In my previous article, "Have You Been to Mt. Shasta Naturals," I talked about a unique little store on 10th street that I stumbled into one day, while researching non-traditional spirituality (you can read that article by clicking the Storyline tab to the right). After browsing the store for a bit, I spoke with owner Susan Stream about her own spiritual background. Turns out that Stream does much more than sell homeopathic remedies: She is also a Reiki Master and a healer who conducts workshops for interested community members. In an interview with Stream, she shared with me a little about how she came to this type of spirituality, and the changes it has made in her life thus far. "Thi

My quest to report on alternative spirituality in the Sacramento area proved that a little luck is sometimes more helpful than fruitless hours spent combing the internet and asking the Google gods for their assistance. Looking for something a little more tangible, I hit the pavement to see what I could find. Strolling by the tiny building that houses the Mt. Shasta Naturals shop, I notice that they offer aromatherapy and alternative healing. Bingo. As my friend and I enter the shop, we are greeted by a smiling woman and a relaxing scent that I can't quite place. Store owner Susan Stream welcomes us as if we are old friends calling to tea, and apologizes for the mess -- halfway unpacked bo

 Take a deep breath. Now another, and even a third. If you’re like most people, this may be the first time all day that you’ve thought about your breathing – a sign that in our culture, stress runs rampant and even a thirty-second reprieve from your busy day is a rare treat. But some individuals in the Sacramento community have tuned in to ancient techniques that yogis, monks and spiritual individuals have been practicing for centuries – yoga and meditation. With studios throughout the Sacramento area, it is not difficult to find an amazing teacher eager to share his or her knowledge.   So, you may be asking: some deep stretching, some breathing and sitting cross-legged while staring at