Deep Dives
Here at Natural Awakenings, we like exploring subjects in depth; living on the surface will not lead to true awakenings... Deep dives are the way to go.
But the magazine format does not favor deep dives, so we lean on two ways to go deep: Special Sections, which is our term for the treatment of a topic that includes at least three articles in the same issue, and Series, two or more articles on a topic that are published in consecutive months.
The following are the deep dives we’ve published since September 2017.
Health Coaching
Black & Natural: A Move Towards Healthy Bodies, Minds and Hearts
Ayurveda
This two-article, three-recipe and resource list became our first special section focused on Atlanta's African American community. And it was not the last.
But the magazine format does not favor deep dives, so we lean on two ways to go deep: Special Sections, which is our term for the treatment of a topic that includes at least three articles in the same issue, and Series, two or more articles on a topic that are published in consecutive months.
The following are the deep dives we’ve published since September 2017.
Pranayama
A Three-Part Series: January – March 2024
In this series we take a closer look at pranayama, a variety of specialized breathing practices that spiritual masters and yogis have practiced for millennia. Today, millions of people around the world practice pranayama to improve mental and physical health, reduce stress, increase awareness and facilitate self-realization. Part 1 of the series explores the origins of pranayama and breathwork and how they are used in modern times. Part 2 shares insights from Atlanta-area teachers about several popular pranayama techniques and describes several of the most popular ones in use today. Part 3 looks at pranayama within the context of yoga’s eight limbs, as a part of the path to enlightenment, or samadhi.
Health Coaching
A Special Section – October 2023
With holistic health as the main focus of this publication, a natural topic of inquiry for us is what health coaches offer and how they can help us. As we noted long ago, a significant health concern in America is that many of us are asymptomatic but have significant and growing health conditions that simply have yet to manifest. The problem is, by the time symptoms arise, a lot of damage is done—think heart disease, type 2 diabetes and many other chronic conditions.
That’s why we advise and encourage readers to be proactive and take control of their health. As many, if not most, of our readers know, seeing functional and integrative medicine doctors can be an expensive proposition, especially since most don’t accept insurance. Most health coaches don’t either, and while they are in no way a substitute for functional/integrative doctors, their fees are considerably less. There are also numerous ways they can help you improve your health, not the least of which is showing you how you can take control, establish a program and habits, and become your own best health advocate.
Black & Natural: A Move Towards Healthy Bodies, Minds and Hearts
A Special Section – June 2022
From the big afros of activists like Angela Davis during the Black Power Movement of the 1970s to the dreadlocks popularized by Bob Marley in the ‘80s, natural hair for Black people can make a powerful statement. But is natural hair about more than activism, cultural pride or fashion? Does it also make a difference to one’s health?
We've done a three-article deep dive into the topic! What follows are links to those articles. Click above to get to the landing page for the special section!
Life Coaching: Support for Living Your Goals and Living Your Best Life
A Special Section – January 2022
Awakening, at its heart, is about becoming all that we’re meant to be. There are many paths to this goal, and a fairly popular one these days is to rely on the assistance of a life coach.
What all does that mean? Is life coaching for you? That’s what this special section of three articles and a sidebar is designed to do; help you answer these questions.
Healing the Trauma of Slavery
A Special Section – February 2021
A 12-page, four-article + sidebar + resource page exploration of the ongoing trauma experienced by African Americans as a function of centuries of servitude, humiliation, and neglect. We look into the possibility of genetic memory as factor in sustaining trauma and maladaptive behavior; at the works of Dr. Joy DeGruy, author of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome: America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury & Healing, and Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending our Hearts and Bodies; healing modalities and obstacles to healing.The Enneagram and Spiritual Practice
A Three-Part Series, June – Aug 2020
The Enneagram of personality is a personality typing system that holds tremendous potential for personal evolution, for those who devote themselves to the work. While the question “What is your number?” might be the most frequently asked question pertaining to the Enneagram, it is important to understand that none of us is a number, a single personality or even a collection of many personalities. That's the strength of our presentation of the Enneagram; it gets beyond the most common perceptions about it to give readers a sense of its depth—in only three articles.
Ayurveda
A Three-Part Series, Sept – Nov 2019
Ayurveda, along with Traditional Chinese Medicine, is one of two ancient healing enhancement and maintenance systems in the world. With millennia of experience and success, a large portion of the West still has much to learn from the East about health, wellness, and living in alignment with nature. ~ In our series we look at body composition—the Doshas; digestive health, the key to overall health; and panchakarma, the variety of Ayurvedic therapies. Plus, we catalog all of our additional Ayurveda articles that follow up the initial series.
Black and Vegan in Atlanta
A Special Section, August 2019
Staff writer Noah Chen, after moving to Atlanta's historic West End in 2018, remarked that he thought there were more Black-owned vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Atlanta than white-owned. This special section doesn't attempt to confirm that idea, but it did prompt interesting questions. Why does veganism seem to be a trend among African Americans? How is Black veganism different from white veganism? And, who are some of the pioneers in the area?This two-article, three-recipe and resource list became our first special section focused on Atlanta's African American community. And it was not the last.
Energy Healing
A Special Section, April 2019
A 12-page, five-article, two-sidebar exploration of touchless energy healing. We look at the different modalities of energy healing, the most common conditions for which people seek out energy healing, a personal look at the experience of energy healing from practitioners and their clients, the balance between male and female energy, and an overview of books on the subject.
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