Title: Traditional World Healing Wisdom – Lost Practices Get New Respect

With time-tested wisdom and natural roots, traditional and Indigenous medicine has been an integral resource for centuries in communities around the world. According to the World Health Organization, 88 percent of all countries are estimated to use traditional medicine, such as herbal remedies, acupuncture and shamanism. The contribution of these practices is increasingly being recognized by Western medicine, especially in collaboration with integrative, holistic and regenerative medicine. The pandemic prompted renewed interest in traditional treatments, and incorporating them into wellness and healing modalities is easier and more valuable than ever. 

The article includes a round-up of herbalism, energy healing , Traditional Chinese Medicine and Emotional Healing across several traditions.

Green Living – Recycled Art- Transforming Trash Into Treasure 

Motivated by a desire to educate and inspire, many upcycle artists often interweave a message of environmental consciousness into their artwork, thus spreading awareness about issues or making social commentary. Plastics found along the beach may become a collage of a thriving sea turtle, for example. Old rusty metal parts may be transformed into a steampunk clock face or a modern hanging sculpture that spins in the wind.  

Fit Body –  Discovering the World of Martial Arts - A Look at Five Popular Modalities 

Traditional martial arts date back more than 2,000 years and have blossomed into about 200 styles. While originally devised to assist in hunting and protect against enemies, these practices also offer philosophical and spiritual guidance as practitioners establish a mind-body-spirit connection. According to Statista, a German-based market research company, nearly 6.2 million people in the U.S. participate in some form of this sport. The article includes karate, capoeira, akaido, jiu-jitsu and taekwondo.

Healing Ways – The Healing Arts of Qigong and Tai Chi - Well-Being Through Intentional Movements 

Qigong is a moving, meditative practice aimed at harmonizing internal energies, and is related to tai chi, which originated as a martial art. The practice of qigong involves breath work, movement, mindfulness and stretching. It is performed with intention, yet emptiness (“wuji”), enabling practitioners to cultivate a stronger, deeper mind-body-spirit connection that allows for heightened stillness, clarity, vitality, awareness and sense of self. It has been clinically documented to alleviate stress, enhance energy levels, improve physical fitness and promote cardiopulmonary and immune function.  

Conscious Eating – The Modern Macrobiotic Diet - More Than Tofu and Seaweed

So much has evolved in the 100 years since Japanese educator George Ohsawa created the macrobiotic diet. For one thing, the recipes have become more flexible, empowering people to save time and use ingredients that they love. Eating in accordance with the natural order—with the seasons—is an essential concept of the macrobiotic diet and includes fall, winter, spring, summer and a fifth season, “late harvest.” The idea is to follow our intuition.

Healthy Kids –  A Symphony of Skill-Building - How Music Spurs Childhood Development 

Whether listening to a live orchestra, engaging in rhythmic games, learning to play an instrument or singing in a choir, musical pursuits have been proven to help with early brain development and teach kids important life skills.

Natural Pets – Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine  - Supporting Pets With Ancient Healing Wisdom 

Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) includes the use of food therapy, acupuncture, Chinese herbs and tui-namassage to maintain health and treat disease. Some pets with chronic arthritic pain, inflammatory bowel disease, nerve damage, epilepsy, cancer and other long-term ailments may not respond well to conventional treatments, or the side effects of Western medicine may cause even more problems. That is when TCVM can intercede to provide relief. 

Wise Words – Sophie Haruna Klimcak on Finding Awe and Wonder 

Sophie Haruna Klimcak is the co-founder and program director of Wild Awake, a nonprofit in San Francisco. Drawing from her Japanese and Eastern European roots, she designs immersive, nature-based learning experiences that nurture deep caring for people and the planet. Whether in an after-school setting with children or an outdoor adventure among adults, she and her team of naturalists, artists and healing practitioners invite people to mindfully gaze at the stars, invigorate the senses with ocean sound-baths, experience healing and community in a song circle, build empathy and connection through storytelling, and express creativity by painting with botanical pigments.  

Inspiration – Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day 

October 9 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Its origin traces back to 1977, during the United Nations International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas, but it was not proclaimed an official U.S. holiday until 2021. During this national holiday, we celebrate the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognize their inherent sovereignty and commit to our treaty obligations with tribal nations. Here are a few ways to celebrate.

Eco Tip – Eco-Friendly Fall Yard Cleanup  

This winter, consider allowing at least some of this fallen foliage to remain where it lands. This will benefit the local ecosystem and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in landfills.