Do We Have a Soul?

By Renee Blodgett

Have you ever wondered about the soul? Do you believe we have a soul, and if so, how do you perceive it? In other words, what is the soul’s true nature? …

Original Sin: Inequality Then and Now

By S. Boyd Eaton, MD

Was there really an Eden? Perhaps not a place, but rather a time in humanity’s past of socioeconomic optimum, of well-being, the faint remembrance of which still lingers in the deepest recesses of our minds? Is such “folk memory” just poetic fantasy, or could there be an actual biological basis that might explain it? … However, there’s one defining difference that theologians, political scientists and social reformers might all consider paramount: inequality. … It might be argued the most fundamental and vitally important contrast between us and our remote ancestors is societal stratification. …

Models of Good Governance for the Common Good

By Laurie Timmerman

Americans are in the midst of unchartered waters churned by unprecedented upheaval and chaos. Federal agencies are being intentionally and systematically disrupted, gutted and dismantled, instead of being strategically improved to function better. Under the guise of identifying waste, unofficial external actors and processes — unvetted for merit, ethics or conflicts of interests — are sabotaging governance, sanctioned by an abuse of imperial executive powers, unilaterally bypassing Congress and defying court orders. In this context, where across the world can we look for a moral compass to reframe our founding principles with models of good governance that measurably improve the welfare of people and protect nature? Scanning the globe, I’ve found a few noteworthy options to emulate….

Summer 2025: Family, Peers & Emotional Connection For Changes

By Misty Kuceris

Two significant astrological events occur within the summer 2025 quarter: 1) Jupiter moves from the sign of Gemini into the sign of Cancer; and 2) Uranus moves from the sign of Taurus into the sign of Gemini for several months before returning to the sign of Taurus for another brief time period. When these outer planets change signs, you feel the changes both in your personal approach to life as well as in societal situations impacting your life. And, as they occur, you’ll realize just how important the emotional support you receive from your family and peers enables you to adjust to the societal changes occurring over the next several years. …

Reiki As Your Writing Tool

By Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman

I am a writer, college professor and founder of several organizations and companies, and that keeps me busy and inspired. … I studied Usui Holy Fire Reiki under the instruction of master teacher Janice Buerkli, and got certified as a Master Teacher in 2020. … I believe Reiki is a wonderful tool for a writer’s toolkit, and I have designed my own approach to Reiki that emphasizes writing and visioning as key components of the Reiki training and practice. I invite you to consider its benefits. …

Beyond Grief: Healing With After Death Communication

By Annie Larson

After-death communication (ADC) refers to the experiences individuals report having with a deceased loved one. These communications can manifest in various forms, such as vivid dreams, auditory messages, or even physical sensations that suggest the presence of the departed. Many people who experience ADC describe these moments as comforting and transformative, often providing a sense of connection that transcends the physical separation caused by death. The phenomena of ADC can play a significant role in the grieving process, offering solace and reassurance to those left behind. …

Manifestation in Motion: The Sacred Dance of Feminine Power

By Kimse LaMeel B.S. Msc.

Goddess energy is the sacred life force of the Divine Feminine — soft yet powerful, intuitive yet deeply rooted in knowing. It is the essence of creation, magnetism, nurturing, sensuality, and inner wisdom. This energy doesn’t force — it flows. It doesn’t chase — it attracts. When we tap into goddess energy, we awaken the ancient codes within us that remember how to live in harmony with the Earth, with our bodies, and with Spirit. …

Moving Through Change: Master Chaos With Creativity

By Carol Burbank

So many truisms remind us that change, inevitable and constant, requires action. It’s a wonder we are so resistant to moving forward when we come face to face with transforming situations. My favorite advice comes from my Yoga instructor: As we age, if we want to stay limber, we need to keep moving, because “motion is lotion!”  Motion is lotion everywhere, not just in our bodies….

Facial Acupuncture For Skin Care and Self Care

By Helena Amos, M.Ac. L.Ac., Euro. Physician

Facial acupuncture is an underappreciated approach for nurturing the look good-feel good health rewards. Also referred to as acupuncture facial rejuvenation or cosmetic acupuncture, this treatment uses traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles to enhance the appearance of the face and body. The growing popularity of this ancient practice is attributed to its potential for both aesthetics and self care by adopting a holistic perspective, often integrating dietary advice, lifestyle changes, and other TCM practices to promote overall health alongside beauty. …

For Longevity, Keep Moving!

By Monya Cohen

There is abundant research to support how movement extends our lifespan and health span. Physical activity has numerous benefits. Exercise improves mental wellness and maintains our cognitive and physical functioning more than sleep and nutrition. Currently, there are podcasts, YouTube videos and books, all focusing on the importance of movement. …

Your Shoulder, Your Neck, and a Mirror Trick

By Charles S. Masarsky, D.C.

Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct the alignment and mechanics of the vertebrae, thereby removing a source of stress to the spinal nerves. When cervical and/or thoracic adjustments are called for, the nerve “circuitry” is better able to control and coordinate the rotator muscles. This often relieves the strained or overused shoulder. Preventing and relieving stress on these nerves in your neck and upper back is an essential component of maintaining good shoulder health. In terms of helping yourself, your head-neck posture comes into play. …

This story was originally reported by Orion Rummler of The 19th. Meet Orion and read more of his reporting on gender, politics and policy.

Many LGBTQ+ parents don’t feel safe in the United States, according to a new survey.

A third of LGBTQ+ parents in the U.S. recently surveyed by the market research company Kantar, in partnership with DIVA Charitable Trust and The Curve Foundation, don’t feel like they have the same legal rights as other families. Although 63 percent of those parents are legally married, the many benefits of a legal union still don’t outweigh the hurdles that LGBTQ+ parents face when raising a family.

When asked if they have the same parental rights and legal recognition as cisgender, heterosexual couples, 33 percent of LGBTQ+ parents said no. Twelve percent said they are not open about their gender identity to anyone in their kids’ school community, while 8 percent said the same about their sexual orientation. And one in four LGBTQ+ parents said they have experienced obstacles to career progression due to their sexual orientation.

This analysis of LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary people comes from anonymous online surveys of more than 2,500 parents and families across India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States in January and February 2025.

These findings provide a crucial snapshot of the experiences of LGBTQ+ parents in the United States at a time when they are living in fear of how their rights could be curtailed by a second Trump administration. Before President Trump was sworn-in, some LGBTQ+ parents rushed to adopt their children to retain parental rights to their nonbiological kids. Some parents of transgender youth with the means to do so left the country shortly after Trump won. And in just a few months, Trump has signed executive orders that send a strong signal about the administration’s narrow view of family as one that excludes LGBTQ+ couples, and its view that trans and nonbinary people don’t exist.

According to a 2024 report from the Williams Institute at UCLA, 2.57 million LGBTQ adults in the United States are parenting children. What are the laws that protect them? And what resources are available for LGBTQ+ parents? The 19th dug into available research to explain.

Where can LGBTQ+ families find support? 

For families of trans youth looking for logistical and financial help as they navigate finding gender-affirming care for their children, the Campaign for Southern Equality has resources available. The advocacy group for LGBTQ+ people in the South is providing patient navigation services and emergency grants to families struggling to access gender-affirming care. As much of the country bans such care for trans youth, families in the South have relied on this project to fund travel across state lines in search of medical care.

Additionally, Keshet and the Hebrew Free Loan Society are offering interest-free loans of up to $10,000 to support relocation costs for individuals and families who are moving to another state because of anti-LGBTQ+ laws in their current state. Applicants do not have to be Jewish and can be moving from any state in the U.S. to another state — but not out of the country.

Online “know your rights” information hubs from nonprofits like Family Equality can be helpful for LGBTQ+ parents with questions about their legal rights for specific issues, like how their children can be treated in school — just ensure that those hubs have been updated recently. The National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and the National Center for Lesbian Rights also run a family law attorney directory for people seeking specialized legal help.

For parents looking for local community support, LGBTQ+ family advocacy group PFLAG National has chapters throughout the country. Although not catered to families, state-level LGBTQ+ organizations can also be found through the Equality Federation. And resources for those managing infertility stress and pregnancy after infertility can be found through Resolve: The National Infertility Association, which is LGBTQ-friendly.

Can I take leave from work to care for my partner? What if we are not married or in a legally recognized relationship? 

LGBTQ+ couples who are legally married (or in a common law marriage) have the same right to take extended unpaid leave from work to care for their sick spouse or child, or to bond with their newborn child, as heterosexual couples do under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. This applies whether or not your child is adopted or fostered. Eligibility requirements depend on details about someone’s employer, not their relationship.

However, LGBTQ+ couples who are not married need to check their state laws. In twelve states and Washington, D.C., workers can take leave to care for their partner, even if the couple is not in a legally recognized relationship — and in many of those states, that leave is actually paid.

Is fertility treatment care LGBTQ-inclusive and covered by private insurance in my state? What about Medicaid? 

Yes — if you live in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Maine, New Jersey or Washington, D.C., according to the Movement Advancement Project. In nine other states, private insurers are required to cover fertility treatment care, but those laws are not explicitly inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. Three states that provide some form of private insurer coverage for fertility treatment — Hawaii, Texas and Arkansas — include policy language that may exclude LGBTQ+ couples.

Only a handful of states and Washington, D.C. require Medicaid to cover at least some fertility treatment care, although available treatment differs across those states and coverage is limited in several cases to cancer patients.

What are my rights when it comes to adoption and foster care? 

In 2016, the last state ban against LGBTQ+ couples adopting children was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. Queer married couples can adopt in all 50 states through stepparent adoption. There are different kinds of adoption: stepparent adoption for someone who is married to a child’s legal parent, or a co-parent or second-parent adoption, which does not require the couple to be married. The latter is only available in 21 states and Washington, D.C. There is also confirmatory adoption, a more streamlined process, in nine states.

Couples who want to foster have a more difficult road ahead: fourteen states permit state-licensed child welfare agencies to refuse to place children in homes with LGBTQ+ parents, if doing so conflicts with that agency’s religious beliefs. Those states include Arizona, Texas, Virginia, Michigan, South Carolina and Utah. Several other states don’t have laws on the books that explicitly protect LGBTQ+ couples from discrimination in foster care based on their identity, which leaves the door open for them to be turned away.

Is my parent-child relationship legally recognized if we conceived with assisted reproduction, including the use of a donor?  

Yes, although in most states — 32, to be exact — this recognition depends on marriage status. This means that if a woman has a child with her wife through donor insemination, both women are the legal parents, including the non-gestational, non-genetic mother.

According to the Movement Advancement Project, 18 states and Washington, D.C. recognize an intended parent as a legal parent, regardless of marital status, if both parties consent to the conception of a child born using assisted reproduction.

LGBTQ+ couples should take further action to ensure legal recognition of their parent-child relationship whether they are married or not, said Polly Crozier, director of family advocacy at GLAD Law, which has more resources for navigating parentage security. Couples can sign a voluntary acknowledgement of parentage or get a court order of parentage.

Which states protect my child from discrimination at school based on their LGBTQ+ identity?

Nineteen states, plus Washington D.C., prohibit discrimination in schools based on sexual orientation and gender identity, per the Movement Advancement Project, while 17 states have created specific guidance to support transgender and nonbinary students. These laws are meant to protect students from being unfairly denied access to facilities, sports teams, or clubs on the basis of their LGBTQ+ identity. However, New Hampshire and Virginia, which have these nondiscrimination laws in place, have also banned trans youth from playing in sports consistent with their gender identity.

Often, in states like Virginia that pass school sports bans, enforcement varies across the state and some school districts refuse to implement such bans.

Summer Culinary Herbs – Butterflies Love Them, Too!

By Kathy Jentz 

Summer is here and the “living is easy” as they say. It is the perfect time to start an herb garden in a sunny spot of your yard or in a pot on your patio. Here are three summer herbs I love to grow not only for their beauty and usefulness in the kitchen, but because the pollinators adore them, too. You can start them by direct-sowing seeds or purchased seedlings. All three are easy-care plants. …

Water Remembers: Rewriting Environmental Justice Through Relationship

By Ruslana Remennikova

Before we spoke of justice, water spoke to us. It carved canyons into stone, mirrored the sky, and carried our ancestors across continents. It was part of ceremony and song long before it became part of infrastructure. Today, however, we’ve largely forgotten how to listen. Water has been redefined — not as a sacred presence, but as a resource to be extracted, owned, and managed. In doing so, we’ve lost more than reverence. We’ve lost relationship. …

Embracing Animal Wellness: A Pathway to Compassionate Care

By Isabelle Gullö

Animal wellness extends beyond mere physical health; it encompasses emotional and mental well-being while fostering strong bonds between animals and humans. Understanding and prioritizing these aspects can significantly enhance the lives of our pets and their human companions. This holistic view of animal wellness is crucial in creating environments where both animals and humans can thrive. …

By Kids For Kids: Summer 2025 Reading List

By Ellen Holder and Pine Crest ES Students, Grades 3-5

This year, my students and I explored a wide range of stories, made possible by the diverse and thoughtfully curated collection in our elementary school library. As the librarian for a middle-grade library serving grades 3 through 5, I consider it both a privilege and a responsibility to build a collection that reflects my students’ identities, honors their interests, and expands their minds and imaginations. … Here are our lists of top 10 reads, organized by category. …

An Appropriate Response

By Dr. Trish Hall

Here we are, approaching the seasonal spring equinox! The sun, with its golden light, bathes nature with its quintessence and revives everything. The subject of LIGHT is a fascinating one. Light is at the root of nearly every religion or every spiritual movement, yet none can say it is exclusively theirs. Light is so essential we cannot exist without it, much less find our way around without it on the physical plane. On the mental plane, light plays a role, as in the expression “I see what you mean”, or in our reference to a person’s “luminous mind”. And there is also the light that belongs to the spiritual plane, such as wisdom and enlightenment….