The Dalai Lama has advised and supported a number of the Leveys’ projects, encouraging them in their work by saying: "You are presently engaged in work that has great prospects for bringing the inner sciences and technologies of human development and transformation to a very wide section of people who may not under ordinary circumstances come into contact with these teachings."

Teaching Mindful Leadership, Collective Wisdom, Deep Resilience, Mind Fitness, and Compassion Science programs within mainstream medical, higher educational, organizational, and government/military arenas since the late 70’s, the Leveys have an extensive, jaw-dropping list of clients including MIT, NASA, JPL, Boeing, Special Forces, The Pentagon, NOAA, The World Bank, United Arab Emirates, British Parliament, Google, Intel, Hewlett Packard, Stanford, and even the public school I attended in Richardson, Texas!

Medium Sally Mathis O’Brien's life path has been guided by her communications with “ascended masters” like Jesus, Gandhi, King Midas, and others. "Sally is a rare combination of religious docent and spiritual navigator. She received her master’s degree in Pastoral Studies from Seattle University in preparation for a second career in hospital chaplaincy, when a multiple sclerosis diagnosis took her in an uncharted direction as an advocate and teacher. As a natural meditator, she communes in the world of the ascended masters including Mary Magdalene, Gandhi, Leonardo DaVinci and the Dalai Lama. As a toolmaker, she takes the lessons from her conversations and experiments in mediumship and applies her talent to different forms of healing, including body-speak, self-compassion exercises, and ancestral work. Her personal experience from family trauma of alcoholism, codependency, and incest lend authenticity to the depths of her empathy. Her travels alone from the “sticky” labels of bipolar illness and MS – from disease to dis-ease to health to wellness – are worth the read." (From Sally’s website, https://www.myinnerlighthouse.com)

An octogenarian preparing to visit Bhutan, known for Gross National Happiness, Paramita gifted herself with a new name for her 80th birthday and is following her heart in visiting this Himalayan country with a development philosophy that aims to measure the well-being and happiness of the population rather than focusing only on economic growth. She plans to travel with a group of people connected with Joel and Michelle Levey, who "are respected for being among the very first professionals to introduce the principles and practices of mindfulness and mind-fitness training, interpersonal neurobiology, collective wisdom, deep systems thinking, inner-development-goals, and contemplative science into mainstream business, medicine, higher-education, sports, and government arenas – having begun this work in the 70s."

Youthful, lighthearted, gentle, unjudgmental Paramita enjoys learning the faith traditions of other cultures and incorporating the love and wisdom into her daily life. Don’t miss the beginning, as she starts the interview with a Hawaiian prayer…

A classical watercolorist who didn’t begin painting until the age of 44, Marcia later turned to working with acrylics, oils, and abstracts. Marcia is also a birder who has traveled all over the country to observe avian life, and a gardener whose property has been part of the Orcas Island Garden Tour. Marcia came to Orcas in the early ’70s as a back-to-the-lander, was one of the first women using the Lamaze method in natural childbirth, became a childbirth instructor and an organic gardener, helped start Children’s House, the recycling center, the food co-op, Orcas Center, the library, and has called the island home for over 50 years. “What I realized after I had been here a couple years is you choose a community, not a job. You choose a lifestyle, not a career.”

Master herbalist, artisan jeweler, former activist, and all around deep human being, Carol Anderson of Magic Island Herbals shares everything from how intentionally she gathers specific plants for her handmade products and the sheer bulk of rose petals it takes to end up with a handful of rose beads many months later, to her thoughts on real beauty, the illusion of powerlessness, trusting one's inner voice, the aim to find love in everyone, and the beautiful mystery of the unknown.

Epitomizing American roots music, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms are "some of the most compelling musicians making country roots music in America today." They tour as a duo as well as with the Caleb Klauder Country and the renowned Foghorn Stringband, "the present-day gold standard for real-deal hard-hitting genuine old-time American string band music, with nine albums, thousands of shows, over 20 years of touring under their belts, and an entirely new generation of roots musicians following their lead."

Caleb and Reeb are cofounders and co-organizers (along with local phenom mandolinist Tashi Litch) of Orcas Island's newest annual festival called OrcasFest ~ The Eastsound Music Ramble, coming back to Caleb's childhood home and sharing the talents of other musicians who play on small stages all around our little village. This weekend (May 28-31, 2026) is its second festival year.

A crisis consultant for 30 years, Christine is a communications advocate helping clients find their voice in navigating complex systems, communicating their priorities, and becoming more creative and effective advocates for themselves and/or their kids in systems like education, family court, special needs services, and long-term care planning. She has worked in executive management as well as start-ups, and her extensive background has ranged from freelance journalism, PR/marketing/branding, nonprofit work, fundraising, and disaster relief for the the Red Cross to having a garden design business and being the president of a large horticulture farming operation in California for 10 years. Christine has two adult children – a son currently getting his Masters in Divinity and a daughter who owns The Happy Cat with coworker and mentor Gina Minoia, which combines retail with rentable office space in the Airport Center.

An hour of poetry every morning is the way Tish Knapp begins her day. She is a book author, former Orcas Island High School English teacher for 26 years, writing group host, and matriarch of a blended family with 7 children. Tish embodies individuality, a passion for life, a love of fellow man, and she radiates joy. Listen to KIXP and you'll hear Tish reciting poetry on the air!

She pioneered Wednesday in the Woods and Farm-to-Classroom during her 20+-year teaching stint at the public school, and has been a real estate agent for 13 years at T Williams Realty. Mandy was born and raised here and is one of the warmest, most helpful, resourceful human beings you'll ever meet. She's an absolute idea machine, and makes the most of every moment she has with each person, each situation, and each opportunity.

Son of a printer in a Mormon family, stockbroker in his 20s, printbroker, self-taught CD-ROM maker, marketing consultant and owner of a design/advertising agency for 10 years, father of 8 children, oilfield worker, and owner of a custom woodworking business (frames, tables, furniture, etc.) called Old Goat Creative, George's experiences have run the gamut. The desire to sail around the world brought him to Orcas Island...