Love is said to be the key to everything from psychological development to achieving social justice. But as renowned psychologist Erich Fromm said as far back as the 1950s, love appears to be disintegrating in modern society. This may be partly because most of us don’t in fact understand it very well. It may be true that, as the Beatles say, All You Need is Love, but it also seems, as Lady Gaga says, we Don’t Know What Love Is. This class gives students an opportunity to take a deep dive into the nature of love—its history, its practice, and how it has been studied. We will look at all types of love, from familial and brotherly to romantic and spiritual, and you will be introduced to conflicting ways it has been defined (a drive, an emotion, an orientation to the world, etc.), functions it has often been given (reproduction, kinship, finding ultimate truth, etc.), and ways people have cultivated it (service, therapy, spiritual practice). The course will also introduce you to how various disciplines such as anthropology, biology, psychology, and art approach a complex experience such as love.
Join the Stanford Concert Network and the Stanford Storytelling Project for a live event with Stones Throw Records artist, violinist and vocalist, Sudan Archives. Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in elements of R&B, and experimental electronic music. Come with questions to ask, or just come to hang out and hear what Sudan Archives has to say.
Join the Stanford Concert Network and the Stanford Storytelling Project for a live event with Stones Throw Records artist, violinist and vocalist, Sudan Archives. Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in elements of R&B, and experimental electronic music. Come with questions to ask, or just come to hang out and hear what Sudan Archives has to say.
Each month, two Fellows from the Meeting the Moment Program will screen a movie + and host a short, post-film discussion on the monthly theme. We’ll use the movie as a prompt to lean into what it means to meet the monthly theme. April’s theme is Ancestry, and our movie is MINARI. The evening will be hosted by Meeting the Moment Fellow Elaine Lai, PhD candidate and Program Associate Emma Master ’19.
The Meeting the Moment Podcast features personal stories told by Fellows of the Meeting the Moment Program, hosted by Stanford’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life. Each story corresponds with a monthly theme and chronicles meaning made of a challenging moment.
July | EMBODIMENT | Here to Dance
A born dancer struggles to navigate the cruel standards of ballet while holding onto the joy that brought her to it.
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our July ’23 theme, Embodiment. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Kate Kingsley ’25.
This episode features music by Loyalty Freak Music and Blue Dot Sessions.
June | REIMAGINING GENIUS | Even On a Rainy Day
A meditation on the power of laughter.
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our June ’23 theme, REIMAGINING GENIUS. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Evani Radiya-Dixit ’21.
This episode features music by Loyalty Freak Music and Blue Dot Sessions.
April 2023 | Finding Ground | Eat to Live, Live to Eat
A battle over food transforms a relationship between mother and son.
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our April ’23 theme, FINDING GROUND. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Suyoun Choi ’24.
This episode features music by Loyalty Freak Music and Blue Dot Sessions.
June 2022 | Embodiment | Missing a Beat
A sudden health crisis forces a career-driven intern to look for healing in unexpected places.
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our June ’22 theme, EMBODIMENT. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Alina Wilson ’24.
This episode features music by Loyalty Freak Music, Lee Rosevere, Chris Zabriskie, and Blue Dot Sessions.
September 2022 | Queer Joy and Community Resilience: Voices from Stanford – Part One
A Conversation with members of REFUGE: Queerness, Spirituality, and Religion
Elaine Lai (she/they), who was in the first cohort of Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting the Moment program, visits us again to present a two-part podcast titled “Queer Joy and Community Resilience: Voices from Stanford.” Part one features five members of the student group REFUGE: Queerness, Spirituality, and Religion, founded by Matta Zheng (’22). As a former member of REFUGE, Elaine wanted to create a time capsule for this community to remember the work, conversations, and aspirations created together, and to offer a source of refuge for other queer folks trying to cultivate joy, and a deepening relationship to spirituality and/or religion. The conversation today considers what it means to create safe community, everyday rituals of joy, and the constraints and possibilities to queering institutional and religious spaces. This podcast is made possible by Critical Consciousness and Anti-Oppressive Praxis program hosted by the Office of Inclusion, Community, and Integrative Learning at Stanford.
Featuring: Elaine Lai (PhD Candidate) Matta Zhen (’22) Sequoiah Blaire Hippolyte (’22) Three other anonymous members of REFUGE
Podcast edited by Cahron Cross (’23) and Destiny Cunningham (’23)
September 2022 | Queer Joy and Community Resilience: Voices from Stanford – Part Two
A conversation with Vivek Tanna on queer mania, and queering academia
Elaine Lai (she/they) is a PhD candidate in the Religious Studies department at Stanford focusing on Buddhism. Their dissertation focuses on researching how time is narrated and embodied in Tibetan Buddhist literature, and what this might teach us about otherwise possibilities for storytelling and creating a more compassionate world. Prior to Stanford they spent ten years studying and working in China, Taiwan, India, Hong Kong, and Nepal where they made lifelong friends who have drastically influenced the way they see the world. Outside of academia, they have served as the co-president of the Buddhist Community at Stanford (BCAS). By night they write plays, screenplays, and TV pilots that feature unconventional female and queer characters.
Featuring: Elaine Lai (PhD Candidate) Vivek Tanna (’22)
Podcast edited by Cahron Cross (’23) and Destiny Cunningham (’23)
June 2021 | JOY AS RESISTANCE |Sunshine and Dominoes and Lemonade and Joy
A defiant poet’s instructions for living joyful resistance.
“Sunday Morning Chant” by Freesound Music “Positive Hip-hop” by Maxkomusic “Trial Of Fire” by Catch 22 Beats “Remember When” by Pieper Beats “ELEGANCE” by B.EaZYbeats “4 Page” by Quentin Beatino
Story by Darnell “DeeSoul” Carson, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
May 2021 | PLAY | Adesuwa’s Day Off
An intrepid girl tears up her schedule and takes the day to play – learning some lessons about the value of fun along the way.
“Funky Little Intro” by Chico Man “New Soul” by Ketsa “Thinking Free” by Ketsa “Dutilgi” – by Mello C “Rainbow Bridge” by Siddhartha Corsus “The Flight of Lulu” by Possimiste
Story by Adesuwa Agbonile, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
April 2021 | ANCESTRY | The Alchemists
A dreamer discovers the surprisingly cyclical nature of ancestry.
“Pianoman Sofa” – Lobo Loco “Great Minds” – Eric Matyas “Night Caves” – Lee Rosevere “Sonata in G Minor, K. 347” – Domenico Scarlatti “Raw Umber” – Podington Bear
Story by Emma Master, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our February ’21 theme, INTIMACY. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow JJ Kapur ’22 .
Music in this piece:
“Belfast” – Podington Bear “Sepia” – Podington Bear “Still of Morning” – Scott Buckley
Story by JJ Kapur, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
Jan 2021 | ANGER & JUSTICE | Stolen Swastikas and Pet Pistols
Two stories: in light of bigotry and racism, especially from those we least expect, what does true justice mean and why?
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our January ’21 theme, ANGER & JUSTICE. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Elaine Lai, PhD Candidate and Cahron Cross ’22.
Music in this piece:
“Chill Jazz Lofi Hiphop” – Kaizan Blu “Jazzy Lofi” – Kaizan Blu “Enrichment” – Podington Bear “Tears of Gia” – Just Chill Productions “Tough Choices” – Eric Matyas “Young Mind” – Eric Matyas
Stories by Elaine Lai and Cahron Cross, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our December ’20 theme, (BE)LONGING. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Kory Gaines ’21 .
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our October ’20 theme, FINDING GROUND. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow JJ Kapur ’22 .
Music in this piece:
“Comedy background Music – Indian Tabla & Dholak Instrumental” by Yellow Tunes “Best Indian sad background music” by Yellow Tunes “Ghost Surf Rock” by Loyalty Freak “India Royalty Free Music” by Bensound “PUNJABI DHOL BHANGRA BEATS 1” by Official No Copyright Music
Story by JJ Kapur, Audio produced by Allie Wollner
Sept 2020 | MEETING UNCERTAINTY | The Bear-Bear Dread
What happens when someone else dictates your every move? And what does it mean when that someone is…a stuffed animal.
For Stanford University’s Office for Religious and Spiritual Life’s Meeting’s the Moment program, this story showcases our September ’20 theme, MEETING UNCERTAINTY. Told by Meeting the Moment Fellow Adesuwa Agbonile ’21 .
Story by Adesuwa Agbonile, Audio produced by Allie Wollner and Adesuwa Agbonile
Music in this piece:
“Here’s the Thing” by Lee Rosevere “Sad Marimba Planet” by Lee Rosevere “Making a Change” by Lee Rosevere “Slow Lights” by Lee Rosevere
Wednesday, January 20th, 2021. 6:00 – 8:30 pm PST.
Each month, two Fellows from the Meeting the Moment Program will screen a movie + and host a short, post-film discussion on the monthly theme. We’ll use the movie as a prompt to lean into what it means to meet the monthly theme. January’s theme is Anger & Justice, and our movie is CITY OF GOD. The evening will be hosted by Meeting the Moment Fellows Luciana Frazao MS ’21 and Kory Gaines ’21.
Considering Racial Justice
We’ve put together a playlist of SSP-produced pieces from over the years that investigate and consider structural forms of racism.
Gathering: The Latest Episode of State of the Human
What do we gain from gathering? In this episode, we’re thinking about how coming together can change us.
Preserving: A new episode of State of the Human
This episode investigates the act of preserving, a decision made in the present, regarding the past, looking towards the future. What can we learn from what we choose to preserve? What does preserving reveal about our values?
Meet SSP's student producers
Meet the student producers who bring stories to life at SSP
Learning Medicine: A new episode of State of the Human
We're asking: how are students learning to practice medicine, thoughtfully?
Listen to Materializing, an episode of State of the Human
What ideas exist behind material objects? In this episode we're going to look at stuff — things we can see or hear or touch — to try to understand the intangible, like memory history or bias
Listen to stories from our 2019 Braden Grantees
The Braden Storytelling Grant is a grant for students to learn to research, craft, and produce an audio documentary
Sarah M. Broom is the author of The Yellow House, winner of the 2019 National Book Award and featured on dozens of 2019 Best Books lists. Through the intimate story of her family’s home, The Yellow House offers a new story about not only New Orleans but about defying the forces of race and class in the American neighborhoods we rarely see. more
By Christy Hartman
May 23, 2019
SCOPE, Stanford Medicine
Cystic fibrosis took Mallory Smith’s life, but her memoir lives on. For more than ten years, Mallory recorded her thoughts and observations about struggles and feelings too personal to share during her life, leaving instructions for her mother to publish her work posthumously. more
PWR 2JW
Instructor: Jonah WIllihnganz
Winter 2021, Tue/Thur 4:30-05:50pm
4 units, WR-2
Join the Stanford Concert Network and the Stanford Storytelling Project for a live event with Stones Throw Records artist, violinist and vocalist, Sudan Archives. Sudan Archives writes, plays, and produces her own music. Drawing inspiration from Sudanese fiddlers, she is self-taught on the violin, and her unique songs also fold in elements of R&B, and experimental electronic music. Come with questions to ask, or just come to hang out and hear what Sudan Archives has to say.
Wednesday, January 20th, 2021. 6:00 – 8:30 pm PST.
