is the Chief Revolutionary at Quiet Revolution and author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking and Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids. These days, she is hard at work on two new books and is dreaming up a new podcast.