Feeling a bit intimidated by my unfamiliarity with this month’s topic of Women’s Wellness, I turned to a group of knowledgeable, powerful and beautiful women for help. The 13 women publishers of Natural Awakenings community magazines pictured here with kindred spirit Reid Boyer and me came through.

Representing the U.S. Northeast, we recently gathered for a day of supportive sharing, to discuss how we might further serve our readers and advertisers. Our common mission is to be the go-to community resource for natural health and sustainable living. Our job is to seek out, assemble and share accurate information that educates, inspires and improves the quality of life for individuals, families, communities and the world.

I felt humbled to be the rookie publisher in the group and inspired to always honor and embrace the power and beauty of the feminine. I have been reflecting upon my own need to nurture and care for myself, which in turn helps me care for others and the Earth.

Within our Center Pennsylvania community, I daily meet up with equally talented and valued women that are creating many paths toward health and wellness, education, self-awareness, personal growth, healing, beauty and joy. You’ll meet several of them this month, with more to follow in the future.

Camille Braughman offers perspective on the recently required state certification for professional massage therapists. We spotlight Reiki by Rickie. To complement our national interview with the phenomenal Jean Houston, you’ll also meet local women’s empowerment leader Vickie Fox, founder of Women of Intention. Kudos go to Master Jose Johnson for offering free education to help our community’s parents and children deal with bullies.

Men and women will find good advice in our experts’ holistic guide to looking your best in Frances Lefkowitz’s feature article, “Natural Beauty ~ Head to Toe.” Proper self-care has to include limiting our skin’s exposure to and ingestion of toxins; it’s our body’s largest organ and a first line of defense.

As your local Natural Awakenings grows, we can offer more stories, news and events of interest to your physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. With your help, we are also expanding our distribution network and family of community partners; we invite you to share news of this new magazine with your friends and family, health and wellness practitioners, and civic organizations. Together, we will achieve more healthy, happy and sustainable living.

We’d love to hear from you. Please email us at [email protected]. Let us know how we’re doing, where else we might distribute the magazine and if you have any feedback from your experience with our advertisers, many of whom have reported great response from our readers.

Just as I draw inspiration from this current generation of women, so I have hope for the future based on the knowledgeable, powerful and beautiful women among the next generation. It’s our responsibility to teach them well.

To a brighter future,

Dave Korba, Publisher