Our homes and communities hold sacred space for a flow of energy and ideas that support the pulse of existence. Ideally, renewal is a natural process that clears stagnant patterns to allow for open streams of inspiration and new growth, enhancing and refreshing our personal and collective spaces.

But worlds collide and boundaries shift, causing me to wonder what it takes to adopt just causes and live a conscious lifestyle amidst the status quo?

Perhaps it requires a paradigm shift towards harmony and healing. Forgiveness cleanses hearts, and service pays it forward to future generations in a way that creates hope. Socially, such portals can be found in community reentry programs for former offenders, which offer humane rehabilitative assistance, rather than handing down punishment that ignores underlying problems. Another doorway to a sustainable future is conscious consumerism that supports fair wages and economies for all. Finally, conflict resolution through mediation invites peaceful communication and reconciliation.

Considering the world beyond human interaction, it is crucial to recognize that preserving the Earth goes hand in hand with preserving ourselves and our vital connections. Even basic recycling is an important and practical way to show respect for the future of our fragile land and its precious, limited resources.

Perhaps the concept of our interconnectedness is most clearly represented by the powerful fluidity of water. Vital for all life, water covers more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and plays a prominent role in her delicate ecology and climate. Also largely aqueous in nature, our bodies rely on this soothing resource for the biological exchange processes inherent in tissues, organs and cells. Highlighted in the following pages are inspiring examples of the experts in our community dedicated to preserving healthy freshwater supplies and advocating awareness, conservation and cooperation with natural landscapes.

Built on traditions of needing and consuming less, great and timeless lessons are carried in the currents of conservation; they ready us to work with, rather than against, the transition into a new world. Intuition nudges us toward rhythms that prioritize wholeness, wellness and sustainability—the values that lead us to simpler lives that focus on what matters most.

~J

Enjoy the opening of spring as this refreshing season unfolds in all of its organic brilliance. May you find peace and balance in the flow of renewal.

~J & K