In this issue of JUNO, we share a powerful and emotional article. Baby Loss Awareness Week takes place during October, and this year, very sadly, one of the JUNO team has suffered this loss.
Rosalind, our designer, very bravely tells her story, starting on page 32 in the magazine and in an extended version here. Please be aware that this is a raw and moving read, but Rosalind feels strongly that she wants to share what has happened to her and her husband, Phil, because she has taken strength from reading others’ stories. When she sent me the article, asking if JUNO would publish it, she wrote, “I thought my story could be helpful for our readers; I know I have taken so much comfort from just reading about other people in similar circumstances to us.”
Rosalind’s words have a strength and a beauty; it’s a love song to her boys and a poignant reflection on what she has lost and how she is changed. We would like to honour Rosalind and Phil’s bravery in sharing their story, and thank Veronica Petrie for her beautiful accompanying illustrations.
And so, it’s October already. Summer was a whirlwind. It always is. There is joy and lightness in the long summer days, but I always feel stretched, exhausted and sometimes long for the periods of hibernation the dark of winter offers. Juliana Bentley’s words on page 19 resonated greatly with me – the joy of autumn, combined with the sadness of having to let summer go. Emine Kali Rushton writes evocatively of us “gather[ing] good things around us… as we prepare to go deeper and deeper into the darkest part of the year.” (From page 43.)
In this issue we celebrate the joy of autumn with recipes and crafts – all those wonderful colours and leaves and tastes and smells! I hope you can enjoy them all.
Saffia
Featured contributors
Ana Kobern is an illustrator from a small town in Ukraine. She specialises in children’s illustration and cartooning, and has a passion for watercolour and digital hand-drawn illustrations. Author of her own projects, she also collaborates with authors of children’s books, working with amazingly talented people from around the world. She adores depicting real life and the feelings of ordinary people. Her work combines a love of finely defined colour palettes, detailed elements and charming characters.
Agatha van den Dool, from her urban jungle in Utrecht, creates inclusive portraits of inspiring mamas to empower her amid the chaos and glory of (single) motherhood. Her illustrations are full of plants, greens, veggies and fruits – like her personal life – because besides being an illustrator and mama of two boys, she is also a vegan chef.
What’s inside the Autumn issue?
JUNO’s ethos is based on conscious parenting, sustainability, social justice, non-violence and a commitment to personal growth and spiritual awareness. Our Spring issue is packed full of supportive and informative features including:
- Roma Norriss helps us connect with our children in difficult moments
- Juliana Bentley reflects on the passing of summer
- Planting a family forest garden
- Autumn crafts: leaf rubbing, felted toadstools and pumpkin garlands
- #junofamilyfood: stories from our Instagram community
- Rosalind Kingston-Jones shares the agony of losing her twins
- Creativity and home education
- The benefits of taking time to cook with wild ingredients
- Herbal first aid: aches, pains and sprains
- Enjoying night-time family adventures
- How Ayurveda can support your family’s health and happiness
- Warming seasonal recipes from Riverford
- Book inspiration: light in the dark
- How to make nourishing cacao drinks spring
Plus all your favourite regulars and columns including Empowered Birth, Mindful Dad, My Teen, Birth in Pictures, Natural Connections, Community Photography, Reflections of a Homeopath, Sensory Herbalism, Home Education, Life on the Land, A Page for Young People, My Life My Way, and book reviews for all ages. Click here to order your copy.
Why children use conflict in play and how to support them