Asking myself, “Are my greatest talents and gifts being fully expressed?” has guided me for as long as I remember and kept my life on track. The thought is usually followed by a fresh inquiry into what my deepest passions are and how well my life reflects their expression.

In college, my art degree reflected a desire to express myself on canvas and through mixed media. Yet, once my two greatest creative masterpieces—my children—filled my days, invention took on new meaning. Cooking, sewing, storytelling and rainy day games continually stretched my imagination. For the past 17 years, producing Natural Awakenings together with our talented team has constituted my monthly art project.

Along the way, I’ve always enjoyed attending creative gatherings, including Live Art in Naples. That was the impetus for Kirsten Broadfoot’s feature article, “Creativity Inspires Community,” the keynote of our annual Creative Expression
issue (see page 32). I love the breadth of artistic endeavors that are fostering a sense of community in towns and cities around the country.

If what Julia Cameron, artist and author of the best-selling The Artist’s Way suggests is true—our art is something we do in our life, and with it—then living “the artist’s way” means that we need community, no matter its size or form, in order to flourish and express ourselves creatively (page 35). You’ll find scores of such ways to stretch yourself in these pages. 

Movies offer another powerful vehicle for transforming groups of people. As a longtime member of the Spiritual Cinema Circle (SCC), I eagerly anticipate each month’s fresh film offerings. We are delighted to talk with filmmaker Stephen Simon, SCC co-founder, about their upbeat, inspired films, on page 28. 

Movement is, by definition, creative. If you are a yoga enthusiast, you may have recognized superstar yogi Seane Corn gracing our cover this month. In celebration of National Yoga Month, you’ll also find tips from Corn and other local and international yoga masters beginning on page 40. Yoga has become one of the more widely studied mind-body practices in the West, because of its proven record for improving health, fitness and overall well-being. I definitely intend to take advantage of the special yoga month offers from area teachers, found on page 45.

I’ve always admired editor Linda Sechrist’s creative way with words and projects. This month, you can follow along as she blogs her way through several cities where sister Natural Awakenings magazines publish, at NAblog.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com. She’ll be meeting with inventive individuals across the country to collect their stories of sustainability initiatives. For more details, see page 18.

We’re already cooking up our own community green initiative on 10/10/10, as part of 350.org’s Global Work Party. I personally invite you to join in, volunteer, exhibit your eco-related project and get creative at the recycled art exhibit (see pages 7 and 45). As a community, we can co-create a beautiful world that reflects our wildest imaginations.

Happy creating!

Sharon Bruckman, Publisher