By Sharon Crowell It has been four days since snow and ice blanketed much of the country, including the Washington DC area where I live.  The past few days have felt like a revisiting of the pandemic along with the movie Groundhog Day.   Staying at home, each morning being disappointed that the snow and ice and lack of plow remain.  The beauty and softness of the snow now giving rise to frustration rather than appreciation of the invitation to stillness.  Fear and anxiety tha

When you begin exploring Tai Chi, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing the right instructor. The right teacher can help you not only learn the movements correctly, but also experience the deeper calm, balance, and vitality that Tai Chi offers. The wrong one, on the other hand, can leave you confused, frustrated, or even at risk of injury.Whether you’re completely new to Tai Chi or returning after time away, this guide will help you identify the key qual

By Ed Yong, Random House 2022 Book reviewed by Nell Marshall An Immense World explores the world of animal senses and perception. This world, as perceived and experienced through the senses, Yong calls the Umvelt. Our environment, or any animal’s environment as perceived through that animal’s senses. The Umvelt, the world each animal perceives, is accessed through the senses and defined by those perceptions. The concept of Umvelt that Yong describes is a unifying and levelin