Happy Holidays!

     Since I've only been editing Aquarius since September, 1999, Gloria had to remind me that it's traditional for the editor to write this column at year's end. I still can't believe I've been here over a year; the time has really flown by.

     It's amazing how the energy changes and new opportunities arise when you step out of your normal routine or take a new direction. I've worked as a graphic artist, writer, photographer, and social worker before I came to Aquarius. In each job, I made new connections and learned new skills, but Aquarius has opened doors for me that I never imagined. This is a good time for me to express gratitude for everything that has come to me, both personally and professionally, as a result of serving as your editor.

      Thanks to Aquarius, I've had the opportunity to study and become a Reiki Master with all my co-workers. I'd like to thank our teachers, Gwen Wagner and Donna Rhose. And thanks to Aquarius, I've recently studied hypnotherapy with Barry Seedman, and become a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Thank you, Barry! My music reviews in Aquarius have led to an opportunity to write reviews for another publication in the music industry, CDRevolutions; my thanks to Atlanta area publisher, Bill Campbell.

     Working at Aquarius is a wonderful opportunity to meet many of the healers, practitioners, whole foods advocates, environmentalists, counselors, psychics and readers in our New Age community. Dr. Liu, Dr. Pat Chin, and Caroline Lusky have all contributed to my improving health over the last year, and I thank them for that and their friendship. Psychics Kathryn Strickland, Sherry Mury, Michelle Martinez, Jan Claire, and Michael Alexander have all lovingly counseled me along the way. And countless others have shared their special knowledge and expertise.

     I'm grateful to everyone who has consented to be interviewed for Aquarius, and to those who present workshops in the community and share their knowledge with our readers through articles. I'm happy to have worked with so many publicists, music publishers, book publishers, and others in the publishing industry who have been so kind and supportive.

      I particularly want to thank a certain group of our writers: the ones who will take an assignment, cover an event, interview a celebrity, review a book, and always deliver whatever I ask of them. None of our writers are paid for their work. Some of them profit from their articles as additional publicity for workshops they present, but there is a small group of dedicated writers whose only reward is the service they provide to you, our readers. These writers are the Unsung Heroes of Aquarius, and I particularly want to thank them.

    The pages of Aquarius are alive with the energy of so many creative people! Each month, our readers are treated to features on whole foods, yoga, feng shui, spiritual travel, herbs, seasonal traditions, transformative tools, hypnotism, energy medicine, and more. Since I put out a call for people to share stories of how they “put legs on their prayers,” or put their spirituality to work in the community, we have seen many inspiring stories on activism in the New Age Community. When Birmingham, Alabama devoted a week to healing the wounds of racism, Aquarius brought you the story. When architects and builders gathered in Atlanta to discuss environmentally sound office and home design, we brought you their story. And this month, you'll meet Jeff Alt, who hiked the Appalachian Trail as a fundraiser for the Sunshine Home (see article A Walk for Sunshine), and you'll travel in the footsteps of escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad and the tortured path of the Trail of Tears with another group, the Trail of Dreams Team, led by Audri Scott Williams. (See article The Journey is Not Over.) Both of these stories clearly demonstrate so many powerful, spiritual lessons. You can see the power of community, and how important it is to work with others toward a goal. These stories show us the importance of remembering where we came from, and making the past real in very immediate, physical ways. We are reminded how God/Goddess/All There Is and our guides and angels can open the way for us and provide just what we need when it's most needed.

    We all want to thank our advertisers for supporting the work of Aquarius. The next time an ad catches your eye, remember that, without that person's support, you would not have Aquarius to inform you each month. The advertising in Aquarius serves as a resource directory for the New Age Community and can lead you to many life-changing opportunities, like the ones I mentioned earlier from my own experience.There are whole new worlds to explore out there, and our advertisers will be happy to show you the way.

    We ask that you please support them with your business.

    My thank-you list wouldn't be complete without thanking YOU, our readers. Thank you for filling out the readership surveys and sharing your thoughts about the content of Aquarius. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to get to know you better. (And for those of you who haven't sent in your form yet, please note that the cut-off date for the contest is January 1, 2001. Some lucky reader will win $111 in the drawing, so don't delay.)

Happy Holidays and Be Blessed!
Kathryn Sargent, Editor