Sunday Edition | September 7, 2025
- Olga Nesterova
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Because life is more than politics — and kindness still matters.
This Week: PEACE
Peace isn’t just an end to conflict — it’s a foundation for happiness and well-being. It can be global, societal—but also deeply personal: the steady calm within ourselves, free from anxiety or fear. As ONEST explores culture, we recognize that peace within is the ultimate basis for both insight and action.
Peace & Roerich — The Premise of Curating Culture
Before we dive into culture news, let me share why this topic matters so much right now. The Russian painter and thinker Nicholas Roerich believed that preserving culture was itself an act of peace. His Roerich Pact called for protecting cultural heritage even in times of war—because when art survives, humanity survives.
Our first episode of ONEST’s new series Curating Culture explores Roerich’s legacy with the Roerich Museum in New York City. The film premieres tonight, but I invite you now to reflect: what does peace mean to you, and how can art help us preserve it?
🎭 CULTURE SNAPSHOT
1) Blood Moon (Lunar Eclipse)
Sometimes peace comes from simply looking up. On September 7, a total lunar eclipse will light up the skies, visible across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. The event starts with the Moon entering Earth's outer shadow at 11:28 a.m. ET and reaches totality, where the Moon turns red. The entire eclipse, including the penumbral phases, will last about five hours and 27 minutes. The Virtual Telescope Project will stream the eclipse starting at 1:45 p.m. EDT on Sunday. Watch it live below.
2) Giorgio Armani’s Legacy
This week, the world lost Giorgio Armani at 91. Armani reshaped fashion by stripping it of noise—favoring clean lines, subtle palettes, and quiet confidence. His designs made power elegant and simplicity timeless. Thousands gathered in Milan to say goodbye, but his legacy is stitched forever into how we dress and how we define grace. Above, you can find an interview Armani gave to the Business of Fashion 10 years ago.
3) Bedazzled Labubu Craze
Peace can also sparkle. Naomi Osaka walked onto the US Open courts carrying a crystal-encrusted Labubu charm, covered in thousands of Swarovski crystals by designer Kerin Rose Gold. It was whimsical, joyful, and a reminder that peace isn’t always solemn—it can be playful, creative, and fun.
🫶 LET'S TALK ABOUT PEACE
Peace is one of those words we hear in speeches, on protest signs, and in prayers. But it’s also a personal quest—peace of mind, peace in our bodies, peace in the spaces we call home. This week, as politics grows louder and culture feels more fragile, I want to pause with you and talk about peace. Not as an abstract ideal, but as something we can nurture every day.
FOR THE MIND
Our minds often run faster than our bodies.
Here are five ways to invite calm:
Take mindful pauses — even 1 minute helps.
Write a gratitude list — three moments of calm each day.
Step outside — watch clouds drift or water flow.
Limit news & screens before bed.
Do one thing at a time, with full attention.
🌿 DID YOU KNOW?
Anxiety affects nearly 1 in 5 people worldwide. It’s not weakness—it’s human.
But we can ease it:
Try the 5–4–3–2–1 technique: list 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
Label your emotions—naming them takes away their power.
Step away from screens an hour before sleep.
Move your body: walk, stretch, even smile.
Peace grows when we give our nervous system the space to rest.
FOR THE BODY
Peace begins in our bodies.
When we treat them with gentleness, they respond with calm.
Here are five practices to try this week:
Deep belly breathing — inhale for 4, exhale for 8.
Gentle stretching — release tension from your shoulders and neck.
Restorative posture — legs elevated, eyes closed, focus on breath.
Warm hydration — herbal teas soothe from within.
Ground contact — walk barefoot or rest against the earth.
LET'S COOK
🍲 A Hug in a Bowl
Sometimes the closest thing to peace is comfort food.
This week’s recipe is Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Sauté garlic & onion in butter.
Add canned tomatoes, broth, and basil sprigs. Simmer.
Blend smooth, stir in cream.
Season with salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar.
Serve with bread.
It’s warm, simple, and feels like being wrapped in a blanket.
FOR THE SOUL
Stories of Peace
Peace is not always quiet—it’s often tender, patient, and honest.
Here are some works to carry into your week:
3 Movies for Peace:
The Straight Story — slow, tender humanity on the road.
Paterson — poetry in everyday life.
A United Kingdom — love crossing borders.
📖 Book Recommendation of the Week
The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner — a journey into how cultures across the world define happiness.
😀 HAPPY MOMENTS
Videos guaranteed to make you smile.
🕊️ CLOSING WORDS
Peace is a practice, not a prize. It’s in the way we breathe, the art we preserve, the food we share, and the stories we tell. As the Roerich legacy reminds us, protecting culture is protecting humanity—and that, too, is peace.
Wishing you calm and joy this Sunday.
As always—Stay ONEST.
O.N.
Happy Sunday —And remember, life is more than politics.
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