In October, we celebrate Halloween, which in its many forms, is one of the most recognizable celebrations around the world. This holiday reminds me that there is life on the other side and that we can communicate with our departed friends and family all the time…if we are aware of that or not. See one of our all-time favorite articles, Halloween: The True History by Walter Perschke, for more about Halloween. A lot of Halloween celebrations focus on trick-or-treating or other activities for children. To learn about how to teach children that kindness is the best treat of all, see Robyn Spizman’s Raising Kinder Children. She reminds us that “kindness starts at home.” For more about connection and why there are no coincidences in life, read Alan Cohen’s column, What It’s Really For.

Also, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I am sure many of you know of someone, or have faced breast cancer in your life. Statistics show that the number of people getting cancer is going up. As many of you know, I am a huge advocate for eating a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. As Betsy Bruns says in Orange is the New Pink: A Link to Cancer Prevention, “Lifestyle choices are responsible for up to 70% of cancer diagnoses.” We have the power to decide what we put into our mouths. We should “Let thy food be thy medicine,” as Hippocrates said. For more about cancer-preventing foods, and recipes, read Betsy’s article.

Finally, I just want to say thank you to all of Conscious Community Magazine’s readers for supporting our advertisers, and thank you to all the people that keep this magazine a free publication, available for everyone in print and online. When we are sharing, we are all growing!

Enjoy reading our October issue!

Happy Halloween!

The Best,

Katarzyna Szumal