Editorial
Volume 26 Issue 4 — March/April 2021
by Melva Armstrong

It is still winter with snow covering the ground, and yet I know it will soon be spring. As each day passes and we get closer to that next delightful season, we surely feel excitement in our hearts, knowing what’s in store for us. It’s such a beautiful feeling when the daylight is longer, the sun is warmer, and everything starts to awaken, and we burst out into the great outdoors, arms stretched to the sky.

I trust everyone has had a happy and healthy winter and that you are soon ready to shed the coats, boots, hats, and mitts and enjoy wearing shoes again. I love this feeling.

Perhaps throughout the winter days you were looking at seed catalogues and ordering some, or going through the seeds you have saved from last year, and planning on how you will do the planting. It is such fun to be able to grow one’s own food, and in these very uncertain times, it is also becoming very important to be able to do that. With concerns in the news about vegetable seed shortages due to consumer demands, we thought it would be good to have an article on this subject. Howard Boldt has put together his knowledge and ideas in his Seed Shortages and Seed Saving article (p. 10). One of the most important things to do is saving seeds so that the quality can be maintained and that we have food security. With big industry taking over so many things on our planet, we can’t afford to lose our vegetable food source, which is from seeds. Howard also points out that if you are not growing your own food, to be sure to support your local farmers and neighbours who are doing it. You can also become part of a group of gardeners where you can buy, sell, swap, and donate extra seeds locally. It’s much better than relying on distant sources. It’s really important to be a seed-saver! Due to the lockdown, the fun “Seedy Saturday” events locally, and across Canada, have mostly been cancelled, and perhaps have gone online. Be sure to do your research and find your local sources and keep on planting, saving, and sharing seeds!

According to reports, there are many people in our world who are facing mental health issues and concerns. Fortunately, there are also many dedicated individuals who are trained in various natural healing modalities that can address those issues. One of those practitioners is Regina’s Jenine Boser, who specializes in mental health and trauma treatment. Her article, How Does Reiki Healing Help Us Treat Mental Health Concerns? (p. 12) explains how the ancient energy healing technique, called Reiki, can eliminate energy blockages and bring relief from pain, stressful emotions, anxiety, and much more.

Devon J. Hall (also known as Loud Mouth Brown Girl) is a woman who has experienced severe mental health issues and trauma over many years, and who has written about it in her article, Using Cannabis to Help Heal Trauma (p. 21). As you can see in the title, cannabis has been her lifesaver, and in many ways she says, “Cannabis helped me start a business, set up my writing career, and brought me a tribe of women from around the world, who remind me every single day that my life is worth fighting for.” It’s a beautiful success story and brilliant that an ancient plant can be such a powerful healer.

Danielle Byl has recently returned to our province after having trained in England in a variety of mental health issues. Her main interest now is in workplace mental health and wellbeing. Her article called Tips and Ideas to Help Increase Wellbeing in Your Workplace (p. 14) is a well-organized list of helpful and unique ideas that is divided into two sections—one for individuals and one for employers/managers. Danielle says, “I want to help organizations here at home build and develop custom programs for their own teams and workplaces, especially as they are needed now more than ever.”

I never thought of cacao as “…a gateway to a kinder, more grounded way of life,” but Albert Surjik says that’s exactly how it feels for him in his article, I replaced coffee, improved my mood, and fell in love with cacao (p. 30). Cacao, which he orders directly from Guatemalan farmers who say it offers itself to us to heal us, has dramatically changed his life. He drinks it every day in a private ceremony of stillness and gratitude.

There is so much more, so be sure to read cover to cover!

In light and love,

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