Home Essays


Our Essays are long form pieces exploring Kindling founder Peter Schulte’s experience and reflections.

Is humanity beautiful?

Whether it’s our wasteful lifestyles, bigotry and oppression, science denial, addiction to modern technology, skyrocketing population, or just good old-fashioned inherent sinfulness, we all seem to have a story about why we should be ashamed of ourselves. Are we right? Is this helpful?

Ayahuasca #2: Tiger

Power. It was intoxicating and somehow deeply familiar, as if it had been waiting dormant inside of me.
Incan terraces

Ayahuasca #1: Living without expectations

It was back in college when I first heard about ayahuasca from a housemate of mine. She told me about a psychedelic medicine from the Amazon capable of incredible personal transformation and healing. People taking the medicine often reported recovery from deep depression, addiction, and anxiety. They reported incredible experiences of traveling...
San Sebastian Bay

An explosion in San Sebastian

Ever since, in moments of anxiety, stress, or intense negativity - if I can find a moment of presence - I go back to San Sebastian.
man in a tunnel, personal responsibility

The many dimensions of personal responsibility

“Personal responsibility” forms the backbone of polarization in our country today. We all agree we need it. But we can’t actually agree on what it means.
sprout coming up out of white sand

Digging for gold at the Right Livelihood Quest

Beyond the job titles, beyond the outfit - what has your life been preparing you perfectly for? That's the core question of the Right Livelihood Quest.

Can we trust our neighbors?

In truth, there is about half as much crime in the United States as there was 25 years ago. Both violent and property crimes have dropped dramatically. We are safer than we were 30 years ago.
Business man and woman talking

What corporate culture gets right

Can you imagine if we created a movement that both treated others with love and sensitivity AND thrived off creative tension?
clouds with sun behind them

How you can be an atheist and still believe in God

Americans don’t think much of atheists. According to a 2015 Gallup poll, 74% of Americans would vote for a qualified gay or lesbian for president. Only 58% would vote for an atheist. Forty percent would refuse to vote for an atheist.
Profit and purpose diagram

Why non-profits are part of the problem

How can we expect to drive real change when we are constantly underfunded and in the pockets of corporate donors?