Heading east toward Kelleys Island, I reminisced about past excursions to Sandusky. Cedar Point and Great Wolf Lodge are well known as family travel destinations, but I never knew that Sandusky is part of the north central region of Ohio known as “Vacationland.” While familiar with inland attractions, the Lake Erie islands of Vacationland were completely unknown to me. Considering most of my island experience was growing up in Manhattan, I was curious to experience island living as a low key, accessible getaway miles from familiar seashores.
Astrologically Speaking: The Saturn Return
The next time you talk to one of your parents or grandparents, ask them what happened to them between the ages of 28 and 30. I guarantee they will tell you about an important event in their life. If you have already reached your thirties or beyond, then you also have a story to tell—that of your Saturn Return.
Namaste, Katie...Winter 2025
Your yoga questions answered, winter 2025…I am not sure if it is a hybrid work schedule, or a recent new workout routine I have been trying, but the sides of my body have been so sore. My partner said it is my “lats” and I am not sure if it’s that, or something a bit lower that feels tight all the time. Any suggestions for something I can do on the job to stay relaxed.
What's New in the Community, Winter 2025
New Offerings by Local Established Businesses and Practitioners, New Classes, New Books, and more of What’s New in Our Community.
Dances of Universal Peace Return to Ann Arbor
There is a growing activity, migrating from one country to another, across each continent step-by-step, village to village, from one neighborhood to another. It’s not a religion or a secret society. It is just plain folks gathering for a time to chant and sing while gently moving together in a circle to live music.
Cooking with Lisa: Winter 2025
This Winter Vegetable Buddha Bowl is a nourishing, colorful meal featuring roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, and red onions over a bed of quinoa. Topped with fresh kale and spinach, creamy avocado slices, and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, it’s drizzled with a tangy tahini dressing, offering a perfect balance of warmth, flavor, and nutrition.
Tea Time with Peggy: Rooibos Tea
I enjoyed a cup of tea long before I knew it could help me in my quest to become a healthier person. Upon discovering that something I enjoyed doing on a daily basis could actually help improve my health, I decided it was time to do some research.
Simply Natural Business: Practices For Creative and Spiritual People
Many creative and spiritual people shy away from starting or growing a business. This is unfortunate because we all benefit when more heart-centered people are active in the marketplace. Some of the reasons business can seem like a “no” have to do with hustle culture, corporate culture, and the general “vibes” of doing business.
The Sugar Shack: How One Sweet Family Tradition Turned into an Airbnb Experience
It’s the time of year where the wind is nipping at your winter coat and the gopher may or may not have already seen its shadow. Many Michiganders may opt to stay indoors while the final weeks of winter thaw to spring, but Kirk Coppernoll of Sugar Shack Experiences in Grass Lake insists that these are actually the proper months to tap a maple tree and sip a maple cocktail in the woods. Grab a tap, boil some sap, and meet some other nature-loving strangers as the syrup boils: this is the Sugar Shack.
Spirit Seeds: Winter 2025
In this 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. Whether you’re a seasoned enthusiast or a curious newcomer, this column offers a platform for deepening your understanding and expanding your consciousness.
Coincidence, Compassion, Competence, and Courage
Some years ago, I read about a study which concluded that one of the main factors in instances of heroic action is a feeling of competence. In other words, the man or woman who runs into rough surf to rescue a struggling swimmer or jumps into an icy lake to pull out a child who has fallen through the ice acts partly out of a sense of confidence about their ability to swim. There are, of course, additional factors. There is the essential one, even if merely accidental or coincidental, of being in the right place at the right time. But, even more important, is having a strong capacity for compassion, and for courage, the ability to set aside fear and act, despite danger and risk.
All Creatures Great and Small: Winter Coop Wonderland
As the evenings grow colder and the nights get longer, I find myself looking for signs of Jack Frost on the windows and a small dusting of snow on the pines. As the season progresses, I make treks down to the river to see if the edges have started to form their delicate lace of ice and wake up each morning hoping to see a snow-covered wonderland. The kind of snow that brings silence and a deep, peaceful calm to the landscape where, when the sun hits it just right, the world glitters like diamonds.
A Fourth-Generation Herbalist’s Journey
For generations, our ancestors have preserved seeds, leaves, flowers, and roots using natural methods for self-healing. To honor their legacy, connect with my elders, and pass on this knowledge, I made it my mission to practice herbalism and educate anyone willing to learn about the amazing world of plant medicine. I learn something new every day when I am in nature. I take time to listen, pay attention, and trust the universe.
Book Review: How Are You, Really? By Jenna Kutcher
In How Are You, Really? Jenna Kutcher explores the often-overlooked question of how we are truly feeling. She encourages readers to reconnect with their authentic selves and live according to their values, joys, and rhythms rather than societal expectations. The book resonates deeply with people at various life stages, offering a much-needed invitation to stop and ask, “How are you, really?”
Green Living: The Sustainability Imperative: A Call to Slow Down and the Cost of Convenience in Shopping Small
In a world that often feels like it’s spiraling out of control—where climate crises loom, cities buzz relentlessly, and our pace of life rarely allows for a breath—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Amid this chaos, movements like sustainability, slow living, and shopping small have emerged as radical yet simple antidotes. What ties these practices together is the pursuit of a more intentional, connected, and grounded life. Each contributes not only to personal well-being but also to the health of our communities and planet. This interconnected wisdom offers us a pathway to stay sane in an increasingly unstable world.
Apostasy: Terraforming Tradition as the Crow Flies
Apostasy isn’t easy. I grew up in a rural community in the foothills of the Smokey Mountains. We attended a backwoods United Methodist church which, as far as backwoods religion goes, was not the worst. While I was not barraged every Sunday with hellfire, brimstone, speaking in tongues, or snake handling, our church services were characterized by oppressive silence both literally and philosophically. Alienation and gossip were the means by which order was enforced. All are condemned to whatever degree one cannot conform.
Book Review: Infectious Generosity: The Ultimate Idea Worth Spreading by Chris Anderson
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.
Eve Wilson--Midwife for the New World
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.
Slow Farm: Growing Healthy Food and Justice in the Food System
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.
Namaste, Katie--Fall 2024
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.
