It came over me one morning. I dressed, and undressed, and redressed several times. Shirts and pants I had worn many times suddenly made me feel claustrophobic. The colors were good, the styles attractive. This wasn’t a “what do I want to wear?” indecisive moment. No, it was as if every shirt and pair of pants I tried, I felt like my skin couldn’t breathe—that I couldn’t breathe (and not because I had strawberry shortcake with morning coffee). I pulled at the necklines, the thighs, the abdomen. I fidgeted. I could feel confused grumpiness setting in.
Posts filed under Issue #90
Redefining the Mental Health Experience — A Conversation with Kerry Biskelonis, Founder of Reset Body and Mind
You might miss Reset Brain and Body while cruising up Packard. Next door to the Cobblestone Farm, the business lives in a cozy brown building nestled back among the trees. Kerry Biskelonis, Founder and Managing Director, explained, “All of our offices are located within green space. It’s very important to have trees, to have natural light and access to outdoors, because connecting to nature is how we feel better; It’s always quiet, like an oasis, so you won’t find us in a high rise.”
Balance Chakras to Build Confidence in Kids
The subtle energy system has always been integral to humanity’s weave of existence. Though the media tends to focus on seven major chakras in the Hindu/yogic tradition, there is commonality across Cherokee, Incan, Pueblo, Tibetan Buddhist, and Sufi Muslim mysticism beliefs to name just a few. That being understood, there are major and minor chakras throughout the body—at every joint, nerve bundle, palms of the hands, souls of the feet, nipples, and more.
A Miracle Led the Way--A Talk With Naturopath, Dr. Dennis Cousino
Dr. Dennis Cousino, ND, HHP, CFT of Dynamic Health lets us in on a journey of pain, faith, and healing in his own life—an experience that can only be described as miraculous. Dr. Dennis Cousino was raised in Tecumseh, MI and stil lives in the area with his wife and three boys. He completed his Naturopathic Doctorate at the First University of Naturopathy and has been practicing for 15 years specializing in chronic digestive and adrenal disorders.
Chandra Mitchel: Shepherding Crazy Wisdom Bookstore into its Next Era
A few months ago, in June 2025, Bill Zirinsky and Ruth Schekter licensed Chandra Mitchel, and her partner, Jon Rothenberg, to run Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, selling them the retail inventory, and leasing to them the bookstore’s first floor and lower level.
The Buzz on Protecting Pollinators Through the Winter
During the spring and summer there is always a lot of buzz around pollinators, their habitats, and how to support them. But did you know you can continue to support your backyard friends in the fall and winter as well? Through a few simple steps you can continue to provide for your local pollinators as the weather turns cold. By offering them housing during the snowy winter months you can guarantee they’ll return to your gardens the following year. It’s a win for everyone!
Kindred Conversations with Hilary Nichols--featuring Jamall Bufford
As the Director of Washtenaw My Brother’s Keeper (WMBK), Jamall Bufford makes a powerful impression of warmth and conviction. “Everyone sees his heart,” his colleague Justin Harper said. “Jamall is a great person. It is easy to work with him because he is a good listener, a team player, and completely true to his convictions. When someone has those qualities, a lot of great things can happen.”
A Magical Road Trip Across Michigan
There’s a saying that metaphysical shops serve almost as places of worship for people of alternative spiritualities. Without a tithing base, spaces for teaching spiritual arts and knowledge often need a commercial front to finance their public spaces. Almost every metaphysical store also serves as a community hub where people meet each other, support each other, and often feel truly seen for the very first time.
Astrologically Speaking--The Four Elements in Astrology
A simple way to understand the language of astrology is to view the twelve signs according to the element they represent: Fire, Earth, Air, or Water. We all understand what these elements look, and feel like, and we rely on them to live.
Patient Advocacy: A Gift of Understanding
The fundamental principles of “safety, security, and trust” is the foundation of good health care. As a patient, we want our providers to give us their time and attention—to treat us as they would like to be treated. A satisfying relationship produces growth and trust.
How One Sentence in an 800-Page Book Changed My Practice: An Interview with Benebell Wen
In an age of bite-sized disposable bits of information, and fleeting content, Benebell Wen’s work is a welcome anomaly best approached with a quiet space and a cup of tea. Her idea of “basic” is anything but, and I’ve learned to only dive into her writing when I’m ready to fully absorb deeply layered, carefully constructed thought.
What's New in the Community: fall 2025
What’s New in the Community: New books from local authors, new businesses, new offerings and practitioners and upcoming events for fall 2025.
Book Review: Nature’s Symphony: The Spirit of Scientific Pantheism by Martin Docherty
In Nature’s Symphony, Martin Docherty presents a refreshing and deeply thoughtful perspective on our relationship with the natural world—one that blends science, philosophy, and spirituality in a way that feels both intellectually satisfying and emotionally grounding. This book is neither your typical science read nor a standard spiritual guide. It’s something more layered: a meditation on the sacredness of the universe, grounded not in supernatural beliefs, but in the elegant truths of science itself.
Molly Ging: Owner of Ann Arbor's The Little Seedling
As a mother, entrepreneur, and community figure, Molly Ging provides local families with what they need most—support, and the best baby gear available. We sat down to chat about motherhood, philosophy, Ann Arbor, and the tenuous future of small businesses.
Wild Wellness at Mother Bear Sanctuary and Retreat Center
Barbra White, co-founder of Mother Bear Sanctuary and Retreat Center, believes that all living beings are deeply interconnected. “It’s kismet,” she explained, that just as she was longing to spread the word about her retreat center, which opened in 2018, The Crazy Wisdom Journal came calling for an interview. “I feel like I’ve been in a cooking pot for 30 years in this work, but here, specifically with Mother Bear Sanctuary for the last eight years, I feel like I’m saying to the universe, ‘I’m ready. I’m ready.’ So when [the Journal] called, I thought, ‘kismet.’”
Anthropocentric Sound and the Search for Serenity
They are shooting over at the Washtenaw Sportsman’s Club this morning. It’s a half mile away, but it sounds like I’m in the middle of a firefight. Though a mile off, the din of Interstate 94 is ever present like the constant flow of a rushing river with none of the charm. At first periodically, then steadily, cars pass the house. I can hear them coming from well down the two-lane road on which the speed limit is 45 mph but on which many drive much faster. A car passes, then there is a momentary lull, then another goes by. Think of the inexorable splashing of waves against the shore of one of the Great Lakes and you’ll get the rhythm.
Ode to the Arb
When you step through the wrought iron gates along Geddes Boulevard into the hushed shady entrance of Nichols Arboretum, between a wide pea-stone path to the left and a thin deer trail to the right, sits the first bench to welcome you. Benches are placed along the river side, on overlooks, in meadows, along trails, in the Peony gardens, and in countless shaded areas throughout this 128-acre preserve, inviting anyone to rest and take in the grand expanse of nature.
Kindred Conversations with Hilary Nichols--featuring Jonathan Buckman
What does normal even mean?” Jonathan Buckman asked. Buckman is not normal—he is unique and extraordinary by any measure, and that is what makes him such a great therapist, social worker, practitioner, neighbor, and friend. “Jonathan has attained master level accomplishments in so many domains, but you would never guess it if you were meeting him for the first time,” his bandmate, neighbor, and co-conspirator Jeff Gladchun told me. “You couldn’t ask for a better friend than Jonathan. He is one of a kind.”
The Enchantment of Lympha: Ancient Spirit of Pure Water
Inside mossy sunken walls, a bronze nymph pours out splashing streams from cupped palms, arms outstretched to make an offering in a little-known garden I visit.
Water calmed as the goddess raised her face from the pool.
Sprinkling her forehead with crystalline drops,
she drew moist tresses over her shoulder,
and began her story…
Five Tales of Ann Arbor’s Haunted History
The city of Ann Arbor has been around for over 200 years. That’s more than enough time for tales of the paranormal to manifest. Probably the most famous local spirit is that of Martha Crawford Mulholland, a.k.a. the Dixboro ghost, who is believed to haunt the Dixboro General Store. But she is far from the only ghost story Ann Arbor has to tell.
