Southeastern Michigan's Conscious Living Magazines —
Our magazines are a resource on mindfulness, healthy living, spiritual growth, psychology, conscious parenting, and alternative therapies, plus community profiles, news, and events related to Southeastern Michigan's vibrant holistic and conscious living community.

Trailer for issue #87

Featured from our September through December 2024 Issue

Featured
Book Review: Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading by Chris Anderson
book reviews, Issue #87, generousity
Book Review: Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading by Chris Anderson
book reviews, Issue #87, generousity

Infectious Generosity by Chris Anderson is a non-fiction book that delves into the transformative power of generosity as a force for positive change. The book argues that acts of kindness and giving can spread rapidly through society, like a contagious disease, creating a ripple effect of goodwill.

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book reviews, Issue #87, generousity
Eve Wilson--Midwife for the New World
Issue #87, metaphysical, healing, spiritual practice, Eve Wilson
Eve Wilson--Midwife for the New World
Issue #87, metaphysical, healing, spiritual practice, Eve Wilson

At 64, this Ann Arborite lives at ease in her body, state, and station. Without pomp, she introduces herself as an intuitive spiritual healer and a World Healing and Ascension Worker.

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Issue #87, metaphysical, healing, spiritual practice, Eve Wilson
Slow Farm: Growing Healthy Food and Justice in the Food System
farm, local farm, Slow Farm, food and nutrition, Issue #87
Slow Farm: Growing Healthy Food and Justice in the Food System
farm, local farm, Slow Farm, food and nutrition, Issue #87

In late April, on a mostly sunny, cool morning, with the temperature in the low fifties, I drove out from Ann Arbor on Whitmore Lake Road to Slow Farm. I found Bayer and co-farm manager Magda Nawrocka-Weekes standing at the edge of a large field on the west side of Whitmore Lake Road, near the farm’s gate.

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farm, local farm, Slow Farm, food and nutrition, Issue #87
Namaste, Katie--Fall 2024
yoga, yoga column, Issue #87, Namaste Katie
Namaste, Katie--Fall 2024
yoga, yoga column, Issue #87, Namaste Katie

Whether you're a seasoned yogi or getting ready to roll out your mat for the first time, here you'll find a variety of useful tips from local yoga instructor, Katie Hoener.

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yoga, yoga column, Issue #87, Namaste Katie
Out of My Comfort Zone with Brian O'Donnell and Linda Bender
personal essay, comfort zone, columns, local practitioners, Issue #87
Out of My Comfort Zone with Brian O'Donnell and Linda Bender
personal essay, comfort zone, columns, local practitioners, Issue #87

Life is calling me out of the comfort zone of middle age to the forbidding territory of old age. Middle age isn’t exactly my comfort zone either. If I’m honest I’m still clinging to youthfulness.

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personal essay, comfort zone, columns, local practitioners, Issue #87
Autumn Foraging
foraging, nature, food and nutrition, Issue #87
Autumn Foraging
foraging, nature, food and nutrition, Issue #87

There is something romantic and melancholy about the Earth Mother closing out the heat of summer and preparing herself for the cold winter’s embrace. We instinctively feel the shift and are compelled to engage with the natural world, seeking to bask in the cascades of warm yellows, reds, and oranges in the trees and almost methodically find our way to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and forests to take in the beauty and bounty of the season.

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foraging, nature, food and nutrition, Issue #87
Kids in the Community: The Voices of Tomorrow's Population
youth, kids in community, kids column, CWJ Kids, Issue #87, youth services
Kids in the Community: The Voices of Tomorrow's Population
youth, kids in community, kids column, CWJ Kids, Issue #87, youth services

In an age where children's voices are easily drowned out by digital noise and societal pressures, nurturing a child's ability to speak up, literally and figuratively, has never been more crucial. Experts and local business owners emphasize the importance of fostering solid vocal skills and self-expression in young people. From techniques to care for growing vocal cords to strategies for building confidence in self-advocacy, a multifaceted approach to "voice development" is shaping a generation of articulate, assertive, and empowered youth.

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youth, kids in community, kids column, CWJ Kids, Issue #87, youth services
Born of the Spirit: Storytelling is the Breath of Life
storytelling, Issue #87, self expression, connection, interconnectedness
Born of the Spirit: Storytelling is the Breath of Life
storytelling, Issue #87, self expression, connection, interconnectedness

Once upon a time, within the swirling molecules of space, the Creator drew forth a deep breath of every color of energy and blew it into a clear, nearly spherical bowl. S(he)/we swirled the bowl gently, lovingly watching the sparkles of energy coalesce and cascade, mixing every possible setting, every conflict, every character, and every archetype. Then S(he)/we gently rolled the bowl out away from its BEing.

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storytelling, Issue #87, self expression, connection, interconnectedness
Open Your Heart to Cacao: Healing Through Ceremony
cacao, ceremony, Issue #87
Open Your Heart to Cacao: Healing Through Ceremony
cacao, ceremony, Issue #87

“This is the heart medicine that the world needs,” said Lindsey Glasson, founder, and protector of cacao at i.e. Kawa, as well as a facilitator of cacao ceremonies in Michigan and in places around the world. An intuition-led purchase of twenty pounds of cacao at a Costa Rican farmers’ market just before the pandemic inspired Lindsey’s journey that has helped her heal herself and others through cacao and ceremony. Cacao, she said, “is the doorway of the soul.”

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cacao, ceremony, Issue #87
Leonids: Worth a Look
star gazing, Issue #87, meteor showers
Leonids: Worth a Look
star gazing, Issue #87, meteor showers

Last April’s total eclipse had many of us looking to the southern sky at that rare astronomical phenomenon. The following month, some of us in Southeast Michigan were out on our porches or in our yards late at night looking in the opposite direction, hoping to get a rare glimpse of the Northern Lights. This fall, we may have another opportunity to witness a celestial display—the Leonids. Each November, the night sky lights up with a meteor shower as the earth passes close to the Tempel-Tuttle comet’s orbit.

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star gazing, Issue #87, meteor showers
Book Review: Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout by Cal Newport
book reviews, Issue #87, slow productivity
Book Review: Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout by Cal Newport
book reviews, Issue #87, slow productivity

In Slow Productivity, bestselling author and computer science professor Cal Newport presents a counterintuitive approach to getting things done in our fast-paced world. The book challenges the conventional wisdom of constant hustle and multitasking in our rapid digital age.

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book reviews, Issue #87, slow productivity
Your Nodal Axis Knows
astrology, Nodal Axis, Birth Chart, Issue #87, humor, personal essay
Your Nodal Axis Knows
astrology, Nodal Axis, Birth Chart, Issue #87, humor, personal essay

Years ago, my friend Lorraine and I were comparing junior high report cards which, back then, were much more than a letter grade representing your academic successes and failures. Teachers actually wrote a list of everything they wanted your parents to know you were or weren’t doing. In my case, the list was long and critical.

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astrology, Nodal Axis, Birth Chart, Issue #87, humor, personal essay
Astrologically Speaking~The Fab Five: Our Outer Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
astrology, Issue #87, planets
Astrologically Speaking~The Fab Five: Our Outer Planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto
astrology, Issue #87, planets

Moving beyond Mercury through Mars, the outer planets typically are going to have a less personal effect on us in the everyday sense. The longer orbits of these planets mean they don’t change signs as often so they will be in the same signs as people around our same age or in our same generation. For example, if you were born between 1998 and 2011, you have Neptune in the sign of Aquarius.

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astrology, Issue #87, planets
Kindred Conversations with Hilary Nichols and Andrew Werderitsch
Issue #87, kindred c, HIlary, dancing, movement
Kindred Conversations with Hilary Nichols and Andrew Werderitsch
Issue #87, kindred c, HIlary, dancing, movement

If music is playing, Andrew Werderitsch will be moving to it. As the creative force behind Elemental Ecstatic Dance in Ann Arbor, Werderitsch is in his element on a dance floor.

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Issue #87, kindred c, HIlary, dancing, movement
Quantum Field, the Collective Unconscious, and Intentional Creation
Quantum field, collective Unconscious, creation, Issue #87
Quantum Field, the Collective Unconscious, and Intentional Creation
Quantum field, collective Unconscious, creation, Issue #87

What do the Collective Unconscious and the Quantum Field have in common? Everything. They are one and the same. And what does the Quantum Field have to do with Intentional Creation? Everything. This is where all creation takes place.

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Quantum field, collective Unconscious, creation, Issue #87
Be You Not Afraid: Redeeming the Most Feared Major Arcana
tarot, Issue #87, divination
Be You Not Afraid: Redeeming the Most Feared Major Arcana
tarot, Issue #87, divination

As I was offering tarot card readings at a local flea market, I was approached by a woman of 75 years who said she’d never received a reading before. I told her I’d be happy to be her first, and she said, “Just as long as you don’t pull the death card.” Lo and behold, she shuffled the cards, and Death was the first card I pulled.

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tarot, Issue #87, divination
Fall Into Fitness — Seven Fun Ways to Ease into Fitness
Issue #87, fitness, excercise, menopause, movement, personal growth, humor
Fall Into Fitness — Seven Fun Ways to Ease into Fitness
Issue #87, fitness, excercise, menopause, movement, personal growth, humor

Do you remember when you were a child and you watched mom or dad rake all the orange, yellow, or brown leaves scattered on the lawn into a pile? I remember how that pile was as high as my waistline (now I can’t even see my waistline), and it was just waiting for me to fall into them. And I did. Nowadays, I think of fall as a great time to refocus on fitness.

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Issue #87, fitness, excercise, menopause, movement, personal growth, humor
Protect & Restore Your Liver Naturally
Issue #87, health and wellness, alternative medicine, food and nutrition
Protect & Restore Your Liver Naturally
Issue #87, health and wellness, alternative medicine, food and nutrition

When it comes to promoting long term health and avoiding chronic illnesses, your liver is of the utmost importance. It helps to modify and neutralize toxins, plays a major role in digestion and absorption, and works to regulate blood sugar around the clock. At this moment in history our livers are working harder than ever before!

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Issue #87, health and wellness, alternative medicine, food and nutrition
Conscious Parenting: Prepping for Baby: Find the Right Doula for You
birth, childbirth, doula, Issue #87, children, family
Conscious Parenting: Prepping for Baby: Find the Right Doula for You
birth, childbirth, doula, Issue #87, children, family

Imagine knowing all the things, having a supportive partner, and knowing that you don’t have to remember everything. Imagine knowing that someone else has eyes out for your best interests without worrying about ulterior motives. Imagine that someone is watching out for your partner as well! It can feel like such a load off your shoulders to know that there is someone there who is familiar with the process.

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birth, childbirth, doula, Issue #87, children, family
Handcrafting~ Autumn Wild Crafting
natural products, Issue #87, wild crafting, foraging, handcrafting
Handcrafting~ Autumn Wild Crafting
natural products, Issue #87, wild crafting, foraging, handcrafting

Autumn is the season of bounty, and it’s so easy to end up coming home after a wander into the natural spaces around us with pocket loads of natural treasures. Why not engage in some creative crafting with your harvest? Here are a few of my favorite autumn wild crafts to make the most of your gathering.

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natural products, Issue #87, wild crafting, foraging, handcrafting
The Community High Resource Program: A Student's Perspective
youth education, Issue #87, Community High School, Kids in Community
The Community High Resource Program: A Student's Perspective
youth education, Issue #87, Community High School, Kids in Community

We asked our fellow Community High School students, Claire Lewis and Jacqueline Boynton, to share their perspective about the community resource program at Community High and their experience in photography class.

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youth education, Issue #87, Community High School, Kids in Community
Spirit Seeds: Fall 2024
spiritual practice, spirituality, Spirit Seeds, column, Issue #87
Spirit Seeds: Fall 2024
spiritual practice, spirituality, Spirit Seeds, column, Issue #87

Welcome to Spirit Seeds! In this new column readers submit their questions, and we dive deep to find the answers. We’ll embark on a journey of holistic exploration, delving into ancient practices and unraveling the enigmas of existence.

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spiritual practice, spirituality, Spirit Seeds, column, Issue #87
Manual Labor
Personal Essay, Issue #87, manual labor, life transitions
Manual Labor
Personal Essay, Issue #87, manual labor, life transitions

I still have the scar on my forearm from when I touched it to the edge of the oversized sheet pan after taking it out of the oven. It happened the first week I worked in a busy kitchen, one year ago. I wear it well. At age sixty-three, after a lifetime of jobs that demanded my brains, wit, voice, compassion, and leadership, I jumped into the most physically demanding job of my life.

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Personal Essay, Issue #87, manual labor, life transitions
Sustainable Health: Taking Wellness One Day at a Time
sustainable health, columns, Issue #87, habits, wellness
Sustainable Health: Taking Wellness One Day at a Time
sustainable health, columns, Issue #87, habits, wellness

As a coach in the wellness industry, I am constantly shown the stark truth about what ails most of us humans. We are looking for drastic change, and we want it immediately! We tend to know what it is that we need, but getting there is extremely overwhelming. Rather than suffer from disappointment about not getting “the thing,” many people choose to disengage from the goal all together.

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sustainable health, columns, Issue #87, habits, wellness
Weekend Getaway: Around the Corner – Hillsdale County Excursion
Issue #87, Weekend getaways, Hillsdale County, Jonesville, Michigan, Munro House, Bed and breakfast
Weekend Getaway: Around the Corner – Hillsdale County Excursion
Issue #87, Weekend getaways, Hillsdale County, Jonesville, Michigan, Munro House, Bed and breakfast

The aura of calm began with our arrival at Munro House, the bed and breakfast serving as our home base. Considering the stately tone of the exterior columns, we were surprised by a casual greeting from Layne, the tween son of owner Chris Riley

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Issue #87, Weekend getaways, Hillsdale County, Jonesville, Michigan, Munro House, Bed and breakfast
You are Not Broken: The Deeper Journey of Mindfulness
calendar essay, Issue #87, inner wisdom, intuitive, healing, local practitioner
You are Not Broken: The Deeper Journey of Mindfulness
calendar essay, Issue #87, inner wisdom, intuitive, healing, local practitioner

“I’ll never give up on you, don’t you give up on you.” These words from Mitra Manesh, Mindfulness Educator, Thought Leader, and my mentor, have stayed with me through my growth and journey into the world of mindfulness and meditation practices. In 2020, I sat in on a webinar with this teacher whom I had never heard of. Upon listening to her deep inner wisdom, I knew immediately I had to study with her.

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calendar essay, Issue #87, inner wisdom, intuitive, healing, local practitioner
The Transforming Power of Gratitudes
gratitude, Issue #87, habits, healing
The Transforming Power of Gratitudes
gratitude, Issue #87, habits, healing

Consider waking up in the morning and the only thing in your awareness is what you’re grateful for. A smile comes to your lips as you look out the window and see the colors in the light of the new day. You’re grateful for each little thing often unnoticed by others. You are in the stillness where gratitude can move through your life. You have a glimpse that you are the stillness of gratitude.

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gratitude, Issue #87, habits, healing
All Creatures Great and Small~The Decision
All Creatures Great and Small, animals, pets, pets column, death and dying, Issue #87
All Creatures Great and Small~The Decision
All Creatures Great and Small, animals, pets, pets column, death and dying, Issue #87

Dogs have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Their unconditional love has provided a lifeline of emotional support during some very dark times. In the aftermath of a failed relationship and a thoroughly broken heart, being accountable to my dogs, and needing to care for them, literally gave me a reason to get up and carry on living. I was struggling with a very bad episode of depression—the kind that comes with such crushing, completely debilitating fatigue that it’s nearly impossible to get out of bed.

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All Creatures Great and Small, animals, pets, pets column, death and dying, Issue #87
Green Living~Foraging and Using Natural Materials for Home Crafting
Issue #87, foraging, handcrafting, natural materials, natural building, green living column, green living
Green Living~Foraging and Using Natural Materials for Home Crafting
Issue #87, foraging, handcrafting, natural materials, natural building, green living column, green living

Nature provides a variety of inspiring materials that can be useful for crafting traditional and useful things. What a joy it is to learn, year by year, a bit more about the qualities of the natural world by foraging and co-creating with nature.

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Issue #87, foraging, handcrafting, natural materials, natural building, green living column, green living
Leslie Blackburn’s Big Pivot: From Sacred Sexuality to Local Politics
politics, Issue #87, queer
Leslie Blackburn’s Big Pivot: From Sacred Sexuality to Local Politics
politics, Issue #87, queer

Within the past year, Blackburn’s work has pivoted to involvement in the local political scene, where they recently ran in the primary for Lodi Trustee. Blackburn states that this transformation is an extension of the empowerment work they were already doing in sacred sexuality.

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politics, Issue #87, queer

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Green Guardians: The plants of the Women’s Health Center
Peggy River Singer
Green Guardians: The plants of the Women’s Health Center
Peggy River Singer

Earlier this year I made my annual mammography visit to Trinity Health’s Women’s Health Center in Ypsilanti. On that particular morning, the sun beaming in the windows really lit up the healthy, beautiful plants at the entry. Inside the mammography suite, there are several beds of green Pothos plants with golden highlights, and every plant looks so vibrant and perfect that at first glance, you might think they are artificial. While I was waiting for my appointment, I realized that these lovely green beings were offering messages.

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Peggy River Singer
Weaving Earth's Energies: A conversation with Madam Squirrel
Peggy River Singer
Weaving Earth's Energies: A conversation with Madam Squirrel
Peggy River Singer

I see (in my mind) a very large Fox Squirrel sitting on a branch of a maple tree framed by a clear blue sky, its red-gold fur glistening in the sunshine. And I feel a deep wave of love-energy move through my body.

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Peggy River Singer
In These Times...
Kirsten Mowrey
In These Times...
Kirsten Mowrey

We practice for these times, for times like this in the world. We go to our mat, under our shawl, sit on our cushion, to find peace amid the rubble of grief, rage, and fear. We attend to our practice precisely so that when the tides of emotion are strong, so is our practice. We return again and again to our breath, to our body and mind in the moment, returning to ourselves. Our ancestors developed these practices because they knew—they knew that we could be swept off our feet by our emotions, our ability to choose wisely blinded by the redness of rage or the waters of our grief

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Kirsten Mowrey
When Spirit Sings: A Conversation With The Cicada Queen
Peggy River Singer
When Spirit Sings: A Conversation With The Cicada Queen
Peggy River Singer

A few years ago, during a major cicada emergence, I was visiting a friend who lived out of town. As I said my goodbyes and walked to my car, I thought I could hear singing off in the distance. There were no buildings within a mile, no vehicles blasting music, and it wasn’t coming from my phone, so I pulled my car over to the side of the road and turned off the engine to listen.

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Peggy River Singer