Publishers Weekly chimed in at just the right time with a pitch-perfect review of one of our newly released books: The Wild & Weedy Apothecary. Described as “well-considered alphabetic valentine to natural healing,” author Doreen Shababy proves her graceful and extensive knowledge of herbs. From manicotti to tinctures, from homemade yogurt to healing salve, Shababy gracefully walks us through her lifelong love of spiritual and culinary herbal applications. PW says, “Generous with her sources and references, Shababy’s voluminous guide will help armchair naturalists and horticulturalists get the most out of nature’s bounty.”

Did you know that in the ancient traditions of Greece, Rome, India, and the Far East, medications and perfumes were one and the same? And did you know that the plantain weed is instant first aid, or that the petals of cleanly grown roses are completely safe to eat? Shababy shares these amazing facts effortlessly. Her warm and knowledgable voice offers readers an abundance of practical tips in the garden as well as delightful information for the soul.

While they taste so good, these kinds of indulgences can also jeopardize our best-laid healthy eating plans. A dietian at WebMD offers her perspective on Surviving Girl Scout Cookie Season, which includes a nutritional analysis of each cookie and a few tips for conscientious ways to eat them. ”Believe it or not,” she says, ”two or three cookies will go a long way if you really savor every bite.” I think we all know that she’s right. You can also do things like “reset” your palette between bites and be more conscientious about tuning into your sensory environment. For example, you could eat a crispy cookie then a soft cookie to maximize the taste in your mouth.

Better yet, making your own thin mints may be the most satisfying trick of them all, especially with this recipe at 101 Cookbooks, which contains only natural ingredients.

Do you have tips on how to mindfully indulge in sweets, or is that a contradiction in terms? I think it’s probably no mistake that the cookies fit so well in the freezer, perfect for slow savoring.

At her worst, the author admits to having called as many as 10 psychics in one day–and at $1.99 to $19.99 an hour, this habit became a terribly expensive addiction. She eventually had to hide it from her friends and family and find the resources to recover from it, one step at a time.

What is it about getting a psychic reading that is so alluring?  The path of life can be challenging and full of an overwhelming number of options that we never had before. A psychic reading can uncover these paths, like a well-defined choose-your-own-adventure book, making it easier to choose which road to take. However, while the advice offered by a psychic can certainly be accurate and useful, it is never fool-proof, as any good psychic will let you know.

Lisa Barretta is one such psychic, author of The Street Smart Psychic’s Guide to Getting a Good Reading. Lisa Barretta admits to having “psychic junkie” tendencies of her own, having discovered of love of Tarot card readings at an early age. She discovered her own gift for intensive astrology readings (ahem; I know she’s good) and pairs that with her own set of psychic tools and intuition. Her book is a user’s guide to getting a solid, useful reading from a psychic, including how much a reading should cost, what the benefits and possible risks are, and a thorough description of all the types of readers on the market, from mediums to angel readers to tea-leaf readers.

If you find psychic readings to be way too appealing, there are support groups out there, especially the one started by Ms. Lassez, the author of Psychic Junkie. But if you hire psychics from time to time and would like to hear more about what life is like on the other side of the cards, Lisa Barretta’s street smart skills will offer a fascinating and practical read.

On top of all that, there’s the little question of your own level of interest to contend with when it comes to dating. Is he really the potential partner worth fussing about? When a lot of the people you know are married, does it become difficult to trust your own instincts?

Servet Hasan’s new book Tune Him In, Turn Him On offers a unique new perspective on this dilemma. Next time, when dating has you down, before calling your friends, and before crafting a clever little email sure to get his attention, turn it all off and check in with yourself. Sit still, meditate, and think deeply about the situation from a spiritual perspective.

Servet Hasan says “When it comes to love, men, and relationships, our most valuable resource gets buried beneath layers of preconceived, linear thinking.” That is, of course, our intuition. Intuition seems to be an underused tool in relationships, both for single people and those in long-term relationships.

Does your intution help you tune into and better relate with the person you are dating? Does your intuition help you create a stable and strong relationship?

Do you think this is true? If it is, what is this “funk” all about?

We have a free life to design as we will, but it seems even the most externally happy and succesful women begin to feel bogged down by the choices they have made. We choose to pursue a career, commit to a loving partner, and maybe have children. We choose to stay engaged with the news, pursue spirituality, walk the dog, workout 4 times a week (if we’re lucky!), volunteer, cook healthy food, read, go to the movies, shop for the things we need, and invite friends over for dinner. On top of that, if you are a creative person, you have to honor your more abstract need to create, connect, and pursue work that means something to you on a fundamental level.

Is the 9-to-5 commuting lifestyle at odds with what women need to be happy? But without it, what then?

I’m looking forward to reading Goddess to the Core, a book that begins to unravel the mysterious pursuit of happiness and balance women undertake throughout their lives. Author Sierra Bender’s hard-won success in life comes from being face head-on with a health crisis and an overwhelming number of questions about what it takes to create a happy life. She dsicovered her answers–and now she inspires women around the world to discover them as well.

I hope you have success in looking for these answers for yourself, and welcome your comments on this important question!

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.

I’ve been thinking about this “field” Rumi refers to as dreams — and daydreams, specifically. Daydreaming has a bad reputation as an unproductive activity. But have you ever had a daydream about your own life so vivid that it gave you a sense of hope? Helped you see the solution to a difficult challenge? I find that my daydreams allow me to creatively resolve situations in my life that I couldn’t solve under the hard light of purely rational thought. Daydreams take us beyond an ordinary sense of right and wrong and encourage a far more open, heart-centered, and compassionate approach to life and the people we interact with. Once we snap out of it, though, our judgmental side kicks in and tells us what we “can” and “cannot” do, imagine, or accomplish.

Here is an article from WebMD that tells us something we already know, but can stand hearing again. “The beauty of daydreams is that nothing is impossible.” Daydreams are just like that field Rumi is yearning for, where past mistakes are pardoned, time stands still, and you can do whatever makes sense to you at the most fundamental level.

When I first met intuitive coach Jodi Livon in August of 2007, we talked for a couple hours over a cup of coffee. She knew she had many things to say about her experience with psychic development, but didn’t yet have a book proposal or solid direction for her writing. A few months later, she emailed me a proposal. Less than a year later, a final manuscript. And about a year after that, Jodi is charming her way into the heart of everyone who reads her book The Happy Medium: Awakening to Your Natural Intuition.

One of  the challenges throughout the publishing process is making sure that the author’s personal charisma shines through in how we package and promote the book. In Jodi’s case, I think we nailed it. You can feel Jodi’s warmth, knowledge, and genuine personality as you read. Last week, Jodi talked about the process of owning her intuition on TCL, Twin Cities Live. From her comfortable office in suburban Minnesota, she did an insightful reading for one of the show’s employees. Back at the studio, she explained that intuition is a natural element of everyone’s life.

Given how well the segment went, Jodi was invited back September 8, 15, 22, and 29. Tune in to TCL for Jodi’s remarkable insight on what it’s like to see the side of life that many of us are taught to put aside.