During COVID lockdowns, The World Service brought spiritual nurture to its subscribers, drawn from responses to the pandemic itself, snippets of encouragement from Social Media, interesting films being released that would formerly have been withheld to make way for big budget blockbusters, music being written and new ways of seeing the world provoked by the experience of the pandemic.

All Episodes of the World Service

2021    The New ‘Normal’

• 10. Creativity (26.12.2021)
  Playing For Love, Peace and Change, with Playing for Change
  Starting Young – Toddler Drumming
  Recent Reflections, Mark Seymour
  Film Chat with Steve Parker: ‘Don’t Look Up!’ (Netflix)
  Para-Olympic Choreography
  ‘Nothing Compares to You, During COVID’
  Colours of Life and The Infinity of the Sun
• 9. Peace (12.10.2021)
  Listen to the Music, featuring Tom Johnston (Doobie Brothers), Playing for Change.
  Let’s Go Whale Watching!
  A Poem reputably read by Charlie Chaplain at his 70th Birthday.
  Film Chat: ‘Ride the Eagle’.
  Peace Train, featuring Cat Stephens, Playing for Change.
• 8. Respect (18.9.2021)
  The Staple Sisters, ‘Respect Yourself’, 1972.
  Brene Brown’s top Ten Rules for self-love
  Film Chat with Steve Parker – ‘R.E.S.P.E.C.T.’
  Aretha Franklin, ‘A Natural Woman’, Live at Kennedy Centre Honours, December 31, 2015.
  
• 7. Together (20.8.2021)
  Nick Seymour (Hunters and Collectors) leads the Couch Choir in ‘Throw Your Arms Around Me’.
  Smelling Rose’s Roses – images and poetry.
  Geoff’s Radical Musings – everything is connected; Thich Nhat Hanh – the cloud in my tea.
  Overcoats sing a COVID Medley – ‘Used to be Scared of the Dark’ and ‘Fire and Fury’. July 31, 2021.
  Film Chat with Steve Parker – ‘Dream Horse’.
  Playing for Change – Stevie Wonder’s ‘Higher Ground’, celebrating his birthday.

• 6. Facing Our Dragons (19.7.2021)
  Film Chat with Steve Parker – ‘Rosa’s Wedding’
  Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors, ‘Dragons’ – Late Show stephen colbert #PLAYATHOME
  How To Build UNSTOPPABLE CONFIDENCE & Start Fixing Your LIFE – Jordan Peterson
  ‘Seeds of Freedom’, Manu Chao, Playing for Change’
• 5. Sponsoring Happiness (18.6.2021)
  Love train, Playing for Change
  Frontline Songs Project with Mary Gauthier
  Film Chat with Steve Parker, ‘Two of Us’.
  Wow! Stuff…, ‘It’s All Right’ by Nightbirde gets the nod from Simon Cowell
• 4. Human Touch (21.5.2021)
  Song: ‘United’, Playing For change
  Geoff’s Radical Musings: Belonging
  Smelling Roses’ Roses
  Film Chat with Steve Parker, ‘Land’
  Song: ‘A Human Touch’, Leslie Mendelson and Jackson Browne

• 3. Special Places (25.4.2021)
  The Beach Boys classic, ‘In My Room’ by the Spooky Men’s Chorale
  Kids playing basketball on the street get a real surprise.
  One of my favourite places.
  Film Chat with Steve Parker reviews Oscar contender ‘The Father’.
  The Playing for Change band honours their inspiration, street musician Roger Ridley and performs ‘Stand By Me’ to a packed house in Brazil.

• 2. Inspirational Resistance to Oppression (13.3.2021)
  An old lady versus a dictator in Belarus (ABC Foreign Correspondent, Eric Campbell);
  Playing for Change, ‘Biko‘ (Peter Gabriel);
  Film Chat: Nomadland, Golden Globe Best Film, Best Director;
  Acts of Kindness: Malena the Stork is rescued in Croatia;
  Playing for Change, ‘Chan Chan’ (Buena Vista Social Club).
• 1: Courage to Carry the Weight of Suffering (11.2.2021)
  Jo Jo Ma, Biden Inauguration contribution;
  Where is Sinead O’Connor?

2020    The Year of COVID

• 13: Christmas 2020 (17.12.2020)
  Leonard Cohen, ‘Anthem’;
  Film Chat, ‘How to be a Good Wife’ (France);
  Doc Morris, ‘Take Care of Yourself’;
  Film: ‘Strathewen: The Chook Project’;
  Three Christmas Cultures: Cilene Dion, ‘So This is Christmas’, Jordan Copeland, ‘Holy Bronx Night’, The Late Late Service, Glasgow, ‘Image of the Invisible’;
  Poem, ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye, read by Emma Thompson.
• 12: Grief, Imagination and Hope (6.11.2020)
  Charlotte Ave, ‘Be a Light’;
  Wendell Berry, ‘Wild Things’;
  Film Chat, ‘Corpus Christi’ (Poland);
  Kubler-Ross, ‘Stages of Grief’ and the Pandemic;
  Yann Arthus-Bertrand, ‘Human’;
  KPMG corporate film, ‘Imagine’;
  Irish Women in Harmony, ‘Dreams’ (The Cranberries).
• 11: Meditation with an elephant and the importance of conversation… (10.10.2020)
  Meditation with an Elephant, Paul Barton;
  Film Chat: ‘The Translators’;
  Al Stewart, ‘Conversare’;
  Playing for Change, ‘Words of Wonder’- ‘Get Up, Stand Up’.
• 10: Compassion … (16.9.2020)
  ‘Saying Hello’, BBC Mash Report;
  Film Chat: ‘God of the Piano’ (Israel);
  Patrick Wanis: 10 strategies for surviving isolation during the COVID pandemic;
  Thich Nhat Hanh, interviewed by Oprah Winfrey;
  Book: ‘Compassion’ by Henri Nouwen et all;
  Playing for Change: ‘One Love’ by Bob Marley
• 9: Kindness, Compassion, Generosity, Perseverance (25.8.2020)
  Poem, ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye, read by Emma Thompson;
  Generosity at a wedding reception;
  Film Chat: ‘La Belle Epoque’(France) and ‘Inside Bill’s Brain’ (USA);
  Carrie Newcomer, ‘You Can Do This Hard Thing’.
• 8: Renewing and Practicing Hope (12.8.2020)
  The Avett Brothers, ‘Victory’;
  Letter from Steven and the Identity-Life Triangle;
  Mem Fox, ‘Whoever You Are’;
  Meditation on Children; ‘Hope Huddles’ on the hospital floor;
  Neil Young, ‘Looking for a Leader’;
  Royal Melbourne Hospital Scrub Choir, ‘Count on Me’.
• 7: A meditation in the Stirling Ranges … (15.7.2020)
  Meditation on Clouds in the Stirling Ranges;
  Changing roles in the Drama Triangle;
  The roles in action: ‘The Annual Art Show’;
  Film Chat: ‘Bellbird’ (New Zealand)
  The Camden Voices in Lockdown: ‘True Colours’, and heartfelt responses.
• 6: Freedom in Days Like This (1.7.2020)
  Meditation: Gurrumul: ‘Bapa’;
  Steve Earl: ‘Days Like This’;
  The Drama Triangle;
  Patrick Wanis: Escaping the Drama Triangle;
  Film Chat: ‘Woman at War’ (Iceland);
  Playing For Change: ‘Everyday People’.
• 5: Healing (8.6.2020).
  Meditation: A Quick Walk Along an Australian Bush Track;
  Poem: Hello Stranger;
  Poem shared by Ava Crescent Cardinalli;
  Alanis Morissette, ‘Reasons I Drink’;
  The Identity Circles;
  The Moffatt Brothers, ‘Heal the World’.
• 4: Thoughts,Feelings, Actions (14.5.2020).
  Birds in Meadow meditation;
  Thoughts, Feelings, Actions (The Cognitive Triangle);
  Queen tribute to frontline workers, ‘You Are The Champions’;
  Thai Good Stories, ‘Believe in Good’;
  TheArtUnited, ‘Perfect Sunrise’.
• 3. Patience (7.5.2020).
  Alanis Morissette ‘Smiling’,
  Inner Resilience,
  Letting Go,
  Mercy Bell ‘Always’
• 2. Hopes for the ‘New Normal’ (24.4.2020).
  Jimmy Nail, ‘Big River’;
  Shane Howard, ‘Don’t Give Up On Us’;
  Depression and the Cognitive Cycle;
  USA for Africa, ‘We Are The World’.
• 1.’Spiralling Up or Spiralling Down?’  (12.4.2020).
  Sam Neil;
  Personal Growth Chart;
  Isolation: Newton and Mandella;
  BBC Covid Encouragement;
  Ralph Mc Tell, ‘Streets of London’;
  Playing for Change, ‘Lean on Me’.

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