I am happy to say that I consider my home a haven in every way. From the treasured, vintage home furnishings I’ve found delight in selecting—made with natural materials like solid wood, glass, silver and brass—to the conscious effort we’ve taken throughout the remodeling of this older house to keep plastics and chemicals out of our daily environment as much as possible, I know that these walls speak to our belief that a healthier home is the foundation of a healthier life.

            It’s not just the creative way we’ve decorated our space with charming, artistic accents, often handmade and crafted to last. Having this indoor sanctuary touched with nature’s balm can take the edge off of work-at-home days. Bringing the outside indoors can be as simple as placing pine branches or wild rose hips on a windowsill or a jar on the desk filled with dried garden basil or sweetgrass clippings to give us a breath of fresh, seasoned air all year long.

            Our home, in a larger sense, is of course the beautiful Earth, and the health of humanity itself is directly tied to the health of this planet we inhabit. If you have been wanting to create your own personal haven, there are many practical strategies in this month’s feature story, “Sustainable Sanctuaries.” Using building materials and décor free of dangerous chemicals helps not only your family, but the environment as a whole. Sourcing items locally whenever possible represents a tremendous opportunity to help our ecosystem, too.

            When homes became our safe shelters during the pandemic, many families reconfigured their living spaces to accommodate new uses. This spirit of renewal is prompting fresh thinking about how houses can promote both human and planetary health. Will you be joining this movement?

            Today, we can conveniently connect inside and outside of our homes via phones, tablets and computers to anywhere. Our reliance on this technology comes at a cost, though. Mobile devices are constantly emitting electromagnetic fields (EMFs), and radio frequency radiation (RF), which have been linked to neurological, cardiac and pulmonary diseases. This month’s Green Living department tackles this timely issue, suggesting ways to reduce our exposure to radiation through awareness and simple strategies that decrease its damaging effects.

            Considering the health concerns associated with Smart Meters emitting electromagnetic fields, we chose to opt out of the having one installed on our home. We feel it is well worth the fee to have Consumers Energy come out and read the standard meter each month compared to having our services controlled from a central location. Small choices like this mean we can feel more at peace every day.

            Another part of our harmony at home comes from growing and devouring delicious sustenance from our own land and partaking in seasonal activities to preserve the abundant harvest. We do not use chemicals or genetically modified seeds on our property and can rest assured that the health of our soil is intact.

            The Rodale Institute, which has long led the effort to promote regenerative organic farming, is drawing public attention to the connection between soil health and human health. In this month’s Wise Words department, project director Nadine Clopton discusses how healing the soil is a prerequisite to healing ourselves. I believe this to be so, and I’m grateful for our small garden and its healthy bounty.

            We hope you are enjoying this month’s issue within your own personal retreat, wherever that may be. There are still warm weather days ahead to be savored with joy and deep gratitude, plus every new day that offers us the opportunity to implement novel changes and positively impact our individual and global healing.

May autumn wrap you in its vibrant arms,

Trina and John

Owners / Publishers