Editorial
Volume 24 Issue 4 — November/December 2018
by Melva Armstrong

It has been a wild and crazy two months, unlike any other autumn I’ve ever experienced. I was so looking forward to my favourite month of September with its gorgeous coloured leaves, mild temperatures, no bugs, plenty of sunshine, and almost no moisture. It is usually perfect walking weather for me. What a drastic difference to this year’s September. I think we were all kind of shocked and then depressed with the amount of snow, rain, and freezing temperatures that suddenly were thrown upon this province. October has been a little better, but still not up to the normal temperatures. Weather conditions definitely effect our moods.

I am grateful that I managed to take some time to visit friends in Calgary and Edmonton in July and September. It has been a long time since I took holidays and I savoured every moment. Thank you to all of them for their wonderful hospitality. I am blessed with fabulous friends who live around the world and I love to keep in touch with them all as much as possible.

In early September, I had a booth at the New Earth Expo in Saskatoon and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many people I know and meeting lots of new folks. The show had a warm and positive energy and those who attended as well as those who exhibited looked like they were really enjoying themselves. I think fun was had by all and the attendance was high. I look forward to being there next year.

In this issue we have another engaging line up of articles and advertisements for you to enjoy and to help support your health and wellness. I always feel blessed to work with so many dynamic and unique individuals who contribute their years of wisdom and knowledge to the pages of each issue. I want to thank Colleen Bond for her articles she has contributed throughout the year on positive thinking. I feel they have all been very uplifting. This will be her last article, Dancing Helps You Keep Positive and Active (p. 30), which is written from her personal experiences of getting out to many small town halls and kicking up her heels along with her husband, Bob.

Something that has become increasingly popular around the world and has made its way into Saskatchewan is cacao and its incredible uses and benefits, and along with this trend has come the Cacao Ceremony. Stacey Tress has done a wonderful job of introducing us to this unique superfood in her article, Cacao Love (p. 8). She explains the difference between cacao and cocoa, then lists the many amazing and powerful benefits of the raw cacao beans, and goes on to interview her friend Vinoth Ramanaathan who teaches and demonstrates Cacao Ceremonies in the province. He says he has personally seen people transform their lives through cacao, that it helps individuals connect with their intuition and their heart. Also included in the article are some delicious recipes. This is a must read.

We have an article by Carol Thompson called Paleo and Keto Lifestyles: What’s the Difference? (p. 17). These two trendy lifestyles are extremely popular in the world and locally today but are not always well understood by everyone. Carol explains the differences as well as some similarities, and the essence of these lifestyles, she says, has to do with eating as our ancestors, the hunter-gatherers, did. It is a fascinating read.

Allison Bachmeier, in her article, Letting Go (p. 14), brings up a very important point about people in our world today. Many of us are feeling a lot of stress and tension in our lives and it is hard for us to let go and relax. Allison suggests it is imperative that we learn to relax and have less stress if we want to maintain a healthy body and mind. She says that rather than turn to external things such as wine or beer, food, or something to entertain us, we can look within and train the brain to learn to let go. It just takes practise, but the benefits are immense.

I encourage you to check out the many other thought-provoking and fascinating articles that bless these pages, including Joseph the Healer, the wax pouring technique, DNA activation, We’Moon 2019 Datebook, and much more.

May you enjoy the winter solstice and the return of the light and may the love and blessings of the festive season fill your heart with peace and joy.

Namaste
(The spirit in me honours the spirit in you)