Engaging in a creative venture gives us the ability to think in new ways, and this issue celebrates the creative spirits among us. Our imagination makes it possible to experience a whole new world inside the mind, with the ability to look at any situation from a different point of view. It enables us to mentally explore the past and the future. Creative expression can even transform painful reactions and situations, providing strength and understanding to change how we feel and interact with the world.

            Creativity and art can be a powerful force for healing; we’re inspired by this month’s feature story, “Art’s Embrace: Healing Through Creativity.” Sandra Yeyati informs us about how dance is bringing Parkinson’s patients joy and increased mobility, art therapists are helping cancer patients reconstruct their sense of identity and find expression for painful emotions, and actors and caregivers are joining together to help people with dementia perform plays and produce art exhibits and books, thus bringing fresh life to care facilities.

            In a rapidly changing world, creative thinking is critical to personal and planetary survival, yet research shows that those skills start declining in children at age 6. Parents can reverse this process by creating an environment in which creativity flows, using such strategies as nurturing kids’ curiosity with open-ended questions and encouraging them to follow their bliss by diving into topics that intrigue them. Learn more tips in “Creative Kids: How to Nurture Imagination,” and find out why allowing them to be bored can help new ideas for activity spring forth.

            We are excited to showcase Kevin Spangler and his company Boober Tours, a bicycle-powered shuttle service in downtown Ann Arbor, on our cover. His creative idea has inspired positive changes not only in his life, but many others, while transforming the transportation landscape downtown. It’s been growing every year, with more than 30 covered bikes conducting art tours and campus tours around town. And Boober Tours service runs late at night, too, shuttling parties between downtown bars for a safe late night out, along with cannabis delivery for Treehouse 603. Boober Tours is a community favorite that’s here to stay.

            Bestselling author and O Magazine contributor Martha Beck made a pledge to herself 30 years ago not to lie for an entire year. She’s been doing an “integrity cleanse” repeatedly since then, and it enables her to stay in harmony with her true self. When we practice integrity, she says, we stop automatically doing things to please other people, and that puts us in tune with what we really want and helps us realize our destiny. Learn more in this month’s Wise Words department.

            Personal growth and transformation is not new to us; we know that fear is one of the greatest enemies of an open and creative mind. So do not hide from your true nature, but allow the development of courage, creativity and love to become the light guiding your actions and dreams. Making each moment count and coloring it with kindness is key in creating a life we love to live, for at every stage of life we are daily creating our legacy.

To conscious living,

 Trina and John

Owners/Publishers