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Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey

Silver Thread and Golden Opportunities: 25 Years of Natural Awakenings

Dec 27, 2018 10:41AM ● By Jan Hollingsworth

photo by Eileen Laibinis

The year was 1994. America Online opened the first gateway to the World Wide Web; Jeff Bezos founded the fledgling behemoth Amazon; and Deepak Chopra installed the first bricks on his path to enlightenment with the publication of his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams.

Perhaps not coincidentally, genetically engineered tomatoes entered the U.S. food supply that year, spawning a GMO food revolution that transcended the age-old debate between pesticides and organics. Frankenfoods, as they are called, were the leading edge of a cultural awakening.

Meanwhile, in the sleepy, sun-drenched beach town of Naples, Florida, Sharon Bruckman—a dreamer and entrepreneur in her own right—was quietly laying the foundation for what would become the largest franchise publishing network in the natural health industry: Natural Awakenings magazine.

“America’s natural wellness and sustainability movements were in their infancy when we started,” says Bruckman. “Now the seeds that were planted in fertile soil are benefiting people nationwide, as well as throughout our precious planet.”

Woven from the threads of grit, inspiration and perhaps serendipity, the magazine was a tapestry of health, healing and mindfulness. Its successful Naples debut was quickly followed by a second edition in Sarasota.

The real “natural awakening” is about each of us waking up to who we truly are and the kind of world we can create together.
~Sharon Bruckman

By 1999, it was clear that Americans had a voracious appetite for well-researched, practical information about the latest natural approaches to nutrition, fitness, personal growth and sustainable living.

The Natural Awakenings franchise was born that year, conceived as a local magazine in many different communities—now 74 markets in the U.S.—anchored by a national editorial team  that explores and anticipates the latest trends in mind, body and spirit. Readership of the print magazines is 2.8-million strong, plus a broad online and digital reach.

Bruckman’s holistic-minded passion for health, wellness and integrative therapies has awakened in like-minded entrepreneurs a desire to embrace her mission. As Paul Chen, publisher of the Atlanta franchise puts it: “Awakenings of the heart speak to our desire for deeper and stronger personal relationships. Awakenings of the mind speak to our desire to learn more, faster, and optimize our mental capacities. Awakenings of the soul speak to our desire to develop greater love and compassion for all living beings equally and an increasing understanding of and connection with whatever it is we believe lies beyond our small, individual human selves.”

Natural Awakenings Magazines

The magazine, in turn, has awakened its readers to new ways of connecting both with their communities and each other. Natural Awakenings has become a go-to guide for local community events, products and practitioners in all of its markets.

“We love to spread light,” says Bruckman. “Natural Awakenings has played a significant role in fueling the wellness revolution I saw emerging all those years ago, propelled by the kindred spirits who read, advertise and contribute to our magazines. Our publishers are torchbearers aligned with the vision of a healthier world and the mission to facilitate that transformation.”

During a lifetime of holistic-minded entrepreneurship, Bruckman, a constant gardener, continues to personally tend each new crop of ideas that germinate on the pages of her magazines which bear the imprint, “Healthy Living, Healthy Planet.”

Natural Awakenings Mission Statement

By identifying and responding to a simple need in one community, she has tapped into a universal spirit that exceeded her wildest expectations. “If you have the heart, vision and enthusiasm to help make the world a better place, a greater force just might step in to enable success beyond anything you imagined. The real ‘natural awakening’ is about each of us waking up to who we truly are and the kind of world we can create together.”

We can’t always be shaded by the trees that we grow, yet after 25 years, the seeds Bruckman planted have branched across a nation and borne fruit that will make a difference in countless lives for many years to come.

It is my honor to join her on this journey as Natural Awakenings celebrates its silver anniversary.


Jan Hollingsworth is the national editor of Natural Awakenings magazine.

 

Natural Awakenings Franchise

 


This article appears in the January 2019 issue of Natural Awakenings.

5 Top Tips to Finding Your Next Doctor

1 Keep an Open Mind! Healthcare has come a long way. Today, you have access to practitioners that branch outside of traditional medicine and aim to identify the root causes of conditions while using alternative treatments that may help you get the relief you need. Just because it’s not a pill, doesn’t make it pseudoscience.

2 Build Your Health Care Team. There is no one doctor that can be the be-all-end-all for your health needs. Be sure to have a team of practitioners with different “lenses” and areas of expertise who will treat the root cause and not just the symptom(s).

3   Environment Influences Healing. Health is multi-factorial. Your mental and emotional environment plays a pivotal role in your healing potential. Your doctors and their staff should create an office atmosphere filled with positivity so you can get the most out of your care.

4 Your Story Matters.  Before you begin any treatment, be sure to have a comprehensive consultation to discuss your health concerns. Find practitioners who welcome questions and will take the time to listen and treat you with respect.

5 Report of Findings. When it comes to our health, we often make decisions without understanding the risk versus benefits. Knowledge is an important part of the healing process and is essential to make conscious, informed health decisions. Find practitioners who take the time to explain their exam findings and the recommendations for treatment in ways that make sense to you.

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