• Crying to open and soften the heart. The desert fathers and mothers called it the gift of tears. We describe how it can be a spiritual practice.

• Catalyzing an anti-bully movement. The powerful documentary Bully tells the stories of five families affected by bullying in the schools. More films.

• What you can do about bullying. Here are things to think and talk about.

• When Easter is a verb. Then it's not just one day of the year. We've identified 37 ways (based on the Alphabet of Spiritual Literacy) to practice resurrection throughout the year.

• New Online Retreats on Faith and Desert Spirituality. Starting next Monday, April 16: Trusting Life with Br. David Steindl-Rast. Starting April 23: The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers with Christine Valters Paintner

• Texting during movies? Theaters are considering allowing this; we respond in our Spiritual Literacy Blog. Also in the blog: why watching sad movies can make you happier and an innovative idea for multipurpose use of parking garages.

• A dualistic view of the world that brings trouble. Read the excerpt from Rebel Buddha on the Road to Freedom by Dzogchen Ponlop.

• Come down to the sea with the late great John O'Donohue. Experience through his spare poem the marvels he saw there.

• Let's celebrate some birthdays. Last week we observed the birthday of Ram Dass, the pioneer of the New Age and conscious aging movements. Today is the birthday of Paul Robeson, the multitalented artist and advocate for black liberation.

• One of the Best Spiritual Films of 2012. The Lady is an inspiring portrait of the passionate freedom fighter Aung San Suu Kyi and an exquisite love story set in the darkness of violence, repression, and tyranny in Burma. Read our detailed review and related content on the Nobel Laureate.

• A thought-provoking documentary against capital punishment. Werner Herzog's Into the Abyss is now available on DVD. More DVDs.

• Transformation via a smart and widely travelled parrot. A Bird in the Air, now on DVD, is a quirky romantic comedy about how a bird changes the life of a shy and frugal man.

• Approaching the Big 60. William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini star as a married couple who differ in their approaches to aging in Late Bloomers.

• Watch My Father, My Lord on DVD. It's a parabolic Israeli film which speaks volumes about the nature of devotion to God.

• Go deeper with our Values & Visions Guide to Silver City. This film directed by John Sayles reveals the degradation of the political process in contemporary America, the corruption of the language of public discourse, the docility of the press, the power of wealthy contributors and corporations, and the cowboy domination of the environment.

• Watch Bride Flight on DVD and Netflix Streaming. It is a fluid and well-acted Dutch film about the adventures of three women and their quest for happiness in the exotic new world of New Zealand.

A Proverb to Ponder
"What cannot be cured must be endured."
— Scottish Proverb

A Cue to Try
Whenever I start to sabotage myself, I stop what I am doing and lift my spirit with the spiritual practice of you.

A Gatha to Try
"As I turn on the water, my body's essence pours before me. Clouds, oceans, rivers, and deep wells all support my life."
— Barbara Ann Kipfer

A Quotation to Inspire
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
— Norman MacLaren

A Blessing From Us to You
"God of mercy,
God of grace.
Be pleased to bless
This dwelling place.
May peace and kindly deeds
Be found,
May gratitude and love
Abound."
— Norma Woodbridge