Jill Purce is a voice teacher, therapist and developer of Sound Healing and Ancestral Healing movements, a system of using sound, chanting and overtones to effect healing. Jill is the author of The Mystic Spiral: Journey of the Soul and has recorded CDs of her healing chants. Her work has helped people to recover from emotional and physical stresses as well as aiding expectant mothers to have smoother deliveries with less pain.

Arianna Huffington announced last week that she was stepping down from running her digital news site, The Huffington Post. She said she’s planning to focus on a new company she has started, Thrive Global. Thrive Global is a health and well-being “platform,” designed to promote well-being and productivity in the workplace. As the press release stated, “It provides trainings, seminars, e-courses, coaching, and ongoing support based on the latest scientific findings from experts in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, productivity, sports, and sleep.”

I visited an organic lavender farm last summer. About a half a mile down the road before arriving I knew I was close as I could smell the fragrant aroma wafting through the air. The rolling hillside was full of the stunning silvery-green and purple lavender plants. While I’ve never been to France, I imagined this is what the French countryside must look and smell like. I felt immediately transported to a peaceful, relaxed state. How much was linked to the actual aromatic effects of lavender or the natural beauty of it in this lovely environment, I’ll never know. Either way, it was an experience to remember.

“The culinary use of flowers dates back thousands of years to the Chinese, Greek and Romans. Many cultures use flowers in their traditional cooking – think of squash blossoms in Italian food and rose petals in Indian food. Adding flowers to your food can be a nice way to add color, flavor and a little whimsy. Some are spicy, and some herbacious, while others are floral and fragrant. The range is surprising… It’s not uncommon to see flower petals used in salads, teas, and as garnish for desserts, but they inspire creative uses as well – roll spicy ones (like chive blossoms) into handmade pasta dough, incorporate floral ones into homemade ice cream… use them to make a floral simple syrup for use in lemonade or cocktails. “

If you cast your eye to the west and the setting sun this month, it is possible to see the alignment of five planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter. Start your quest around dusk, as the various planets slip into view one by one. Don’t get fooled though – one of those shining beacons is likely to be the bright star, Antares, so you might want to consult a chart. The view culminates on August 27th, when Jupiter and Venus, the most visible of the planets, align.

The August Newsletter is out, and we at Merlian News are very excited to announce that we’ve updated our website! Check out the new logo, great articles with a cleaner look, easier navigation, and incredible photos. We hope you all are as excited about the changes as we are! For now, enjoy our newsletter, check out the articles, and don’t forget to take a look at our Website of the Month.

Long after we turn them off, our screens may be keeping us awake. The blue screens on TVs, phones and laptops have been linked with decreased melatonin production in the body, a deficit that may take hours of tossing and turning in the dark to correct. The wavelength of the blue lights from screens mimics daylight, and that suppresses melatonin.

“Ayurveda” is Sanskrit for “Life-Knowledge,” and it is one of the oldest forms of ancient healing still in use today. While most Americans have heard of Ayurvedic medicine by now, few realize how many of our current herbal remedies come from the ancient Vedic texts. For example, the many benefits of eating yogurt, using turmeric and other spices were documented in India over 2000 years ago .

“As She Is” is a wonderful exploration of the nature of feminine energy, and could not be more timely, coming as it does at a real crisis point in our world. Produced and directed by Megan McFeely, this is her journey, her exploration, but it is ours, too – and what she learns has implications for healing our world that has been so damaged in the last hundred years by wars, domination, the plundering of resources, and turning a blind eye to suffering.