Natural Awakenings Fairfield County/Housatonic Valley - December 2019 Read the December 2019 edition of Natural Awakenings Fairfield/Housatonic. December 2019 Letter From Publisher When the world was smaller and most individuals didn’t venture too far from where they started out, the word “community” was easily defined as the people and businesses located nearby. Read More » Threshold New Year’s Workshop in Greenwich As the year 2019 draws to a close and we approach a metaphorical “threshold,” do you feel an inner calling into the mystery of what you may discover and create in 2020? Read More » Stress Less with Salt Therapy in Darien As the Salt Cave of Darien celebrates its second anniversary, the wellness destination is offering a rich lineup of therapies to help customers Read More » Celebrate Winter Solstice in Westport Join Jungian astrologer and Labyrinth facilitator Marjorie Partch for a winter solstice celebration and labyrinth walk Read More » Try the MELT Method in Brookfield Have you experienced the MELT Method of pain reduction yet? If not, check out this modality at a workshop Read More » Shamanic Healing Clinic in Westport Experience the physical and spiritual benefits of shamanic healing at a Shamanic Healing Clinic Read More » Kirtan and Sacred Music on New Year’s Eve Sita’s Light welcomes in the new year with a kirtan and sacred music celebration in Danbury Read More » Local Filmmaker Documents Rhythms of Life Connecticut-based drummer and filmmaker Craig Norton has released a feature-length documentary about the healing power of drumming Read More » Forest Days Preschool Program in Greenwich Early-bird savings for the Greenwich Botanical Center’s Spring 2020 Forest Days ends on December 17. Read More » Teaching Empathy to Young Children in Norwalk Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk will host an “Ask a Professional” presentation on developing empathy in young children Read More » Tapping Circle at A Touch of Sedona A Touch of Sedona in Bethel will host a tapping circle and workshop Read More » Holiday Trunk Show in Ridgefield Join Elemental Mercury, Embody the Sacred, Thrivologie, Tony’s Bees and Turning Point Reiki for a Holiday Trunk Show Read More » West African Hand-Drumming in Stamford Matthew Broad of Matthew’s Community Drumming will present a workshop on West African hand-drumming Read More » Hike Deer Pond Farm in Sherman The Connecticut Audubon Society will lead a hike at Deer Pond Farm Read More » Aligning with the Soul Path: A Conversation with Spiritual Advisor Peter Marks Renowned psychic and spiritual advisor Peter Marks, recently took time to give Natural Awakenings readers insight into psychic readings, alignment, growth and one thing he wouldn’t do for a client. Read More » Circle of Life Regional Hospice Offers Families a Meaningful End-of-Life Experience Read More » Emily’s Last Wish Regional Hospice’s capital campaign to raise funds for the North Star pavilion will launch on December 4, with a very special story to share its message of hope. Read More » Life, Death and the Moments in Between Who wants to talk about death, right? We are living, so why broach such a morbid, uncomfortable subject? Read More » Heal the Disease of the Soul: Break Free from Addiction and Trauma Freedom from addiction and trauma—this concept is so complicated, yet so simple. Read More » Dog-Food Menu Debuts at Marty’s Café Marty’s Café in Washington Depot has always been dog-friendly but until now, the pups who sat outside with their humans were offered only table scraps. Read More » Horse Wisdom for the Holidays: Reduce Overwhelm, Increase Delight The holiday season is upon us—a time of celebration and joy, as well as stress and overwhelm. Read More » QI: The Force Behind Blood Flow and Higher Intelligence Qi is the electric LIFE PRESENCE that beats the human heart and charges the air we breathe. Gong, like Gong Fu, is a REPEATED ACTION to activate higher energy. Read More » Burn Notice: Safe and Sustainable Fireplace Practices Sustainable, safe and healthy practices for using indoor fireplaces and wood stoves—especially when it comes to maintaining air quality. Read More » Charge It: Electric Vehicles Get Their Own ‘Gas’ Station A Maryland gas station owner has replaced his pumps with electric vehicle chargers, making it the first such exclusive charging station in the country. Read More » Eat a Better Diet to Improve Gut Bacteria Those with higher quality diets have significantly better gut bacteria diversity, a factor linked to reduced risk for a variety of diseases. Read More » Eat Nuts to Reduce Odds of Death From Heart Disease Eating nuts, a good source of unsaturated fat, two or more times per week have a 17 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Read More » Extreme Weather Events Affect Mental Well-Being People that experience storm and flood damage to their homes are about 50 percent more likely to experience depression and anxiety. Read More » Heave Ho: Cruise Line Abandons Plastic Bottles As a result of its partnership with Just Goods, Inc., the Norwegian Cruise Line will replace single-use plastic bottles across its fleet by January 1, 2020. Read More » Inhaling the Joy of Life: Conscious Breathwork Mindfully guiding our breath back to its original rhythm helps lower stress and improve vagal tone, easing such conditions as depression, insomnia and pain syndromes. Read More » Lab Steak: Making Meat Without Animals The Alliance for Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation is seeking to create real meat from animal cells without the need to slaughter animals. Read More » Maintain a Healthy Diet and Weight to Lower Cataract Risk Maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, combined with a healthy diet, can reduce the risk of developing cataracts. Read More » Nature Cure: Forests and Shrubs Lower Medical Costs Higher levels of forest and shrub cover throughout the country correspond to lower levels of Medicare health care spending. Read More » Perfect Pet Presents: Safe and Eco-Smart Toys When picking out holiday gifts for our beloved dogs and cats, follow these guidelines to make sure the toys are safe for the pet and eco-friendly for the planet. Read More » Refresh Holiday Traditions: Making the Old New and Green Eco-friendly, green twists on holiday family traditions to help instill the importance of sustainability in kids. Read More » Surgeon Mary Neal on Lessons From Heaven Orthopedic surgeon Mary Neal writes about her near-death experiences and the purpose of life in her books To Heaven and Back and 7 Lessons from Heaven. Read More » The Emerging Power of ‘We’: Awakening to the Evolution of Community In this time of climate and societal problems, intentional communities that challenge the “It’s all about me” culture are pointing the way to collective solutions that can save the planet. Read More » The Generous Heart: How Giving Transforms Us When we give to others, whether it’s an act of kindness, generosity or compassion, it helps us live from the heart instead of the ego. Read More » The Merry Vegan: People-Pleasing Holiday Sweets Healthy vegan, gluten- and grain-free holiday treats and desserts, including recipes for peanut butter cookies, no-bake pecan snowballs and peanut butter cup bars. Read More » Waste-Free Feasting: How to Reduce Holiday Food Waste Eco-friendly holiday waste reduction strategies to apply when planning the family meal gatherings. Read More » In-Print