Todd Patkin suffered a nervous breakdown at age thirty-six—and it turned out to be a breakthrough. He shares fifteen important things about life and happiness that he has learned. You’re living a “successful” modern life, which means that you spend most of your time at work. If you’re lucky, you’re able to fulfill your responsibilities [...]

The brilliant colors of Fall may be fading, but it’s not too late to enjoy the benefits of hearty fruits and vegetables including the great pumpkin. Fall is the best time to find fresh pumpkin so take advantage of it! Fresh fruits and vegetables will always provide you with the most nutrients and natural enzymes [...]

by Heather Roan Robbins This is politically challenging, personally busy, tactless and potential-filled week, with probably way too much on our plates, and in confusing or ever-changing circumstances. It’s easy to say way too many these days, but some of it just needs to be said. Tact can get stuffed in a shoebox when Mercury [...]

Forget the green bean casserole.  Put the red skinned potatoes back on the shelf.  If you are looking for the perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner, look no further than the sweet potato.  Not only do sweet potatoes pair well with the ubiquitous turkey, but they also pack quite the nutritional punch.  They are [...]

by Niánn Emerson Chase Think of each individual as being like a book, composing a life in chapters, writing his or her own history (or “herstory”). Some persons are thicker than others, with more pages, chapters, and sections because of past repersonalizations or past lives while others are thinner due to just beginning to write [...]

by Heather Roan Robbins “It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.” – Science historian Jacob Bronkowski, 1908-74. This is an irreverent week. Irreverence implies a questioning sense of humor which allows penetrating curiosity; it does [...]

by Joyce and Barry Vissell Barry and I have just returned from Assisi, Italy, where we led our second week long retreat with musician and friend, Charley Thweatt. Similar to last year, the retreat in Assisi was life-changing for both of us. Assisi, the home of St. Francis and St. Clare, is a very inspiring [...]

By Robert K.C. Forman, Ph.D. Many millions of seekers have been disillusioned by spiritual teachers who don’t live up to their lofty self-portraits:  from the east Muktananda, Rimpoche, Eido-Roshi; and in the West men like Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Colorado Evangelist Ted Haggard and countless Catholic Priests.  How do we make sense of their failure [...]

by Heather Roan Robbins Before you speak, think: Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it kind? Will it improve on the silence? – Sri Sathya Sai Baba Feel the shift from last week’s inward-turning, deeply-introspective Scorpio towards this restless and irreverent, multi-tasking and nervy mood. Truth shall set us free- but what is the [...]

by Joyce and Barry Vissell So many people struggle with their relationships. For many people, intimacy is a foreign language. And vulnerability … forget it! Show your partner your weakness, fear, pain, need for love? No way! That’ll make you look pathetic. Sorry, folks. The opposite is the truth. The only real hope for intimacy [...]

by Heather Roan Robbins You only live twice. Once when you are born and once when you look death in the face. – Ian Fleming, You Only Live Twice. Halloween or Samhain and All Soul’s Day is the heart of Scorpio season, when we dive in and look at our shadow, make fun of our [...]

Halloween is just around the corner and a gaggle of witches, ghosts, vampires, and more are about to descend on neighborhoods around the country. For kids, Halloween is a dream come true: the chance to dress up, stay out late, and—best of all—fill their bellies with candy. For parents, though, Halloween can seem like more [...]