The New School is Commonweal’s learning community and podcast. Together, we explore life’s big questions, offering events and publications in Commonweal’s areas of focus: finding meaning in a changing world, growing inner and community resilience, advocating for justice, and stewarding the natural world.
Be in the room during conversations with inspiring thought- and action-leaders of our time. Explore life’s big questions in a “slow conversation” setting, reflect on different worldviews, and find connection in a welcoming community.
Join Michael Lerner in a spiritual biography conversation with Robert Mulhall—Commonweal board member, former president of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, and a consultant whose work sits at the intersection of leadership development, organizational health, and human potential.
Image: Robert Lukeman, Unsplash.

Join live gatherings—online or in person—to share stories, reflect, and build community. From famous to quietly fabulous, our speakers and hosts are doing inspiring things in the world, and every voice is welcome.

Sunday, May 31
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm PDT
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm PDT: reception and book release
Join us at Commonweal or on Zoom
Suggested donation $25, no one turned away
Join us for a day of reflection and conversation exploring healing at a time of transformation—contemplating what Michael Lerner points to as the coming revolution in human consciousness and what it means for all of us as individuals, communities, and as a planetary species. Stay for the reception celebrating 50 years of healing work at Commonweal, and the publication of a new book by Michael Lerner: What Matters Now: 7 Letters to a Friend with Cancer.


Sunday, July 12
11:00 am – 2:00 pm PDT
Join us at Commonweal or on Zoom
$20 suggested donation, no one turned away
What role can art play in helping us meet this moment? As communities face growing loneliness, burnout, environmental anxiety, and civic division, the arts can create spaces for healing, connection, and hope. Join us as we celebrate 50 years of healing arts at Commonweal, building on an earlier convening of leaders in arts, health, and community practice. This public gathering, hosted by Commonweal Board Member Lisa Simms Booth, opens the conversation to all.


Sunday, December 6
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm PST
In person or on Zoom
$25 suggested donation, no one turned away
As the winter solstice approaches—a time for contemplation, exchange, and renewal—and Commonweal nears the end of our 50th year celebrations, this conversation with Jane Hirshfield and Host Michael Lerner will attend to how we might best address ourselves to the invitations of precipice and turn: with a spirit of permeability, imagination, and embrace of change.

Immerse yourself in a line of thought or inquiry at your own pace—building resilience and sparking new insights. Follow the journey of our Visiting Scholars, our favorite topics, and our favorite guests at Commonweal’s New School.
From thoughtful articles to creative zines and published books, the spirit of our community is captured in the sharing of ideas, stories, and practices that nurture resilience, wisdom, and care for the world.
Let us know how to get back to you.