Weekly Reflection: A Year Later
A Year Later On this day, a year ago, Dr. Fabi was removing a vertebrae from my back and inserting those titanium screws. And after months of relearning how to bend and lift and put my socks on, I can now climb the fourteen steps to my study with a mug of coffee and a book in hand. A year later, I’m sitting on a bench in New York City, the light slipping through the soft clouds, through the swaying trees, the way peace in time slips through the spaces in pain. And pain-free, I don’t know how to speak of this to those in the middle of pain. Like someone cast ashore shouting to someone afraid of drowning, “I know!” Like someone who winces when a woman stumbles and drops her cane in the parking lot. Nothing we can do will prevent or take away the pain of others. And yet, the want to do so and the acceptance that we can’t is the give-and-take of the Universe—as it moves us along in the bloodstream of care. A Question to Walk With: In conversation with a friend or trusted loved one, discuss the give-and-take of the Universe as you experience it. This is from my book in progress, The Healing Experience of Beauty.
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live
“For more than half a century, I have been a seeker, a pilgrim, a wanderer, committed to discovering and practicing the art of being human. Over the years, I have lost and found my way countless times. Like a prospector, I have sifted the dirt on the path, surprised to find pure gold in a word here and there that might help us live. This book gathers the nuggets of gold found in the mountain. I hope one or more of these deep expressions will serve as a comfort or source of strength, and offer you a sense of home in the days ahead.” —MN
In The Language of the Soul, Mark traces the deep, often forgotten roots of 228 words across thirty-one languages and traditions — uncovering their original, undiluted power to awaken, connect, and heal.
Woven with stories from history, mythology, and his own remarkable life journey, this is a rich and contemplative guide to the spiritual essence of language — and an invitation to remember what we’ve always, somewhere, already known.
The Language of the Soul: How the Words You Choose Shape the Life You Live arrives May 26, 2026.
To pre-order, click here.
Upcoming Events with Mark in 2026-2027!
May 15–17: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, The Sophia Institute, Charleston, South Carolina. Click here to register – IN PERSON & ONLINE
June 19-21: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, Omega Institute, Click here for more information. – IN PERSON
September 13, 2026 @ 1pm PT: The Language of the Soul. An intimate afternoon conversation with Mark and Brooke Warner at Book Passage Corte Madera. Link to register coming soon. – IN-PERSON
September 15, 2026: The Language of the Soul. An intimate in-person gathering with Mark at Godmothers Bookstore near Santa Barbara. Register here for this ticketed event. – IN-PERSON
January 10, 17, 24, 2027: The Language of the Soul: The Power to Awaken, Connect, and Heal. A 3-session webinar guided by Mark Nepo. 1-2:30PM ET | 10-11:30AM PT. Click here for more information. – ONLINE
February 8-13, 2027: The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, a Mastery week, The Modern Elder Academy in Baja, Mexico, Click here to sign up – IN PERSON
April 2027: Weeklong Retreat with Mark Nepo in a castle outside of Milan, Italy — Click here to learn more and register – IN PERSON
the tension between wanting to remove others’ suffering and accepting that we cannot—becomes his metaphor for the “give-and-take of the Universe.”