Create a Grief Altar to get your ancestors’ help with processing deep feelings Though she was sitting next to a lovely pond blooming with water lilies, Tama Kieves felt anything but tranquil. She’d come to the retreat center hoping to get a handle on her suffering. Despite years of therapy and spiritual practice, dark feelings still tormented her. Trying to focus her mind … [Read more...]

Photo courtesy of Muncie Fine Portraits Sarah and Dave Herbert are photographers with a studio in Muncie, Indiana that specializes in family portraits. With the help of their beloved cat Rory, they are experts in getting kids to sit still for a portrait. A three-year-old black cat who might be termed a “child whisperer,” Rory has saved many a shoot. For instance, the little … [Read more...]

Since they met in the early 1970s, Charles and Camilla (now the King and Queen Consort of England) knew they belonged together. They both love the great outdoors and championing social causes. He finds her captivating; she gets his oddball sense of humor, and always has a comforting word for him. He likely would have married her then, if he hadn’t shipped off for the Navy – and … [Read more...]

Stephen King, one of the most brilliant and prolific writers who ever lived, is deeply connected to his creative inspiration. But King’s muse is no Greek goddess. “There is a muse,” King assures aspiring authors in his classic book On Writing, “but he’s not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over your computer. He lives … [Read more...]

Years ago, a friend and I drove to the remote desert east of Los Angeles to do a ritual. We hiked far out into the wilderness to set up camp and build a fire. The ritual was so powerful that we lost track of time. When we were finished it was dusk, and neither of us could remember the way back to the car. Just then, my body did something remarkable. It shifted into overdrive … [Read more...]