Off the Shelf Author Blog

Fresh air, sunlight and improvised face masks seemed to work a century ago; and they might help us now.

When new, virulent diseases emerge, such SARS and Covid-19, the race begins to find new vaccines and treatments for those affected. As the current crisis unfolds, governments are enforcing quarantine and isolation, and public gatherings are being discouraged. Health officials took the same approach 100 years ago, when influenza was spreading around the world. The results were mixed. But records from the 1918 pandemic suggest one technique for dealing with influenza — little-known today — was effective. 

Everyone seems to be contributing their thoughts in this time of what is considered a global pandemic of Covid-19 and it seemed correct to do the same. So in this blog, I will be putting forth some ideas about how we can use sound and consciousness to enhance our immunological system and deal with many of the situations presently occurring.

As reported by several media outlets, such as Vice.com, the metal copper has strong antiviral and antibacterial properties, first discovered by physician Victor Burq during the 1854-1855 cholera epidemics in Paris when he could not find any deaths of jewelers, goldsmiths, or boilermakers (those who worked with copper).

Although our governor listed book publishers as an essential business allowed to remain open, we’ve transformed the company into a virtual publishing house with our 35 employees working from home.

During this universally hard time, all of us at Inner Traditions send our heartfelt best wishes and healing thoughts to our writers, readers, and friends around the world.

We are deeply saddened to report the sudden passing of author Ócha’ni Lele, the spiritual and pen name of B. Stuart Myers, on November 27, 2019.

Although he wasn’t born into the Lucumí faith (known to some as Santeria), he was called to it and became a passionate teacher and practitioner with a devoted following.

According to a recent article published by the New York Times, Christianity has weakened drastically since the 1960s. Lots of people who once would have been lukewarm Christmas-and-Easter churchgoers now identify as having “no religion” or being “spiritual but not religious.” Yet, even with America’s churches in decline, the religious impulse has hardly disappeared. And whether they know it or not, the "spiritual, not religious" crowd is at the forefront of the pagan revival.

I recently returned to our Vermont office from Denver, Colorado, where I was representing Inner Traditions * Bear & Company at the 2017 International New Age Trade Show. The show is a feast for the senses – the sounds: laughter, music, chimes, tuning forks, and even digeridoo; the sights: crystals large and small, lights, jewelry, colorful clothes, tarot cards, and giant book cover posters; and, of course, the smells: incense, candles, and essential oils all blending together to produce the unique scent of INATS.