Faith-based organizations in WNC have historically worked to alleviate the daunting problem of hunger, pooling resources, collecting food and volunteering at nonprofits.
How local music ministries soundtrack spiritual experience
Xpress looks into the musical ministries of a number of local churches and explores what such programs, at the intersection of art and worship, offer to parishioners as well secular fans of a good concert.
Catholic diocese to release review of sexual misconduct by year’s end
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, which represents 46 counties in Western North Carolina and six parishes in the Asheville area, announced in August that it will release a list of clergy who have been the subject of credible accusations of sexual abuse by the end of this year.
Wise Women gather at Kanuga
“The focus of the conference is woman to woman, kind of kitchen to kitchen,” explains Byron Ballard, who will present a workshop on traditional Appalachian healing methods at this year’s Southeast Wise Women Herbal Conference at the Kanuga conference and retreat center near Hendersonville. “It’s about women being together in a women’s space and being free to talk, to do, to teach and to learn from each other.
Unusual therapies offer wellness with a difference
The Asheville area abounds with alternatives for adventurous healing journeys and opportunities to indulge your curiosity.
Confederates at Calvary
Last month marked the 400th anniversary of the introduction of slavery to North America, triggering a new round of national soul-searching about human bondage and its complex legacy. And closer to home, Lost Cause-era monuments to Confederate figures at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher also raise significant questions about the country’s troubled history and this region’s place in it.
Meditation centers in demand for peace, chance to disconnect
Local centers report that the silent meditation retreat business is booming. Ranging from a single day to a full two weeks off the grid, the retreats eliminate unnecessary external stimulation by emphasizing meditation, maintaining an inward focus — and, yes, disconnecting from all tech devices.
Green burial cares for loved ones and the earth
According to the Green Burial Council, burials in the United States annually put 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluids, 20 million feet of wood, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete, 17,000 tons of copper and bronze and 64,500 tons of steel into the ground. Local green burial sites offer an alternative with less environmental impact.
Dan Clere brings solar to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville
Clere calls the effort a “natural outgrowth” from the last of the seven Unitarian Universalist Principles: “respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.”
Concerns over appropriation of wellness rituals spark conversation among local practitioners
Rituals that draw on the traditions of indigenous, non-Western cultures are part of a growing industry at the intersection of health, wellness and spirituality. Some in Western North Carolina have raised concerns about whether it’s appropriate for non-native practitioners to offer and profit from traditional practices and techniques.
Lynne Forrest brings The Reality Formula to Asheville
Author Lynne Forrest will present a three-hour workshop Sunday, March 10, at Jubilee! Community in downtown Asheville. The goal, she explains, will be to help participants “get in touch with the limited story they are believing about themselves in the world, and then I will give them tools to see it in a different light.” The event is a fundraiser for Woman to Woman WNC, which promotes women’s self-empowerment.
Local churches open doors and hearts to undocumented immigrants
Today, at least 17 faith communities in Buncombe County and Mars Hill are offering shelter and assistance to immigrants living here without legal papers, according to Melody Pajak of the nonprofit Faith Communities Organizing for Sanctuary.
2018 in review: 10 WNC health and wellness topics that mattered
Health and wellness are always important topics in the life of our community, and this year was certainly no exception to that rule. Though developments in the proposed acquisition of Mission Health by for-profit HCA Healthcare of Nashville garnered a share of attention equivalent to the potential sale’s importance to the region, plenty of other wellness stories also made news.
New book by local author shares inclusive message of God’s love
Local author Rebecca Lile shares a message of God’s love for everyone in her new children’s book God’s Diner.
Activists, faith leaders hold 10-day fast and prayer for climate change
“We have been shouting about climate change for a long time, but now, we feel like it’s going to take more messaging in a different way,” says Avram Friedman of the Canary Coalition, a Sylva-based environmental activism group. “We’re showing people that we’re so committed to this, it’s so important, that I’m willing to fast for 10 days to get this message across.”
Jewish practice of tikkun olam brings light at dark time of year
Joel Edelson only meant to sell books to pay for college. Instead, going door to door, he became the first Jew many of the folks in a rural area he traveled had ever had met in their lives. “I became an ambassador for Judaism,” says Edelson, president of the Mountain Synagogue in Franklin, recalling his […]
Asheville mindfulness practitioners discuss eating with intention
Mealtimes can offer the ideal setting for establishing or expanding a mindfulness practice.
Billy Zanski leads a year-end sound healing session at OM Sanctuary
The Skinny Beats Sound Shop owner discusses his approach to sonic therapy.
Local practitioners and organizations draw on the power of gratitude
Deepening our awareness of what’s going well in our lives is a simple practice that’s also profound, say a variety of local wellness practitioners and helping organizations. Benefits can include an improved mood and sense of well-being and possibly even better physical health.
Indigenous spiritual leaders offer teaching and connection at Voices of Wisdom event
As a sacred fire burns, two holy leaders from Canada will share insights gleaned from their lives as resilient survivors and indigenous leaders at the Voices of Wisdom gathering near Weaverville Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17-18.
Zabuton cushions made in WNC help prison inmates practice mindfulness
To help prison inmates along the path of personal change, a local woman-owned business supplies meditation mats to create a space for contemplation and rest inside the prison walls. Carolina Morning Designs, located in the Toe River Valley south of Burnsville, has modified its products to meet correctional facility requirements.