Science is all about precision, controlled studies, and measurable, repeatable results. So for years researchers resisted working on alternative practices such as meditation, dismissing the few studies done as “fuzzy science,” “subjective,” or “impossible to duplicate.” But as research methods have advanced, so has the accuracy of the latest research. There is ample evidence now that stress leads to increased risk of health problems and that meditation reduces stress. What’s new are the studies showing how stress is related to aging and telomere length.

Dear Readers: Here’s a quick round up of some of our favorite articles from this month! As always, we look forward to presenting you with up to date news and information about holistic events, health…

Jin Shin Jyutsu® physio-philosophy is an ancient art of harmonizing the life energy in the body. This art brings balance to the body’s energies, allowing the body to function, feel better and heal more quickly. With the high occurrence of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and other fragile bone conditions, prescriptions for Fosamax and similar drugs are given routinely. There are other alternatives if you are willing to take the time and give this a try.

Waking up to that fact that it’s not only a dream; it’s another world. “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. We must be over the rainbow.” – Dorothy, in the movie version…

Three Minutes a Day is one of the best meditation books to come along in years. Author Richard Dixey has written a real how-to manual for anyone who wants to start meditating. Not only that, he outlines in clear, simple terms how the reader can gain all the wisdom and benefits of a meditative practice with just a few minutes daily investment of time. Repeat that three minutes every day for several weeks, and before you know it you are a meditator, capable of achieving clarity, growth, and insight.

Our habitual patterns with food are a porthole through which we can gain insight into where we may be out of balance, emotionally overwhelmed, or generally unfulfilled. When you uncover what is really going on, you will gain a better understanding of how to support yourself through it while learning how to remedy these deeper imbalances.

This is a quick and simple salad to make for warm weather evenings. While tuna has high mercury, the Skipjack Wild tuna is a smaller tuna with much lower levels of mercury.  Wild Planet is a good brand.

Merryn’s personal experience using castor oil packs for healing. ‘What I find most fascinating is that all parts of the castor plant are extremely poisonous to eat, but when the oil is extracted from the seed of the Ricinus communis plant, the poison remains in the seed, and it becomes “the oil that heals.”

I am many things, but I am not a Buddhist. Still, every so often the secret Buddhist in my soul demands to be fed: lighting a little incense, placing a flower in a bowl like an offering, sweeping a spider out the door (instead of squishing it), or taking a day trip to the Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY.