hello from the center of winter

Musings below…

Solstice has passed and we are welcoming a lil bit more light everyday, minute by minute. Whisperings of spring are on blooming acacia’s, sprouting fresh green grass, daffodil tips.

I’ve been enjoying our winter slumber. Familiar, cyclical, we get here every year. More sleep, hearty warm meals, tea cup full, chilled air freezing your face and ears on brisk walks. Dinner parties with friends to pass the time, those long long dark nights.

It’s this time of year, in the slowness, where I call upon tools that help fuel the fire. My creative fire, the slow burning fire of health, connection, and necessary rest. The prep and care done now helps pour support into my busy go go go Summertime.

I love to pull my eyes/energy away from social media (January is a no instagram month for me every year). The less input/consumption, the more creativity eagerly flows inside and out of me. This yearly ritual serves a deep purpose.

The dye vats are gathering rain water drip by drip but begging to be full of big, rich, golden marigolds again. (I’ll be dyeing some things this week, so keep your eyes peeled if you’re waiting to get yourself a set of silk pillowcases!)

I lean on my skincare rituals - many rose glow face masks mixed with honey + clary sage hydrosol. Moon Butter after every shower or bath. Clean bedding spritzed with lavender hydrosol. Warm cuppa harvest tea with a friend by the fire. A hot hot bath under the stars with my flower bath salts.

Seed catalogs have found their way in our mailbox yearning to be thumbed through and dreamt about.

This winter I got an e-bike (a cargo style where Eden can sit on the back!), and it has very quickly become my favorite thing ever! Bike rides are pure joy, they have a way of making you feel like a kid again. It’s really a delight, and I get to drive my car less. Win win if you ask me.

I hope you’re warm, nourished, and resting. I hope you know you’re loved :) I’m grateful you’re here with me, in this big big world.

Gifts for mom : 5 gifts to inspire calm, self-care, and joy

Gifts for mom: 5 gifts to inspire calm, self-care, and joy!

Finding the perfect gifts for your mom or a mom friend can feel like a beautiful challenge. How do you capture all the love, care, and gratitude you feel for someone who’s done so much? 

You want something that truly speaks to her—something thoughtful, nourishing, and filled with meaning. Gifts for mom should celebrate her unique spirit and the deep connection you share. Let your gift be a heartfelt reflection of what she means to you.

When you’re shopping for gifts for mom, view it as an opportunity to honor her with something meaningful and intentional. Here are 5 gifts for mom that will match her personal style and be treasured favorites in her day.

Gifts for moms who deserve to indulge

Rose Glow Face Mask

One of my favorite ways to use this mask is to get my little one set up for his bath, and then spend his bathtime indulging in this gentle, cleansing face mask.

Unlike drugstore face masks, this mask comes in powder form and can be mixed with anything from simple, pure water to honey, a hydrosol, or even milk. It can be gently applied with fingertips or a brush, and left to sit for several minutes of meditation, reflection, or practicing more self-care like brushing hair or oiling cuticles.

Earthbody Oil

Speaking of bathtime, adding this oil to my bath routine is one of my favorite ways to take care of myself, especially during the dry winter months. 

For ultimate indulgence, this oil should be warmed and applied to the entire body, and allowed to warm and soothe and sink in over several minutes. Once ready, it can be followed by a hot bath or shower.

As a simpler ritual, it can be used before or after a shower to allow for deep moisture to be locked into the skin.

It feels heavenly to apply and comes in a bottle large enough that it will last her for many relaxing showers or baths, and that will look beautiful on her bathroom countertop or tub.

Gifts for moms who love to lounge

Silk pillowcase set

If your mom likes to get cozy, give her this luxurious gift of flower-dyed silk pillowcases to help her take her relaxation time to the next level.

These silk pillowcases are each dyed a completely unique, rich color, thanks to the 100% hand-picked flower formula they are immersed in. All of the flowers are grown and processed on a family farm in northern California and create a rich, elegant hue that will elevate any space where they are used.

Gifts for moms who love organic & all natural skincare

The Sun, Moon, and Earth Bundle

From morning to night, and head to toe, this bundle is a radiant trio crafted to honor the natural rhythms of your skin and the elements that sustain it. 

Featuring the Sun Beam Serum, Moon Butter Face Cream, and Earthbody Oil, this collection works in harmony to nourish, rejuvenate, and protect, leaving skin glowing with vitality. 

Perfect for moms who cherish organic skincare and small-batch products, this bundle offers a ritual of self-care that feels as grounding as it is luxurious. Celebrate her nurturing spirit with a gift inspired by the beauty of nature.

Ascend Hydrosol

If you’re on a budget or looking for a sweet stocking stuffer, this hydrosol is perfect. 

This hydrosol is a particular favorite of mine because its unique profile helps awaken the senses while also creating a calming effect. For moms who love yoga, hiking, or meditation, this is a perfect choice. It can be used as a facial spray or toner, or as an ingredient in a foot bath, warm compress, face mask, lotion, and so much more.

All the plants used to create this hydrosol were harvested by hand on our family farm in coastal northern California.

Gifts for Grandma: 5 gifts that nourish, care, and share love

Gifts for Grandma: 5 Gifts That Nourish, Care, and Share Love

Buying gifts for grandma can be hard to do, whether it’s for a birthday, the holidays, or any time of year. Often, these women already have much of what they need, or they don’t want to ask their beloved grandchildren for anything at all.

This can leave you in a tricky spot when a gift-giving occasion comes around and you want to find a perfect gift for grandma.

If you are looking for gifts for grandma that she will love (and doesn’t already have), here is a list of gifts that offer the care and love you want to share with her.

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Harvest - Homegrown Tea

Especially for a winter holiday, tea is a wonderful gift for grandmas. A warm, soothing cup of organic, hand-harvested tea will keep her nourished and warm whenever she wants. This Harvest tea is hand-picked from a family farm in coastal Northern California and is packaged in a sleek metal container that is easy to open and will look lovely on her kitchen counter.

Made with homegrown tulsi, calendula, marigold, cornflower, and chamomile, this tea is caffeine-free and perfect for sharing with her favorite grandchild on a winter afternoon, or for her own calming nighttime ritual. 

Pair it with a ceramic mug from a local maker, and you have the perfect gift that is budget-friendly but still feels rich and meaningful.

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Moon Butter

As you transition through life stages, your skincare often needs to evolve and change too. Older skin can often be dryer, and it calls out for more moisture and gentler ingredients.

This rich moon butter cream is thick and luxurious, and works as a facial cream or for areas on the body that need extra attention and care. For elbows and dry patches, this luminous cream is the perfect solution that nurtures without chemicals or harsh ingredients.

Perfect for a stocking stuffer or as part of a “self-care set” gift for grandma. To order a curated-for-you organically farmed skincare bundle, explore the Root Rise Bestseller Bundle.

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Silk Pillowcase Set

There is no greater gift than a good night’s sleep, and a silk pillowcase makes getting into bed at night a heavenly experience. Not only is silk beneficial for skin and hair health, but resting your head on a silk pillowcase at night is so soft, comforting, and luxurious.

These naturally dyed silk pillowcases come in vibrant, rich hues from hand-harvested organic flowers grown on the California coast. Find one that matches your grandma’s bedroom decor or personal style, and give a luxurious gift she might not have ever tried before!

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A handwritten card

Although it might feel like it’s not enough, the odds are good that a sincere, handwritten card will mean just as much as a gift for your grandma as any physical item you could give.

If you’re not a natural writer, here are some prompts to get you thinking:

• What qualities does she have that you admire?

• What is a favorite memory you have of time spent with her?

• What is a quote that makes you think of her?

• What lessons have you learned from her?

Write out a first draft on a separate piece of paper so there’s not as much pressure to get the card perfect on the first try. Even something that feels silly, like a list called “8 reasons I love my grandma”, can be an incredibly meaningful message for her to receive, as long as it’s from the heart.

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A coupon for a shared activity or experience

Are you a talented nail artist? Do you know all the best hikes in your area? Offer to share some of your expertise or favorite activities as a gift for grandma! This is a great gift because you can turn something you love into a shared experience with someone who would love to spend more time with you.
Offer grandma a handmade coupon for a manicure or to invite her on your favorite local hike – or you can try experiencing something new together! An experience gift is a great choice for grandmas who already have everything they need because you don’t have to find a “thing” to give as a gift. Instead, you can make her day by giving her an experience she wouldn’t otherwise have had.

You can get tickets to a play, a local museum, a movie, or make plans to visit a spa or salon, an art-making studio, or a favorite restaurant together. Time spent together is the most precious gift, especially with an older family member.

What does self care look life in the Autumnal Shift?

Seasons change, and we do too.

This Autumnal shifts ask us to, once again, be malleable and tend to ourselves and our lives in different ways than the previous season. We were just enjoying peak Summer, hot hot heat, peak everything all at once. I called upon cooling foods like cucumbers and mint to keep me hydrated and balanced. I craved salads, enjoyed bbq-ing and eating late. Now we shift into colder temps, more hours of darkness, wind, rain, indoor heating. Our feet want to be covered in cozy socks, I’m bringing out my wool sweaters again, and sipping warm herbal tea from the moment I get up. We’re spending more time indoors, tending to our more internal worlds. It’s getting darker sooner, we’re sleeping more which turns to dreaming more. I feel myself looking at my home in different ways, wanting to create a cozy warm ambiance with lighting and refresh the space with new paint colors. I find it easier to say no to plans…I’d rather stay in and go to bed early.

My favorite practice right now is turning my phone off at 7pm, and not turning it on until an hour or more after I wake. I find it sets the tone for such better/deeper sleep and a slow start to the morning…I find my mind so much more mellow and clear, dreaming up creative endeavors and ideas I want to nourish. Tuning into my world, instead of all of the other worlds that exist online (which don’t get me wrong are so fun and inspiring!), but this boundary is really really helpful to hear my desires and dreams.

What practices do you feel called to dive into? My craft basket is finding its way to me more often. Embroidery really is my favorite…

I can feel my skin begging body oil seshes before a hot bath with the beloved Earthbody Oil. Taking the time to cover your skin in herbal body oils aids in detoxification, a happy lymphatic and nervous system, and so much more!

beautiful image by the talented Kristen Haines

Earthbody Oil

from $38.00

Another way I enjoy this shift is a morning walk after breakfast or evening walk before dinner (and before it gets dark!) Getting to see the subtle ways the road I live in changes, getting my heart rate up, enjoying apples off of the neighbors trees.

Reflecting on this past Summer of all the days spent river side, eating fruit and giggling with friends. Playdates galore. Nap time straight into adventure time, always snacks in the bag ready to go (you know you can’t leave home without snacks with a toddler in tow). And I am feeling SO beyond grateful to get to live where I live, with the community I have.

6 best gifts for women who love organic, natural products

How amazing would it feel to give a gift that nourishes and inspires the person you’re giving it to this season?!!

The best gifts, especially when you’re shopping for gifts for women who deserve something really special this holiday season, are heartfelt. Many of the most meaningful gifts come in small packages, but represent an investment in quality, healthy and natural ingredients, and the power of treating yourself with the same care you give to everyone around you.

Are you struggling to find the best gifts for women in your life this year?

6 gifts for women this holiday season

Here are 6 suggestions for gifts for women that are sure to be a hit – these are gifts that can be used all year long, that will nourish and care for your recipient deeply, and will invite them to create a ritual around self-care and feeling good in their body every day.

Self-Care Bundle

The ultimate gift for women is an indulgent self-care set that allows them to create a deep ritual with a luxurious bath and oils that soothe, restore, and nourish them body and soul.

Every ingredient in this 4-part self-care ritual gift set is grown on our family farm in North Coast California, with all natural, ethically grown ingredients. From a delicate rose and chamomile face mask to a rich, moisturizing body oil, this set is all natural, organic, and designed to care for your body inside and out.

Each item is hand-poured and beautifully packaged in sustainable glass or paper, making this gift a treat not only to use, but a delight to unwrap and display between uses.

The Sun, Moon, & Earth Moisturizer Bundle

There is nothing like taking care of your skin, and this bundle of organic, luxurious moisturizers is the ultimate gift for women who crave ritual and daily pampering. 

This collection of three deeply nourishing, soothing lotions and oils is designed to replenish thirsty skin and help it glow with health and vitality.

The star of this lineup is the Sun Beam Serum, also known as “golden healing oil”. This powerful potion is gentle enough for sensitive skin (even babies!) yet packs potent antiseptic and anti-inflammatory ingredients that heal and restore skin and boost cell growth. Perfect for deep facial cleanses and twice-daily hydration.

Rose Glow Face Mask

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to gifts for women, you cannot go wrong with a face mask like this one. This is a simple yet lovely gift that encourages self care without major changes to your gift recipient’s daily skincare routines.

Unlike typical face masks that come in a tube and are packed with artificial ingredients and preservatives, this face mask comes in powder form and is made only from farm-grown, organic ingredients. It can be mixed with water, hydrosol, honey, or any other vector in order to create a hydrating, soothing face mask perfectly suited for your skin, anytime.

For a quiet moment at the end of the day, this face mask is an essential companion. Perfect for a stocking stuffer or small gift for a friend or coworker.

Harvest Homegrown Tea Blend

Is there anything more restorative than a cup of tea on a warm winter evening? This tea is especially nourishing and bliss-inducing because every ingredient is hand-harvested in California from a family farm. 

This custom blend starts with tulsi, plus calendula, blue and purple cornflower, marigold, and German chamomile, for a drink that is comforting, grounding, and soothing to your nervous system. Always pesticide and chemical-free.

This tea blend is the perfect gift for a family member, friend, or coworker who is always cold! 

Clary Sage Hydrosol (limited batch!)

Whether the person you’re shopping for has their skincare routine dialed in or they’re an all-natural minimalist, this clary sage hydrosol will be a gorgeous addition to their bathroom countertop or bedside table.

Clary sage produces gorgeous purple flower shoots that, when blended with pure steam-distilled spring water in a copper still, creates a hydrosol mist that can be used as a facial toner or as a mood brightener.

Spray it anytime, anywhere, for an all natural, instant energetic lift.

Earthbody Oil

If you want to give the gift of pure luxury, look no further than this rich, glow-producing body oil. This lovely combination of plants smells sweet, spicy, and of the earth – and it is the perfect gift for women seeking indulgence.

This oil can be used to add moisture to skin anytime, but is especially perfect for a self-care massage ritual before a bath or shower. When warmed, it makes a perfect massage oil that locks in deep moisture on the skin even after a dip in the water.

Not only is the oil inside dreamy, earthy, and free of chemicals and dyes, but the bottle is gorgeous frosted glass that looks elegant on your bathtub.

Still looking for the perfect gift for women in your life?  

Shop the entire Root Rise Farm Apothecary collection or send us a message on Instagram for customized recommendations!

Herbal Chai Recipe! (non caffeinated)

This Fall and Winter I have been leaning into nourishing teas to support myself! This herbal chai has been made soooo many times, so I wanted to give you a guideline you can follow, tweak to your own recipe, and make all Winter long!

This chai is sooo warming for you, aids in good digestion, is anti-inflammatory, and is sure to keep you healthy throughout this cold and wet Winter.

Herbal Chai

3 cinnamon sticks

6 whole star anise pods

12 cardamom pods

4 heaping TBS dried ginger / or about 12 slices of fresh ginger root - can add even more if you love it reaaaaal spicy

1.5 tsp whole peppercorns

1.5 heaping TBS dried chaga mushroom pieces (or any mushroom you love/have)

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 heaping tsp marshmallow root

*The things in bold are the base, and then you can add other herbs that you love to make it your own!

Other additions I love to add: Roasted Dandelion (two of the roasted dandelion Traditional Medicinal bags are perf), Ashwagandha, Astragalus, Reishi.

1. Place all above ingredients into a sauce pot and fill with about 8 cups of water

2. Simmer for 20-30 minutes (the longer the better really, so all the flavors can meet)

3. Add 1.5 cups of milk of choice + honey, let simmer and warm 5 more minutes

4. Strain + Ladle into your cup! Top with a dash of nutmeg powder (this really makes it all pop)

5. Keep on covered and on low on the stove top if you plan on drinking throughout the day, or bottle it and place in fridge to keep warming to serve throughout your week!

If you’re looking for supplies, Oshala Farm has incredible herbs that they grow on their farm (their fennel seeds, marshmallow root, etc), Mountain Rose Herbs has some more of the things (star anise, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, etc), and this coconut milk is my favorite! If this seems like too much work, this brand makes the best chai (my fav being the non-caffeinated Rooibos Chai, its very spicy and yum)

Ascend Hydrosol - an in depth dive

Let’s talk all things Ascend Hydrosol

Ascend Hydrosol - the divine duo of lemon verbena + rosemary hydrosols.

In case you missed it last time, you may be wondering why I blend my hydrosols instead of offering them in single formulas. The truth is when I first started distilling the plants from my garden I just kept coming back to a vision of you experiencing my garden in a more whole way. So mixing the plants really gave me the creative freedom to take you into my garden while also creating options for you to choose from.

A better way of specifically sharing my unique offering.

side note: every single time I go to mix another batch of hydrosols for you I can hardly believe how good it all smells, I feel in awe at the fact that I distilled my farm down into this bottle of goodness for you. It brings me SO much joy and I over and over again fall in love with the process.

lemon verbena - smells bright, citrus-y, energetic. A real stress buster of a scent, relaxing yet brightening! Helping to boost confidence, so you can walk into that meeting for a raise or give that Zoom meeting speech you’ve been thinking all week about.

rosemary - smells green, pungent, minty, exciting. A natural stimulant to the senses, and even the skin, helping to circulate. Great as a toner for normal to oily skin. A real pick me up for those sluggish mornings.

The combination of the two is uplifting, bright, and citrus-y.

These two combine for a stimulating, cold water splash first thing in the morning, kinda feeling. These two hydrosols work on an energetic level to help you feel vibrant and bright. Use Ascend for that morning you told yourself you were going to quit coffee. For when you’re writing an email and can’t quite find the right words (seriously this makes a great computer ally). For just one of those days. For a friend whose going through a tough time. Before you meditate, spritz your whole being. In your face mask for a feeling of freshness. Ascend is multi-layered providing clearing vibes for you and your day.

Empower Hydrosol - an in depth dive

This week will outline Empower Hydrosol and all of it’s magic

First of all you may be wondering why I blend my hydrosols instead of offering them in single formulas. The truth is when I first started distilling the plants from my garden I just kept coming back to a vision of you experiencing my garden in a more whole way. So mixing the plants really gave me the creative freedom to take you into my garden while also creating options for you to choose from. 

A better way of specifically sharing my unique offering.

side note: every single time I go to mix another batch of hydrosols for you I can hardly believe how good it all smells, I feel in awe at the fact that I distilled my farm down into this bottle of goodness for you. It brings me SO much joy and I over and over again fall in love with the process. 

Empower Hydrosol - the divine trio of lavender, tulsi, and yarrow hydrosols.

My first ever distillation was of Kapoor Tulsi, my second ever was Lavender, and my third was Yarrow…I gave a bottle of my first hydrosol blend of lavender and yarrow to a friend who was going through some big transitions, those two called to me. After awhile of using that combo myself I began to really really love it, but it was missing something. In comes the warmth and spiciness of tulsi. These three are so soothing for the soul, like a great big warm hug. They act on the energetic level of holding, uplifting, and creating a protective barrier; hence the name Empower. If you’re having a hard time sleeping, spritz on your pillow before bed. If you’re feeling anxious in traffic, keep in your bag. If your toddler is feeling overwhelm. Before your yoga practice, spritz your mat. Give to a friend who is having a tough time. Use in your face mask to encourage calming circulation. A beautiful after sun care, specifically for a sunburn. On a skin level this trio is very moisturizing, soothing, toning, and good at getting circulation flowing. Is there anything this hydrosol can’t do? Can you tell I love it so much?

Lavender - It’s sweet aroma is soothing for the soul, reminding us to breathe deep. Lavender has a balanced pH, so great for all skin types! Is cooling and regenerative, while also aiding with inflammation (think sunburn, bug bite, rash, etc). 

Tulsi - The warmest, sweetest, smell with a hint of spicy (think clove, they share a chemical in them called eugenol that gives them the spice.) These lovely smells help to energize, calm, and awaken the senses. Wonderful at cleansing, rejuvenating, and decongesting the pores. 

Yarrow - This smell is actually quite hard to describe…it’s kind of an intense smell that folks either love or hate (I happen to love it, but I’m bias.) It smells astringent, herbaceous, pungent. It’s a potent hydrosol, amazing at detoxifying. It’s good at getting blood flowing underneath the skin, or acting as a styptic (helps stop bleeding from something like a cut.)

What is a hydrosol?

The subtle, yet potent magic of pure plant hydrosols bottled straight from our lush garden.

Let’s talk hydrosols

What is a hydrosol?

This is one of my favorite questions.

It’s alchemy, baby. Simply put, it’s the collection of the steam (water) that has gone through and steamed the plant material, extracting the specific plant’s components/magic. In this steam lives volatile oils, essential oils, the plants immune system, sunshine, moon glow, everything that specific plant experienced, etc etc which are released through distillation in my alembic copper still.

“With every drop we are able to experience the wholeness of the plant. ”

Think about it, the plant goes through a LOT in it’s life, from the moment I seeded it in the Spring to when I harvest it all Summer long. I am basically bottling just that. Isn’t that incredible? Every intricate detail is included…a pest got into the tulsi patch, well then, the tulsi used all of its energy to fight it off, that immune response, is in the hydrosol. All of the full moons and sunny days shining on the plant, it’s in the hydrosol. The delicious water it drank in it’s lifetime, it’s in the hydrosol. Maybe a bee left behind a little pollen, that too is included.

You know what’s also amazing? Our body, skin, spirit recognizes and resonates with things in water form. It’s one our most accessible tools for wellness. Water extracts medicine from plants so that we can best access it. Think of a cuppa rich and vibrant green nettle tea. Tea is truly one of the best ways to take in the goodness herbs have to offer us. Hot tip: make sure you’re covering your brewing tea, to hold in that steam full of medicinal qualities! Side note: my tea blend is so so soon to launch, I promise!So, to simplify it once again, the hydrosols are plant/flower water, collected through steam distillation in our gorgeous copper still (pictured below). Our systems greet each soft spritz of a hydrosol with a warm welcome, making this aromatherapy and self care practice efficient and harmonious to our wellbeing.

“Every bottle has the salty Lost Coast wind...the rich and dark soil of this land.”

How do I use a Hydrosol?

In short all of the ways! Hydrosols work on an energetic level (think aromatherapy and how certain smells are calming for you). They also work on a skin level, helping in different ways such as to moisturize, tone, or calm the skin, among many other things.

Moisturizer - use after your face has been cleansed of dirt/build up, right before you add an oil or cream (sun beam or moon butter). Water and oil create the perfect combination to reeeally deeply moisten. So with a face dampened by hydrosol, go straight to moisturizer, let sit and voila. You can even spritz after the application of moisturizer to lock it all in. Use throughout the day if feeling dry!

Toner - Certain herbs have an astringent quality to them, helping them to draw and tone the skin. Beloved Yarrow is wonderful at this, which makes its way into Empower and Radiance. Rosemary is another astringent herb which makes its way into Ascend.

Mood Enhancer - We can palpably feel the intensity of 2020, let’s go ahead and let the plants support us. Lavender supports our mood like a big warm long hug. Tulsi is warming, soothing for the soul. Let lavender and tulsi embrace you in the Empower blend. Chamomile and calendula soothe frazzled nerves in the Radiance blend. Rosemary and Lemon Verbena are invigorating and uplifting when feeling down in the Ascend blend. Clary sage is wonderful at brightening the mood.

Overall Wellbeing Support - Here is a tip: the hydrosol that smells best to you is the one you should be using. Simply put, the hydrosols that smell good to you are going to work best, because they bring you joy. Your response elicits a reaction that your whole being is going to respond to on a biological and energetic level. If you don’t like the smell of something, don’t use it!

Keep a bottle of hydrosol close to ensure use! I keep Empower and Radiance in my bathroom for my skincare rituals, Ascend by my computer for screen fatigue, some in the fridge for a cooling effect on a hot work day! The Clary Sage is amazing for meditation practice. There’s really no wrong way to use them, just try your best to keep them in a cool/dark place, out of direct sunlight so they last!

Homesteading Resources by Anna Schneider

Hello loves, I hope you are well and taking care of yourselves. I thought it would be a nice time to release this blog post since it is a collection of inspiring books!

This guest blog post is by my friend Anna Schneider, who is also homesteading with her partner. They are living in a tiny home they built and so I asked her to compile some information/books that have helped guide and inspire the lifestyle they happily live. I met her in college at Humboldt State University and our paths have recently re-crossed because of our similar lifestyles, and small town connections!

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy her share..

The internet and I have a complicated relationship. I’m grateful for the incredible abundance of information available at the click of a button, but it often feels like a double-edged sword and I find that sourcing reliable information sometimes feels daunting and overwhelming. Despite the easy access of smart phones and google, I still prefer to turn to good ol’ fashioned books for advice and inspiration. I thought I’d share a few of my current and all-time favorites—books that inform and inspire my aspirations to live a simple and sustainable life. 

Country Women, Jeanne Tetrault & Sherry Thomas: Ah, this book! Inspiring is a serious understatement. Chock full of real-world DIY instructions on everything from digging a well to keeping goats, complimented by the most incredible photos and illustrations of badass back-to-the-land women doing it all.

Gaia’s Garden, Toby Hemenway: Toby Hemenway breaks down the fundamentals of permaculture into an easily digestible read. A wonderful reference guide, this book is especially useful in the process of planning and designing a home garden. Full of useful diagrams, illustrations, charts and inspiring photos. For anyone even mildly interested in permaculture, this book is a must-have. 

Six Seasons, Joshua McFadden: I’m a self-admitted cookbook hoarder and this book stands apart from the crowd. Divided by season and tailored to fresh, seasonal produce, it features beautiful photographs and illustrations of Joshua McFadden’s unique yet simple recipes. Just flipping through the pages has me itching to get into the kitchen!

Handmade Houses: A Guide to the Woodbutcher’s Art, Art Boericke & Barry Shapiro: Art Boericke and Barry Shapiro are legends in the world of handbuilt structures. They published a host of photobooks in the 70’s documenting creative owner-built homes, and all are wonderful. My partner and I live in a home that we built, and during the design process I scoured these books for inspiration. This one is my favorite because of the amazing variety of architecture styles and the incredible interior photos.

Golden Gate Gardening, Pam Pierce: Although perhaps most relevant to us Bay Area folks, I would argue that this book is a total gem for anyone interested in starting a home veggie garden. One of the most comprehensive and straightforward guides I’ve encountered, with a thorough explanation of every part of the process from seed to seed, I find myself referring back to this book OFTEN and it never fails to be useful.

The Tiny Mess, Maddie Gordon, Mary Gonzalez & Trevor Gordon: This book is so up my alley I’m a little disappointed I didn’t think of it first! The sweetest collection of stories, amazing recipes and the most beautiful photographs of cozy small kitchens and their inhabitants, The Tiny Mess is a great reminder that cooking in a tiny kitchen doesn’t have to be limiting. 

The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Katz: Sandor Katz is a total gem. I used his earlier book, Wild Fermentation, for years before finally buying this one a few years back. This book is wonderfully comprehensive—so much incredible info and I feel like I’ve only barely scratched the surface. Definitely a lifetime kitchen companion!

Living on the Earth, Alicia Bay Laurel: This book was love at first sight when I stumbled upon it at a used bookstore years ago and continues to spark joy every time I pick it up. A DIY guide to sustainable living, every page is full of Alicia Bay Laurel’s incredible illustrations. This book reminds me over and over again why I choose this non-traditional lifestyle. 

The Humanure Handbook, Joseph Jenkins: When my partner and I embarked on the crazy adventure of building a house, we became acquainted with this absolute BIBLE. What first felt like a daunting task of figuring out how we would manage our waste without a septic tank became the most amazing lesson in composting, thanks to this book.

Preserving Food Without Freezing or Canning, The Gardeners & Farmers of Terre Vivante: If you grow your own veggies, this book is a wealth of knowledge. Simple, no nonsense recipes and instructions on a wide variety of preservation methods, from drying to lactic fermentation. A wonderful addition to the cookbook collection!

Thanks for reading—I hope this list is useful! Reading about sustainability and self-sufficiency has been so empowering for me over the years, and having access to this knowledge has been especially comforting during these times.

Happy homesteading! And don’t forget to support your local bookstores.

XO

Anna

If you have any questions you can find Anna at @annarschneider

Where to buy great seeds!

Hi loves,

I want to tune into something that is sparking joy for me! Let’s dive into resources for the abundant Spring and Summer of 2020.

I have seed companies that I have gone through for many years. So, I wanted to compile them all in an easy to use guide!

Just a tiny info to be aware about is to try, when you can, to support Heirloom, Organic, and Open Pollinated seed companies. These guidelines ensure farming practices and seed saving practices that better our earth and our future of food.

Organic Vegetable + Flower + Medicinal + Dye Seeds:

Just for fun I’ll share 1 seed variety I love to grow, or am excited to grow this year from each one!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds - I love this company and the work they are doing to provide unique, beautiful, heirloom seeds. I would highly recommend signing up for their yearly catalogue, it is a work of art! They also always have free shipping, which is awesome. Pusa Jamuni Radish

Floret Farmer - Prepare to be amazed, their seed catalogue is drool worthy! Seriously, stunning and I always walk away with more seeds than I intended because I just can’t resist the beautiful seeds offered. Pink Champagne Celosia

High Mowing Organic Seeds - 100% organic, non-gmo seeds with a lot of options for open pollinated. Kakai Hulless Pumpkin

Johnny’s Seeds - A very reliable seed company, that I go through for specific things! Search for organic seeds, and open pollinated when its an option. Scabiosa

Uprising Organics - I love the way this company is preserving history. Read about each seed and where it came from in the description of each offering. They’ve got some unique varieties, and I love to support them.

Grand Prismatic Seeds - Has amazing dye seeds and I just love their intention behind their farming + seed saving practices. Coreopsis

If you’re looking for a resource on seed starting (or anything else in the farming world), check here at Floret Farmers Resource. She has shared a lot of her knowledge on her website! Also, I can’t reccomend her book, Cut Flower Garden enough. It is what pushed me to become a farmer and believe that I could do it.

If you are in Humboldt County + cannot start your own seeds: Flora Organica + Flying Blue Dog Nursery have THE healthiest starts at places like the Arcata + Eureka Co-Op, Eureka Natural Foods in Eureka + Mckinleyville, Piersons, Mad River Nursery, Miller Farms Nursery.

If you have any seed companies to add, please leave them in the comments below! Also leave any questions and I’d be happy to answer.

Happy planting, be well.

Creating Beauty Throughout Our Days by Ysabel Free

Ysabel and I met because we both live in Petrolia! She is the sweetest soul and such a nourishing presence. We have spent lovely times together in women’s circles, and she’s helped me on the farm, harvesting blooms and herbs for Root, Rise. We share a lot of the same interests and I’m so grateful she has written a post on the beauty in mindfulness throughout our day. This is something I am intentionally working on at the moment. While I am in one task, or one meal, or sipping my water, etc etc, to really BE there. Paying attention to the sensations, dropping into my parasympathetic nervous system with a big belly breath and being with it. I can be enjoying the task or not! But allowing myself to feel it all, and breathe. I’ve learned a lot about myself in these recent times of mindfulness, and it’s helping me to grow in new ways.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy!

As the days have become shorter and the air colder I find my daily rituals are more and more important; bringing me back into my self, my individuality, my grounded nature. A practice that I love is consciously creating beauty throughout my days, moments that feel like art and staying present in those moments. Adding a little sparkle and romance to the mundane. For me this leads to more confidence, inspiration, creativity and fulfillment. All of the good stuff. So I picked out some of my favorite things that I like to do throughout a day to help me feel this way. 

First of all, I believe that feeling good in the space you live is foundational. I love interior design and the first thing I do when arriving to a new space is move things around and make it feel inspiring. Even if you have housemates and are not in full control of the main spaces around you, I encourage you to make your room beautiful, and beautiful in your eyes as there are many variations.

I love to wake up and take a moment. Waking up in silky soft white sheets and fluffy warm bedding makes me feel like a queen. Remembering my dreams, taking a moment for gratitude and thinking of something I am looking forward to is a really sweet way to begin the next sun cycle. Also feeling into the cozy stillness, putting a hand on my heart and the other on my belly and taking some deep belly breaths. Starting the day with intention.

I always make the time to have a cup of tea. I recently discovered my love for sweet camomile, there is something so light and elegant about it. I enjoy drinking one herb at a time and really feeling it. To make this ritual even better I put on a warm jacket and have my tea outside. Keeping my mind quite I feel the cold on my cheeks, warm tea on my lips, the breeze touch and move through my body. The fresh air, hot tea, morning birds chirping combination is pretty much heaven. 

Herbal oil massage is one of my favorite rituals. There is a full Abhyanga Blog post already on Root, Rise if you want to be taken along on a beautiful sequence. I love to warm up some oil and start at my feet, going all the way up to my face, giving love to each part of my body. I massage and use a tool called a Gua sha, a Gua sha is a scraping tool you use on your skin to increase circulation and blood flow. During my studies in Ayurveda I discovered the incredible value of taking care of our lymphatic systems. Taking the time to massage, connect with and love our bodies is such radical self care; I always feel soothed and balanced after.

Cooking is one of my greatest passions. I try to bring slowness and intention into at least one meal a day. If I am preparing food only for myself I often throw something fast and easy together, yet I’ve found the magic is in taking time. Preparing food feels ancient in my body, a dance, a remembering. It is intimate and special, creating nourishment that will fuel my body and the ones I love around me. A recipe that I love, and that is comforting in the winter, is sweet potato and veggie lentil dahl. I love one pot stews and soups, where you slowly add more and more and stir and stir.. infusing your love into it as you go. 

The Recipe:

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 onion (about 1 cup)

4 cloves garlic (minced)

tbsp fresh ginger (finely minced)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick 

1 sweet potato 

2 medium sized carrots 

1/2 heads broccoli or whatever veggie you fancy

1 cup red lentils (rinsed)

1 40z can crushed tomatoes (you could also use fresh)

1 14oz can full fat coconut milk 

2 cups veggie or bone broth

salt and pepper to taste 

cilantro and lemon juice to garnish 

To start the fragrant pot of deliciousness, heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add your onion and let it become translucent, add your garlic and ginger and cook a few more minutes. Grind your cumin, coriander and mustard seeds gently in a mortar and pestle, add to your pot along with your ground turmeric. Its time to add your diced sweet potato, carrots and broccoli and red lentils. Let them saute in your beautiful pot of spices for a moment and then add your tomatoes, coconut milk and broth. Let everything simmer and alchemize for about 15-20 minutes on medium/low heat, stirring occasionally. When done add salt and pepper to taste. Place in your favorite bowl and add some lemon juice and cilantro to garnish. 

This night I also made Raita, a cooling side dish that pairs nicely with dahl. To make this simply mix 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 cup chopped cucumber, 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, 1 stalk green onion, 1/4 tsp ground cumin and a littler bit of salt together.  

Last but far from least, an evening shower. Taking 10 minutes at the end of the day to bask in hot water. I love to light a candle nearby and put on Norah Jones or the romantic jazz station on Spotify. It feels wonderful to wash clean at the end of the day, relax into the night and dance around a little. Enjoying the low ambient light, feeling where the water touches your skin, letting your body go and relaxing your belly completely. Being with your nakedness, feeling your sensuous being, your wildness and softness. Connecting back into you. 

It’s all these little moments in our days that we can so easily make more special. By lighting a candle, putting some flowers in a vase, putting on a song that fills you with joy.  Romancing ourselves in the ways we desire. I hope this has sparked a seed for you to create moments of pleasure and sweetness, ones that fill you up and feel like you are living a life of art. 

Thank you so much Ysabel for your heartfelt post on how we can find beauty in the little moments.

If you have any questions please feel free to leave them below or reach out to Ysabel through instagram at @ysabelfree

How Meditation Heals the Heart by Hanakekua Joao Farquhar

It is with great joy that I bring to you this weeks guest blog post. I met Hana while going to Humboldt State University. She lived on the same street as me, and one day I saw her walking by with an epic bear hood on and hula hoop spinnin’, it was love at first sight!

Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy…

Hanakekua has been an active and serious meditator for 5 years, beginning on her home island of Molokai, Hawaii.  She lived and served for a year at Dhamma Dhara, a mothership center of Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka.  She has sat many short and long retreats in complete silence, her last course being self-led with nearly two months in solitude.  Her current daily practice consists of 1-2 hours of meditation dedicated to the Brahma Viharas to generate Love, Compassion, Joy and Unconditional Acceptance for all beings.  She has learned from the text and audio recordings of S.N. Goenka, Ayya Khema, Dipa Ma, Upasika Kee Nanayon, Ajahn Sumedho, Bhante Vimalaramsi and Sharon Salzberg, in addition to recent online tutorship with Cedric Reeves.  If anyone has any questions regarding a meditation practice or how to begin, feel free to contact her directly at hanakekua@gmail.com or @wegiveyouourlife via Instagram or Wordpress.  As an experienced meditator, she feels as if the following information is foundational in committing to take the first or millionth step on the path of heart.  

The nature of any Buddha was spoken eloquently by Siddhārtha Gautama - “With goodwill for the entire cosmos, cultivate a limitless heart: Above, below, & all around, unobstructed without enmity or hate” (Sutta Nipāta).  With that, each creature in all of existence has a pearl of this Buddha nature within, the limitless heart, that becomes covered by the grime of accumulation in the mind.  The path is one of heart, therefore one must heal what has been willingly or unwillingly acquired.  I have learned in a half decade of serious meditative practice that by cleansing what arises in the mind with awareness, we can purify the heart with wisdom.  Essentially, there is no separation from the heart and mind – only conditioning has severed their appearance, and courage brings the heart home.  

Our conditioning has led us to a house of mirrors that reflect our beliefs built by experiences in the body.  When our body comes home it has kitchen to feed itself, a bathroom to clean itself and a bed to rest upon.  Where and when does the mind find respite?  The mind is constantly reaching out of its fragile sense doors, hording sights, sounds, feelings, interactions, tastes and thoughts in one’s waking and dreaming states.  This accumulated junk takes up residency in our mind and heart, becoming the garbage that is never disposed of and is projected onto others.  

Mediation is a tool to observe things as they are, where the mind can reflect, digest, rest and clean itself of doubts, yearning, aversion, laziness and restlessness.  These hurdles of hinderances turn our mind into a toxic factory generating byproducts like anger, greed, and ultimately hatred which poisons the heart.

Meditation frees the heart to heal by fully experiencing what the self-realized Siddhārtha Gautama called The Four Noble Truths.  These truths were the first teachings that were taught after he was liberated from all hinderances:

1. Stress is universal – What’s noble about this statement is we’re changing the attitude from “I suffer” and “I’m stressed” to “there is suffering” and “there is stress”.  I suffer because of external sources, which there is only conventional blame and no nobility.  I’m stressed because I’m clutching on to what changes, therefore I am able to generate compassion because stability is not promised to anyone.  By recognizing that there is suffering, one can then understand that…

2. The cause of suffering is clinging to a non-existent, ever-morphing self.  This self has sticky desires and beliefs that it has identified with, which make it seem stable, secure and impenetrable.  These beliefs are bequeathed to us by this conditioned sense of self, which has no substance because it is in constant flux.  The desire of sense pleasures creates craving in self, the desire to become creates clinging to self and the desire to be rid of the unpleasant creates grasping to self, therefore the epitome of delusion and stress is attachment.  

3. 3.There’s a means to an end of all stress and suffering.  When one observes all objects that arise to pass away as, simply put, stressful, one will not crave for what has no substance.  One will be free of craving, clinging, grasping and attachment.  Therefore, that in which fluctuates from painful or pleasant will be seen in regards to these characteristics of impermanent, unsatisfactory, and non-self. 

4. Upon the cessation of suffering one has courageously walked, in perfection, the entire path of the heart.  

The Buddha categorized the path into eight facets that must be practiced to heal the heart of grime, and restore the pearl of the Buddha Nature within.  It is known as The Eightfold Noble Path:

1. Righteous view detects delusion and navigates with the understanding of cause and effect.  Our compass on the path is the law of karma or kamma, which reveals that our intentions seed thoughts, which blossoms into actions, which roots down, following us like a shadow throughout existence.  By orienting choices and actions in the correct direction, one is bound to be led successfully.  

2. Righteous thought expresses that all action is first derived from a volitional thought.  The Buddha expresses that “whatever [one] frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of the mind” (The Middle Length Discourses).

3. Righteous speech begins with a wholesome cause, which leads to wholesome effects.  These words are true, compassionate, encouraging and timely, give others confidence to take right action.  In the Dhammapada it states that, “Mind is the forerunner in all things.  Speak or act with a peaceful mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never leaves”.

4. Righteous action discerns commitments to not kill, steal, lie, engage in sexual injustice, or indulge in intoxicants that cloud the heart.  By doing so, clarity leads to compassionate and charitable actions.  

5. Righteous livelihood leads to an occupation that generates morality.  If one’s actions encourage others to generate more hurdles of hinderances, one will stray away from the commitment to heal the heart.  Morality purifies the mind by lessening our intake of doubts, yearning, aversion, laziness and restlessness, and allows stale, toxic hinderances to bubble to the surface to evaporate.  My late teacher, S.N. Goenka expressed, “If the intention is to play a useful role in society in order to support oneself and to help others, then the work one does is Right Livelihood”.

6. Righteous effort means moving with continuous diligence and discernment in the direction of mindfulness, whilst skillfully negating pitfalls along the path.  This involves preventing the accumulation of unwholesome states through practice so wholesome states arise effortlessly.  Like a marathon runner in training, continuous effort has righteous rewards.  

7. Righteous mindfulness is the pure and simple attentiveness of what is present.  It is a gift to be a guardian of awareness; to notice the body, the changing sensations, the opening sense doors, and the ebb and flow of the emotions.  Mental proliferation is prominent because this is the preference of the mind’s behavior.  However, when mindfulness endures recall this peace when mental proliferation reigns.  Mindfulness is a reminder that peace is always possible.

8. Righteous concentration settles the distractions of the body and mind through the momentum of mindfulness.  In training, the mind is taught to lessen in reaction by sustaining the aim with a balanced heart.  With concentration the mind has endured, and finally surrenders to serenity so the heart can accept all as it is, not all that we want it to be.  The Buddha said, “One who is developed in the power of concentration sees things in their true perspective” (Dialogues of the Buddha).

By traversing the intricate landscapes within, I’ve discovered that wisdom means insight into what is true of nature, and is directly experienced when one has walked the noble path and enjoyed the fruits of one’s endeavors.  Without strong morals, there cannot be courageous meditation.  Without meditation, the mind and heart cannot be fully healed by wisdom.  Integration of these insights is a continuous journey, with constant practice to cultivate a limitless heart.  

In conclusion, how does meditation heal the heart?  A renown meditation teacher, Ajahn Chah, once said that “mediation is a holiday for the heart”.  When the mind has a place to digest and rest, the heart has space to heal. 

Love,

Hanakekua Joao Farquhar

Thank you Hana for your in beautifully articulated post on how we can better care for ourselves and our hearts. If you want to connect with her find her on instagram @wegiveyouourlife

If you’re looking to begin or deepen your meditation practice I would like to share that “Insight Timer” is an amazing app that I use and love. It’s free, and has thousands of guided meditations on specific things, or just timers you can use to sit and meditate. If you have any questions leave them below or reach out to Hana.

Thanks for being here, Happy Saturday!

Warm Oil Massage by Sarah Martin

It is with great pleasure that I am bringing back the guest blog series that I started last year!

Every other Saturday I will be releasing a beautifully written post by someone in my life who has a ritual, experience, gift to share with us. My aim is to open my space to include others’ insights and inspiration. A reminder that we all have something to share.

This week we have the lovely Sarah Martin, one of my dearest girlfriends who brings joy, support, and nourishment to my life. I thank the stars for her each and everyday.

She’ll be touching on Ayurvedic practices and talking about the importance of warm oil massages and how she uses Earthbody to create this ritual. This post is for all humans looking to create loving rituals in their lives.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy,

MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE self-care practice for the dry and brittle seasons of Fall and Winter is giving myself a luxurious Abhyanga warm oil massage with the Earthbody oil by Root Rise Farm Apothecary. In India and in Ayurvedic tradition, the word for oil, sneha, translates into love. Isn't that just divine! Oil is infused in every daily practice in Ayurvedic traditions, as it is how love is carried into our bodies and nourishes our spirit. Ayurveda also explains that Fall and early Winter are vata inducing seasons of the year, which means we are more susceptible to experiencing vata-like conditions in the body. When vata is dominant, we experience joint tension, digestive stress, dry skin, coldness, headaches, lymph stagnation, flighty attitudes, shortness of breath, and and an overall un-grounded feeling. I commonly lean towards a vata dominance in my dosha, especially in the Fall, so it is crucial for my entire well-being to keep up with my vata pacifying self-care practices, and all of these practices involve as much beneficial warm oils as possible.

Other than adding extra olive oil on top of all my foods and dosing up on fatty bone broth, an Abhyanga massage deeply pacifies vata and induces a feeling of being beautifully connected to the heat of the earth once again. After my self-massage, I feel incredibly warm, lubricated and grounded to my core. Using Root Rise's Earthbody oil is PERFECT for this practice because it is the most amazing combination of herbs to bring my energy back into my truest essence and remind me where I came from. Not only are all of these herbs so beneficial for repairing our skin surface, these herbs work synergistically to align my energy centers into harmony: Yarrow closes my aura to all but my higher self, Queen Anne's Lace reminds me that I am a true Queen of light, and Tulsi sweetly carries me back into the soils of my truth. It is the perfect combination of herbs for anyone experiencing vata dominance, and really for anyone who wants to lather Earth love into their being. 

How To:

To begin my Abhyanga self-massage, I start by boiling water and pouring it into a short and wide mug/bowl. I then create a simplified double-broiler by placing a smaller cup/jar into the cup of boiling water, and pour my Earth Body oil into that jar. This ensures that the oil warms but does not boil. Before beginning my massage, I allow myself to be naked in a warm room and place a towel underneath me so I do not stain oil on my belongings. I would also recommend beginning by dry brushing your skin to exfoliate and open up the lymphatic system. I will also add that setting the mood is half the magic! I love to massage myself in candle light listening to sweet hymns to accompany my journey. Then begins the massage.

I begin at my ever-so-important feet, as my feet keep me moving forward and grounded with each step. I make sure to get in between each toe, around my ankle bones, and dig into the bottoms of my feet. I hope to allow myself extra time here, as we all know the deliciousness of a good foot massage. I work up to my calves, which is where we experience balance and strength in our step. Then I give a lot of attention to my knees, as this is a place that tends to feel the first signs of vata dominance. I thank spirit for my knees, as they keep us moving forward and flexible in our pursuits. I then work up my quadriceps and my pelvic region. As a woman, I focus on my womb space, clearing away any appearance of stagnation and tightness with downward strokes. I then massage my buttocks and lower back in upwards strokes, moving the lymph and easing any tension in my back that I commonly experience when in a vata-dominant state. Then I move to my belly, my favorite place to love up on! Vata dominance can really show its head in the way we digest the world. By creating clockwise circles on my stomach, I help ease any digestive stress and infuse my belly with so much love. I then move to my breasts. This is where so much of our lymph lives and wishes to be moved. I work from my underarms towards my heart, working through any tightness and pain. By massaging our breasts we open the portals of our hearts to the warmth of love once again. I then move to my hands and wrists, working between each of the fingers. Each of our fingers can relate to all functions of the body, and by loving our fingers we synchronistically love all parts of us. I work up my arms, loving my forearms, loving my elbows, and loving my beautiful biceps. Once I am at my shoulders, I make sure to focus on the tops of the shoulder ridge. This is where we carry the weight of the world, and by loving this area I slowly release my tensions of the day. Once I have worked my way up my neck, I put oil in and around my ears. I am reminded of the many different traditions in the world that show us of the harmonic power that lie in the pressure points of our ears. Some would say that it is also important to massage oil into your scalp as well. I tend to partake in this only when I know I will have a home day, or when I am menstruating, as oil on the top of your head deeply energizes your spleen meridian, providing us warm nourishment in times of releasing. I lastly nourish the cells of my beautiful face. This is a place, for me personally because of past injuries, where I am triggered most potently in tension and holding. My jaw is my friend in that when it is in pain, it is always there to guide me into divine right action for the betterment of my ease and grace. I love to massage care-fully into the muscles in my jaw, and usually end up using my gua sha tool to really get into the flow of releasing. Mmmmhhhmm, this is the most glorious feeling, I urge you to really spend the time to love your jaw muscles on a day-to-basis. To top it off, I always make sure to oil the inside of my nose, where breath enters the body and carries the essence of each moment within. Then, I sit still. I go inwards. I thank the heavens for the life that lives me. This is a sacred sarahmony; a precious gift to myself that connects me to the God within me because the God within me wishes to feel nourished and held. This is one way I give back to myself, always receiving exactly the gift of balance and harmony I was deeply calling for. 

After about 15-30 minutes, I take a short warm shower, followed by a short burst of freezing cold water all over me. This hydrotherapy technique really allows the oil to fully penetrate the skin on a deeper level, and then lock it in with a closure of our pores with cold water. OoOoOo am I usually feeling so alive now! I slowly end my sensual session by patting my skin dry, spritzing with a hydrosol, slipping into something cozy and melt like honey into the rest of my evening. I wish I had an endless supply of this DIVINE Earthbody oil, because I would love to truly swim in it every day if I could. For now, enacting this practice 1-2 times a week is a blessed life. In times of illness, stagnation, or deep healing, I would recommend an Abhyanga warm oil massage every day, as it moves and nourishes so much of our lymphatic and nervous system. I most notably know about this massage as a cross-cultural practice for really accelerating all aspects of the healing process for postpartum mothers. 

I wish you well on your journey of healing and discovery, and I hope that I have inspired a deeper exploration within the care of the self. Lots of love <3. 

Thank you sweet Sarah for sharing your practice with us!

If you want to be in connection with this sweet gal, find her @sacred.sarahmony

She is a Jin Shin Practitioner, Post Partum Doula, among many many other gifts and practices!

Please leave any questions or comments below!

Relief Rituals for Endometriosis By Natalie

It’s been awhile since a guest blog has come out, but I am so happy to announce our next guest! Natalie is a kind, loving, wonderful friend whom I met through North Coast Growers Association Farmers Markets! We were both vending our veggies and totally hit it off. Recently, she has been finding new ways to care for herself and her body. This post is for anyone wanting to deepen their awareness around endometriosis. There are delicious recipes shared and information on nourishing herbs as well. I learned a lot, and am grateful for her vulnerability and openness.

Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy…

Relief Rituals for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition that affects 1 in 10 women, but often goes undiagnosed, with little and hard-to-find support from western healthcare that doesn’t involve birth control band-aids or recurring surgeries. For me personally, it was 11 years until I received a diagnosis – and only because the pain turned from terrible periods once a month to chronic, debilitating, daily pain. I was lucky. It’s a terrible realization that it takes chronic pain to be heard by a doctor, but I was lucky. 

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory, estrogen-dependent disease that involves the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. The bleeding of lesions during the menstrual cycle causes pain all month long, and healing and relief is multi-faceted and complex. To keep it simple, I focus on this: symptomatic pain relief, and long-term healing of the root cause - detoxification and inhibition of estrogen dominance. 

Proper diagnosis requires laparoscopic surgery, and as there is no “cure” it can feel like a powerless path to finding relief. But I’m here to share what has worked for me. It might not cure you, it might not stop a flare up from ever happening again – heck, I got a flare up from sitting for too long last week – but I truly believe there’s a place for self healing and deep relief on the endo path. 

I’d like to share some simple & nourishing practices that have eased me along my own healing path. If you suffer from bad cramps on your moon cycle, think you might have hormone imbalance, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, adenomyosis, pelvic congestion, or want to maintain a healthy, nourished reproductive system – these are for you! 

*Disclaimer: I will be sharing about herbal support and integrative self-healing practices, but by no means do I disregard the effectiveness and relief that the health care system can provide. These daily practices are foundational healing, but benefit greatly as a supplement to some important care from skilled doctors as well. Do what you need to do – no judgment here! 

Food Is Medicine 

Food can be the most foundational medicine there is. This topic could be it’s own blog post, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. I’ve come to discover what food deeply nourishes and heals me, and which foods immediately cause inflammation and flare-ups.  For me, dairy, red meat, caffeine (coffee in particular), and sugar have been major sources of inflammation. If you’re having break-outs, flare ups, or pain throughout your cycle, I highly recommend figuring out how your food might be playing a role. 

As women, our bodies have different needs for nourishment at different times of the month. Check out the work of Alisa Vitti and Aviva Romm to read more about nutrition and your cycle and find inspiration to support your body in all of its seasons. The simplest meals can be vessels for power-packed nutrition. Here are a few of my favorite creations:

Black and Blue-Green Oatmeal

This oatmeal is a great morning meal during your luteal phase, after ovulation and before menstruation. It’s blood building, and packed with iron, vitamins, and minerals to deeply fortify your body.  

Featuring:

Spirulina – extremely nutritive, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, rich in iron, protein, and micronutrients

Blackstrap molasses – rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and selenium

Maca – restores hormonal balance and suppresses estrogen dominance

• ½ cup organic oats (rolled or steel-cut, whichever you prefer)

• 1 cup water

• 2 tbsp sunflower butter

• 1 tbsp spirulina

• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses

• 1 tbsp maca powder

• splash of non-dairy milk of choice

• maple syrup or honey, to taste

• blueberries (optional)

Cook oats with water as you would normally make your oatmeal and stir in the rest of the ingredients when finished cooking. Garnish with fresh blueberries, and enjoy!

Another variation that’s great for summer is a black and blue-green smoothie:

Sub oats for 1 frozen banana, frozen blueberries, and nix the syrup or honey. Blend and enjoy as is, or my favorite way – in a bowl topped with granola.

Mushy Massaged Kale Salad

This kale salad literally gives me life. It is SO DELICIOUS, and I feel lifted, nourished, and refreshed whenever I make it. It’s safe to say this recipe is my favorite food on earth. Original recipe courtesy of my friend, Jonathan Brody. I like to add some additions for extra bitter liver-cleansing goodness, but make however you wish. The mushier the better, I promise!

Featuring:

Dandelion leaf – Rich in Vitamins K, A, B, and C, calcium, iron, manganese. It is a potent liver cleanser, anti-inflammatory, and aids in detoxification and digestion

Plantain leaf – Rich in Vitamins A, C, calcium, and iron. Astringent, anti-spasmotic, and demulcent, it helps to soothe irritation, inflammation, and spasms

Cilantro – Cleanses the body of toxic metals, and rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It has anti-histamine, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmotic properties as well as stimulating proper secretions from the endocrine glands - properties that assist in reducing menstrual pain and endo flare ups

Recipe:

• 1 bunch lacinato (dino) kale; it’s the juiciest, but use whatever you have on hand

• handful of dandelion greens

• handful of Italian parsley, chopped

• handful of cilantro, chopped

• 3-5 plantain leaves, chopped

• 2-inch piece of ginger, chopped

• 2 sticks celery, diced

• 1 avocado, diced

• 2-3 tbsp spirulina

• sea salt

Dressing

• 1-2 lemons, juiced

• 3 tbsp tahini

• 2 tbsp honey

Strip kale leaves from stem and tear into a large bowl. Sprinkle generously with sea salt and massage until kale is juicy and tender. Add the rest of the ingredients, dressing, and spirulina and mix well. 

Turmeric Tahini Glow Smoothie

This smoothie is full of anti-inflammatory turmeric, warming spices, power-packed tahini, and balancing ashwagandha.

Turmeric- anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and reduces the production of hormone estradiol, therefore reducing and inhibiting endometrial cell growth outside of the uterus. 

Tahini – sesame seed butter: contain essential fatty acids, lignins (help to block excess estrogen), and selenium (helps detox excess hormones from the liver)

Ashwagandha- an adaptogen that helps our bodies cope with stress by bringing them back to homeostasis. It balances energy, regulates hormones, strengthens the adrenal glands, increases blood production, and so much more! 

Recipe:

2 frozen bananas

2 tbsp tahini

2 tsp turmeric

1/8 tsp cardamom

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ashwagandha powder

pinch of black pepper

nut milk of choice

Add ingredients to a blender and fill with nut milk until just covered. Blend, and add more milk if needed. Pour, share with a friend, and enjoy! 

Herbal Oils and Castor Packs

To prevent flare ups and for the week or two leading up to my moon cycle, I apply herbal oil to my abdomen daily. My absolute favorite and long-time plant ally is Yarrow. Yarrow is cooling and warming, astringent yet gentle, anti-inflammatory and helps sooth menstrual cramps, heavy bleeding, gastrointestinal discomfort, and congestion of all sorts. For these reasons and more, it makes an amazing oil to help reduce pelvic congestion and pain associated with endometriosis. 

The benefits of herbal body oiling are deeply healing and endless. It’s a wonderful way to attune to what’s happening in your body, slow down, and take time for your daily ritual of self care. Listen to the Mythic Medicine podcast’s episode about body oiling, find online workshops and videos by Kami McBride, and support your local herbalists or enjoy the process of gathering and making your own. 

Castor Oil Packs

Castor oil packs are another powerful tool to enhance lymphatic circulation, reduce inflammation, and promote healing of tissue beneath the skin. They can be applied wherever you most need the relief. If you’re suffering from an ovarian cyst, place it over the side that needs it. Place it on the right side of your abdomen for liver detoxification, or over your pelvis to tonify and support your uterus. 

To prepare a castor oil pack you will need:

• High quality Castor oil

• Dye-free wool flannel cloth (I’ve used HomeHealth and Heritage Store brands)

• Plastic bag – castor oil stains! Cut a plastic bag to cover your abdomen over the oil-soaked cloth

• Hot water bottle or heating pad

Apply a generous amount of castor oil onto flannel cloth, saturate but not to the point of dripping. Place on abdomen, cover with plastic, and apply heating pad. 

Castor oil packs take time – at least 30 minutes to an hour to be exact. Set up a comfy place to post up for a while, and lay a towel down to prevent any oil stains. This time can be a great opportunity to light some candles, meditate, read a book, take a nap, or watch some Netflix.

Herbs for Endo

Herbal medicine offers multidimensional healing and relief for the full scope of endo root causes and symptoms. I try to incorporate herbs into my daily routine that are:

• deeply nourishing and blood building

• liver cleansing (to help move excess estrogen out of the body)

• tonifying for the reproductive system

Daria beautifully and thoroughly covered nourishing herbal infusions in the last blog post, so refer to her recipes that are safe for pregnancy and great for supporting the reproductive system through all of its stages. 

Root & Reishi decoction for liver support:

Bitter roots support the detoxification process in the body by supporting the liver, enhancing lymphatic circulation, and ensuring healthy kidney and bowel function. This decoction (a tea that is simmered on the stove top rather than just steeping) pairs bitter roots, demulcent marshmallow root, anti-inflammatory ginger, and adaptogenic reishi for whole body wellness. 

• 1 part burdock root

• 1 part dandelion root

• 1 part yellow dock root

• 1 part marshmallow root, or powder

• 1 part fresh ginger root, chopped

• reishi mushroom, whole piece or powdered

Add 1 tbsp herb for each cup of water. I usually wing it and add a heaping handful of roots to about ½ gallon of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let simmer until the liquid reduces by half – 30 mins to an hour. Strain and enjoy! 

Tonifying Tinctures:

-Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry): balances estrogen dominance by supporting the production of progesterone and lutenizing hormone, regulating the menstrual cycle and ovulation

-Angelica (Dong Quai): anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmotic, balances hormones, regulates the menstrual cycle, and nourishes the blood. *don’t use while on period or if you get very heavy periods

-Wild Yam: aids in estrogen balance, tonifies the ovaries, soothes cramping, and reduces nerve pain

These relief rituals can be deeply effective if practiced consistently, long-term. However, they are not a cure. Follow your intuition and listen deeply to your body. Don’t hesitate to supplement your self care with a lot of care from others as well. Go to reiki, receive abdominal massage and acupuncture, practice restorative yoga. Give western medicine a chance to help you, but ask questions, maintain boundaries, and stand up for yourself. 

I hope that these practices, potions, and recipes bring you accessible, simple, easy-to-implement relief. May you feel inspired and empowered to incorporate one or all of these into your own life. Happy healing!

Thank you so much Natalie, for this beautiful in depth post on women’s health.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to comment below

Self Care Ritual and the Childbearing Year By Daria

This week we have another amazing mama. Introducing my sweet friend Daria and her babe Isa! I have been blessed by Daria in so many ways during our friendship. She is a kind, giving, and nourishing human who is a joy to be around. I had her write a little something from her heart, and what came of it is truly beautiful and inspiring. I hope you enjoy her insight into becoming a mama, an explanation of the medicinal properties of some chosen herbs, and a couple amazing herbal tea recipes. This post is for any human interested in ways to nourish themselves.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy…!

There is joy to be found here: self care ritual and the childbearing year.

At the center of a family's wellness is the wellness of the mother. When the mother is nourished, the family is nourished. When the mother is aligned and present, so is the family.

This interconnected relationship between maternal wellness and family wellness is the reality of my life way. Beginning with the conception of our daughter and up until this present moment I have witnessed this truth come to light each morning and set with the sun each evening. What a beautiful blessing it is; to know my ability to nourish myself is inseparable from my ability to nourish my family. With this gift has come deep real responsibility. To myself, my family and to the world. To do the work and truly hold space for reflection, acknowledgment, accountability, unlearning, relearning, healing, ​listening​, ​trusting​, ​receiving​, giving and loving; all•ways loving.

Motherhood called me in to listen to my body and spirit, trust my intuition, receive what nourishment I need and give nourishment through my own. The past two moons with the blessing of our second child on the way, I've heard motherhood whispering to me again. In a partial state of déjà vu, I take time and enjoy the deliciousness of a familiar season - familiar sounds, fragrance, rooting, sprouting - but my intuition listens and hears the difference in this new season of motherhood calling to me. One of relearning pregnancy care as a mama of a one year old- with days full of divine fleeting moments - and remembering; that whatever emotions and physical manifestations are flowing through me in each moment of this pregnancy - and no matter if these moments are similar and different to my first journey impregnated - there is joy to be found here. Joy to be found in the ritual of nourishing myself. Joy to be found in the new delight of doing so side by side with my daughter. Joy to be found in witnessing nourishment multiply itself through my family as I keep giving my loving energy to it.

One sure way I hold onto this joy daily is my ritual of making pregnancy tea and infusions.

When I was pregnant with my daughter I held and nurtured myself each morning by making my half gallon tea for the day before going to work. Now my daughter and I have been making my tea and infusions together; what a joy it is that this is my truth to write. My blends are based on what I'm hearing from my body and spirit each week, but all consist of the below powerful and womb loving herbs:

Alfalfa (medicago sativa): nutrient dense with maximum storage and absorption. Alfalfa contains a wide variety of minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, potassium, silicon, and trace elements. It is also a good source of vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It contains essential amino acids that are not made by the body but must be obtained from food sources. Alfalfa contains the highest chlorophyll content of any plant.

Nettle (urtica dioica): Nettle’s purported anti-inflammatory effects have been repeatedly confirmed by modern research over the past ten years. Nettles boost our immune system function and is are an effective treatment for many skin conditions. Pregnancy is predictably unpredictable, nettle is the herb that can keep up with the waves.

Dandelion (taraxacum officinale): A backyard herb with many benefits in pregnancy. Dandelion is a source of a variety of nutrients and the leaves and root contain Vitamins (like A,C, K and B-vitamins) as well as minerals (including magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, calcium and choline). It offers gentle and powerful digestive and hormonal support to aid in the daily physical and spiritual labor of incubating!

Raspberry Leaf (rubus idaeus): When I think of raspberry leaf I think of my love for women and how lucky I feel to embody feminine becoming. Raspberry leaf is my good girlfriend that I go to for all my womanly needs: magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, and vitamins B, A, C, and E. The high level of B vitamins in particular makes it useful for relieving nausea, soothing leg cramps, and improving sleep. (Symptoms that definitely increase during pregnancy!) The high concentration of vitamin C in raspberry leaf makes it great during illness and I use it in a variety of my favorite herbal tea recipes for immune support during moments of vulnerability which can flare up in pregnancy. It strengthens the uterus and pelvic muscles which I believe offered me and my daughter a blissful labor as she came into this world.

Oat Straw (avena sativa): Oatstraw is my go to for when I am feeling prickly and nerved. During pregnancy the body may feel different sensations through the nervous system, oatstraw makes our perception of those sensations delightful. Oatstraw is particularly high in calcium and magnesium – minerals that are much needed during pregnancy. It is also considered a useful nervine, safe for pregnant women. Oatstraw tea can help promote calm and reduce tension.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): Lemon balm is a mental wellness ally in every season of life especially pregnancy. It has a calming effect and helps relieve irritability, insomnia, and anxiety. Pregnancy comes with varying levels of sleep disruption and lemon balm minimizes it in every way.

Chamomile (matricaria recutita): Chamomile will forever hold a special place in my heart. I use it daily on myself and my family. It's my daughter's favorite tea currently and our biggest support when she is teething.Chamomile has several health benefits like relieving muscular pain, curing insomnia, soothing cramps and remedying runny noses.

Rosehips (Rosa spp.): Loaded with vitamin C rosehips assist in toning the body to prevent arthritis, sciatica, muscle cramps etc. It allows our body to maintain needed iron levels, protects adrenal function and supports our connective tissues.

Burdock Root (arctium lappa): Burdock is known to strengthen both the liver and urinary tract which get overworked during the childbearing year. It has been used to balance blood sugar during pregnancy which is crucial to a healthy pregnancy and baby. Women who are prone to constipation can try burdock as a mild laxative that supports the body throughout the digestive process.

Lavender (lavandula spp.): I especially enjoy lavender mixed with peppermint in pregnancy. Both offer a simultaneously relaxing and rejuvenating energy into my day. Lavender aids in digestion and has mild sedative properties.

Partridge Berry (mitchella repens): Partridge berry lovingly tones the uterus in preparation for birth. It even has the power to stop an impending miscarriage or early birth.

When you're vomiting one minute, crying the next and laughing while crying, it's grounding and empowering to take the time to nourish in the process of making tea and infusions daily. The familiar fragrance that I bask in with my daily tea and infusions feels like a beautiful dance of coming home to myself. There is joy to be found in the ritual all•ways. I look forward to what joy will be discovered through ritual in this new pregnancy. With my daughter and husband with me for each season. Including writing this post together! We had a blast! My husband was our photographer and my daughter and I created a sweet moment for the two of us to hold in our hearts forever. What joy was found here!

Below please indulge in a couple helpful handy midwife created recipes and remember to find joy in the ritual all•ways:

Nourishing Pregnancy Infusion:

2 parts nettle

1 part red raspberry leaf

1 part oat straw

1 part alfalfa 

1/2 part rosehips

1. place dried herbs in a jar

2.  Fill the jar with hot water

3.  Breathe into the steam from the water, set an intention, say a prayer

4. Cover and let sit 4-24 hours

5.  Strain into a new jar or beloved vessel

6.  Enjoy and nourish

Herbal Infusion for Anemia Prevention:

1/2 ounce nettles

1/2 ounce dried parsley leaf

1/2 ounce dried yellow dock

1/4 ounce peppermint leaf

Heart Burn Relief Tea:

2 parts anise

2 parts fennel

3 parts peppermint

1 part cinnamon

Recipe source: moonstone midwives pregnancy care handout

Thank you for taking the time to write this, Daria. And thank you reader for embarking on this journey with us! Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please feel free to ask any questions!

Joy through Movement by Krystal Young

Hi lovelies,

This week we are so lucky to have the wonderful Krystal Young. I met Krystal years ago living in Arcata, and even had the pleasure of attending her super fun wedding in the redwoods and on the beach to her beloved, Alex! It has been a pleasure to know her and watch her grow into partnership, into motherhood, into herself. I feel lucky to have her as a friend, and blessed that she wanted to write a post for me/you on how movement has changed and continues to shape her life. She shares so openly about her experience and how it lead to where she is. I’m grateful for her vulnerability and choice to share these things with us. She’s an inspiration to me, as I’m sure she will be to you as well!

At the end of the post is an amazing video to gently get your energy flowing! It’s totally accessible for all folks, and you need nothing more than a device to watch it on and some sitting space.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy…

Here is a bit about my experience and then on to the juice inside Yoga and Dance.

HI! I’m Krystal ,

I live yoga and dance. Or yoga and dance lives through me. What I mean to say is, when I’m not spending time with my sweet toddler, cleaning, or resting, I’m moving psychically or contemplating the movement inside of me. Hear me again, I REST. Oh, Goddess, I’m like reeeeally good at resting. But I’m also good at being consumed by movement, and the moments are really bright when I’m playing Dancer and Mother in unison. My life is dedicated to this passion. It’s an obsession. Fortunately, and contrary to the opinion of some (including my inner critic), it’s more than a compulsion for being the best, and it’s is not actually an attempt to leave the “real” world. On the contrary, movement has given my life attention-demanding flavor. Truly, at its root, my fixation on movement is an ever expanding love-affair with ecstatic joy.

I wanted to tell you a little about my experience because I think it can help you see something remarkable. Push through, the sad part is temporary. I grew up quickly through abuse, and I lived aggressively my entire adolescence. I attached my anger to my identity, and I fought through both separation and love. I was abusive both physically and emotionally to myself and to those that I truly cared about. I was institutionalized and drugged. I blamed myself, I believed I was a monster. I identified with my depression and victimization, I was addicted to misery. I did not know how to evoke joy.

And it was no different after I gave birth to my daughter. I was overweight (“as usual” said my defeated brain), depressed, angry, scared, regretful. I felt moments of magic, of course, but I could not easily touch joy. I was much more well-rehearsed in negativity and suffering. I mean, I had been unhappy for most of my life mostly due to circumstances completely out of my control. But I now had serious responsibilities as a Mother. I began to really struggle to regain some sense of control for my daughter’s sake; I was kind of a mess. Fortunately one of the tactics I used to catch my breath was putting her in child care for an hour at a time at the local gym. I really just wanted some space to think. I did not recognize myself in the mirror. I really didn’t know who I was anymore. I let my daughter find her courage in the gym’s childcare while I began attending dance and stretching-based group classes. This is where I eventually found a way to consistently contact my joy. I dropped my daughter off and went to the same class, same room, same spot, same days of the week. I couldn’t dwell on my regrets, I was too busy focusing on demanding poses, often questioning the teacher and my survival. Eventually, once I acclimated, I began focusing less on the difficulty of the exercise, and, with closed eyes, I instead began to bathe in the joyful energy pulsing inside of me. I realized that I had never spent time with myself in this way, and all of the free time I had before having my daughter (so much) was spent trying to be with and impress other people. I was living mainly externally. Suddenly my mind was blissfully unaware of anything other than the life inside of me. Let me be clear, I really valued that free time as a new mother, so I showed up to the gym because it meant more me time. The more I showed up, the more I wanted to take it further. And when I decided to push myself into a more difficult class, my muscles would hurt and I would get pissed and curse the teacher under my breath, and I thought about walking out in spite of her, but never once did I regret her challenge by the end of class. I just showed up to practice, and through practice it became easy. Eventually, it became difficult to stop. And the joy that keeps coming up randomly throughout my movement, the kind of joy that brings a lightness and a swelling of something inside so sparkly and full... that joy, like anything could, became a habit. And the habit of joy is not limited to my mat, it permeates my entire being wherever I go.

This joy that comes from my heart space has become my life’s dedication, and so within that same year I took a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training, changed my college major to Dance (no background in this field whatsoever), and as soon as I completed my 200 hours I began teaching the medicine that is movement. I no longer identify with my anger, depression, or unskillful coping mechanisms. I choose to be better. And my relationship with joy is ever reaching new peaks and depths into which I passionately project myself.

- YOGA -

Because I started from a place of disadvantage (not an athletic kid, you guys), I’m a huge advocate for “practice,” which can look an infinite number of ways. We practice every single moment of every single day, just the focus of our practice changes, and maybe the intention varies. Maybe you’ve also heard that realistically skills are well-rehearsed through a long road of failures, and not innate. Life skills are no different. Right now, in this moment, you are practicing being human (hopefully we get better at this with age, but not always). Yoga is where we practice handling the challenges that come with being human. Yoga is where we get real specific and practice living life with intention.

Yoga is a practice of disciplining the body, but not just your physical body, additionally your mental, emotional, and spiritual body. Hello, self love! Our bodies need and crave stability! We practice this discipline with intense focus for a short time so that we grow the habit and carry our virtues around the clock. It looks like this: in a typical Yoga session, whether that’s twenty minutes or two hours, we bring our awareness to the inner workings of the body. We “simply” try to take a breath with each movement, usually a stretch, while focusing the subtleties of the body, as opposed to random musings of the mind. Inhaling on the expansion, exhaling on the contraction. This can be like going on a trip, because our inner body is a vast and expansive world full of life and essence. A place so many of us ignore, including myself. And on each trip one can discover new sights, sounds, feelings, emotions (including joy!).

Movement is a part of the practice of yoga for good reason, as movement stirs prana, or your life force. This prana is the essence of joy! By moving the body, you are moving the prana, chi or energy around inside of yourself, creating a sensation that demands your focus! This prana naturally moves to your own personal rhythm, but it also syncs up with the energy around you, connecting you to the great oneness, or universal heartbeat, that we all share. The feeling of this universal rhythm is pure, consequence-free bliss! The joy and lightness you seek, that we all share but easily forget or grow stranger to, is always present, and can be found my moving into the body. What lives inside of me, and each of us, is infinite joy and boundless compassion. It is said that our suffering arises out of the illusion of separation. If Yoga promises the remembrance of oneness, you can see how suffering is diminished and joy is enhanced. Connecting breath to movement allows the yogi to connect to the universal life force that is ecstatic joy!

Your Yoga practice need not be hot and rigorous to be effective. Truly you will receive many of the same benefits for the subtle bodies if you just stretch with breath. I have included a video below as an example of  twenty minute morning practice for beginners. If you are new to movement, and feel ready for more than light stretching, though I think stretching is a morning ritual that should last a lifetime, I highly recommend dance!

- DANCE -

Quick, what comes to mind when you think of “dancing?” It’s likely to be something completely different than what comes to my mind, which is typically myself alone, half-naked, dimmed lights, weird music, crawling around on the floor. And this is completely different from the communal celebration many indigenous cultures would imagine. Western world has such an interesting take on Dance, from ballet to jazz to breakdancing to mosh pits or stripping! And while it is a damn beautiful thing that we are able to freely express our bodies through this artform without legal repercussions. I believe that Western culture has taken more subtle approaches to limiting expression of the body, of limiting joy. In America, we see the aggressively rigid dance instructor trope teaching painful choreography around the clock to exhausted dancers. The dance is formulated and controlled. As a 10 year old I was told by one that I was “too old” to dance. The narrative is that the title “dancer” is only given to those that have trained competitively their entire lives (and their bodies are clearly paying the price for such rigorous discipline). This is a fallacy. Anyone can evoke the dancer inside, and he or she need not be controlled by external forces. In other words, you need not be trained in dance from birth in order to be a Dancer. In fact, you need not be trained at ALL to be a dancer. Additionally, your body need not be punished by dance, because when used properly, dance is medicine!

I believe, within each of our hearts, lives a dancer. Do you not feel emotions? Do you not have a body? Can you move the energy in your body? You have it all, you may have simply forgotten the connection. Start with a finger, maybe a wiggle. Move up the arm and add the body! Limited mobility? If you can move a single limb (even a finger), you can move into your own modified dance! Moving with your own heart, I advocate improvised ecstatic or creative dance, which looks like turning on some music and letting your body move in whatever form comes to the surface. If you are completely in the dark when it comes to actual dance moves, all the better! You will find the sillies a lot faster that someone who takes themselves very seriously, and the sillies are the road to joy. Can’t afford community classes for motivation? Dim the lights and play whatever moves your spirit. Close your eyes, feel, and move towards those feelings. It can take just the tiniest amount of courage to begin. Dance is such an effective physical exercise because it does not always feel like exercise. You enjoy the music, the body responds, the mind discovers the movement, maybe you have a laugh or maybe you are impressed. Either way, you’re having fun. You’re connecting to your joy.

If you do have the means and opportunity to take a class, and have no experience whatsoever with moving your body, I highly encourage you to join a creative, ecstatic, or improv dance class. These types of classes are very loose, totally non-judgemental, and all about free movement! Dance is often a practice that is best enjoyed in groups, and it’s a beautiful thing to be inspired by the energy of others. Solo practice is incredibly important, but I believe social practice to be equally as valuable, it’s just different. Either way, I’m making my bliss a habit. By practicing joy through dance and yoga, we establish a connection with joy. Joy then becomes oh so much easier to access any time of the day!

Having a hard time moving regularly?

The biggest issue when it comes to being an active person is getting over that initial hurdle. In other words, trying to MOVE from a place of stagnation or depression! I went from low-activity pre-pregnancy, to totally inactive and on bedrest by 9 months, to postpartum which was still totally inactive save my arms that were exhausted from holding that baby! Anyways, I went from all of that to an incredibly healthy and active-all-day with energy to spare type of person. How did I do it? One class at a time, and from a place of loving acceptance. Growth only happens in a safe space. If a body is constantly told that it is “ugly, fat, not enough, etc,” it will not open up to positive change. The body opens up to growth when it feels safe. Not to say that we should become complacent in our unhealthy state, but rather we just approach our bodies from a place of compassion. By sending signals like “you are safe, beautiful, worthy, not to blame, etc,” then the body responds by becoming comfortable and receptive. That last one is really important, you are not to blame. No one is. A series of events got you to where you are now, most of which were totally out of your control (the family you were born into, your childhood education, your learned behaviors). Placing blame is unproductive.

This is the part you can take control of: your attitude. So often we look externally for solutions (this can include blaming our bodies or the world,) but effective, long-lasting change always begins internally. By accepting and loving yourself as you are right now, a perfectly “flawed” human-being that makes mistakes and is learning as they go, you open yourself up not only to the joy of the universe, but the love of those around you. Open up the beauty of your own mistakes, accept yourself as you are walking in the door, and know that physical practice is an act of self-love, which is something you have always deserved. Remember this wisdom: by building compassion for yourself, you will instinctually begin to lovingly nurture your own being. This eventually includes habitually maintaining a routine of self-care that includes movement!

Joy often seems so distant, and yet is lives deeply within each of us and is accessible in all moments. An easy way to access this joy is through movement, and if you are new to movement and want to access this joy, then I highly recommend Yoga and Dance as activities to sprinkle into your week. These two practices have changed my life dramatically, and that joy will ripple on, through my daughter, possibly for generations to come.

Thank you Krystal for this AMAZING post and video!

& Thank Y O U for reading, we hope you enjoyed it! Please try the gentle yoga video above to awaken your joy and let us know how it goes in the comment section below!

With Spring Comes Nettles...by Saige Romero

This week have have the lovely Saige from @freestonehandmade .

I had the pleasure of vending next to her at an event in Arcata last year, and we totally hit it off! Since then, we’ve shared many moments helping each other through small business questions, trials, and successes. The more I grow closer to her, the more grateful I am to have her as a friend of mine. She makes amazing jewelry, that I wear pretty much daily. It’s soft, feminine, and elegant. This post she wrote inspires me to remember the magic of cooking, remember that it’s another beautiful ritual to enrich my life. I have to say, cooking is one of those things that is totally meditative and exciting for me. I zone out, trying to bring in all of the flavors together. I love how it can take me to a place of joy and contentment. It can help me ground down, and nourish myself in the ways that I need.

Image by Saige Romero

Now, A little bit about nettles…

If I was stranded on an island, I would hope there were nettles around.

They are so nutrient dense!!! One of the things I like to say to people who are new or overwhelmed with the herb world is start with nettles. Nettles can help, nettles are your friend. It’s been used to make fabric, food, tea, among many other things. “The ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated more acres of nettle than any other crop, and they used it extensively as food and medicine as well as in clothing.” Nettles are a nutrient dense powerhouse. Rich in many vitamins and minerals, especially iron and calcium. Full of chlorophyll and protein. Nettle is a tonic herb meaning when you take it on a daily basis, say every morning with breakfast, and it builds upon itself. It is able to nourish you more deeply, become more attuned to you and your body. Nettles have been used as a daily tonic herb for things such as growing pains, allergies (it has antihistamine properties), liver detox, PMS, prostate issues, and many more. If you’re feeling tired throughout your day, try to get nettles in your day at least once.

Nettles are magic and they may grow wild near you…

Since it’s Spring right now, it’s the perfect time to harvest the delicious fresh nettle tops if they grow in your region. I highly recommend filling a half gallon jar a little over halfway with fresh nettles, then adding hot water and letting it steep overnight. Strain in the morning, and drink all day long! This infusion is earthy, a little spicy, and extremely healthy. I like how easy it is to get such a potent dose of nettles with this infusion.

Now that you’ve read a little bit about the properties of nettles I’d like to share Saige’s article.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy…

My first introduction to Nettle was while I was cooking at a farm-to-table restaurant where the menu changed every two weeks. On the first day of the new menu it was always a total free-for-all, fend for yourself- stressed mess of line cooks. Imagine you’re learning a new menu, 4-5 of the dishes are your responsibility, each with 2 sides of their own and a sauce, you might k​now the recipe but if you don’t you’re relying on your trusty friend google, and you have approximately 2 hours to get er’ done and ready for service. C.h.a.o.s. During this new menu day mayhem, the owner brought in her usual crate of produce, I reached in without hesitation, full intention, both hands and grab the “mystery” greens... instant regret. What the hell is this!? Nettle.

I don’t cook professionally anymore, not because of the Nettle. Ha! For many other reasons, but when I decided to quit my job as a line cook I hadn’t expected my relationship with cooking and food to change as much as it did. For a long time the way I cooked at home was very similar to the way I cooked at work; rushed, competitive, and complex. It wasn’t until I started my first garden that I really felt a shift in the manner I cooked and the way food made its way to our table, It’s always been with passion, but it hasn’t always been slow and patient. Having a garden, which has been 100% trial and error, has really struck an interest in the plants that i can grow at our shady home, and an interest in the plants that are already there. Of course interest has formed into a relationship of sorts, and every spring I look forward to seeing those first signs of nettle so that I can patiently, meditatively and lovingly prepare this pesto as slowly as I want.

Image by Saige Romero

Image by Saige Romero

Nettle & Walnut Pesto

• 5 Cups of fresh Nettles

• 3⁄4 Cup Toasted Walnut halves

• 3⁄4 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano (Optional)

• 1⁄2 of a Lemon-Juice

• 1⁄4 -1⁄2 Cup Olive oil- Desired Consistency

•  1⁄4 Teaspoon Salt

• 1⁄4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

• 2 cloves of Garlic

Image by Saige Romero

1. Harvest the Nettle. ​With gloves on​, use garden shears to cut the top 6 inches (ca. 15 cm) of a 1-2 foot tall stem in Spring.

2. Cut the leaves off of the stem with the garden shears or kitchen scissors into a bowl or strainer. Rinse off the garden grime.

3. Toast walnuts in oven at 350 for 10 minutes, let cool.

4. Bring a quart of water to a boil and blanch the nettle leaves for one minute.

1. Strain and rinse with cool water to remove the heat from the leaves. At this point the nettle is cooked and you can now touch it with your bare hands. Put the leaves on a tea towel and blot them dry.

2. Add to food processor or blender with all the other ingredients.

3. Buzz until desired consistency.

Image by Saige Romero

I know I can’t wait to go harvest some nettles myself and make this divine creation. Thank you Saige for sharing your heart and this recipe.

& Thank you for reading, let us know what you think in the comments below and how the pesto tastes when you make it! :)

Image by Saige Romero

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Find Saige’s lovely creations here:

www.freestonehandmade.com & her instagram @freestonehandmade

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Writing Ritual by Julia Muse

Julia and I met during our days in the Art Department at Humboldt State University, we ended up hitting it off and at one point even lived together! We have been connected ever since and have shared creative, wild, and fun times. Lately, I have been so inspired by her writing and her daily writing practice. I asked her to share her inspiration and how she got to where she is today within her art forms. She is an amazing photographer, creatress, cook, dancer, poet, teacher, among many other things! I wanted to know how writing has shifted her life, how it plays into her many art forms! It is such a joy to read her daily musings through her instagram posts. I will link her instagram handle and website at the end of the article for you.

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy…

To live in a world that prioritizes progress & development, it takes our own doing to carve out space to indulge in our own essence. As well as an appropriate belief structure that supports our worthiness to simply be in a state of beingness . Most of us have been born into a culture that is designed to make us believe we have to get somewhere, to become & achieve something. There is an agenda in this engineering that distracts us from the essential purgative of all living things, that is to occupy one’s place in the web of life, the order of being. 

There are so many forms of temptation to lure us out of our connection to self. I have learned in my life, it takes a constant nurturing to stay presently connected with my experience. I have tended to yoga, as my oldest practice in staying connected, and it has been the backbone of my spiritual practice for the past 7 years. Yoga was a door that opened me up to a whole new way of being with myself, a path that continuously leads me out of anguish, trauma & judgment. It gave movement to the calcified pain bodies that I had accumulated along the journey to now.

Yoga guided me into dance as a form of spiritual & artistic practice, which is my most cherished way to commune with & explore the depths of my being. Art is both an expression of presence & an offering back to creation. Dance is my celebration of deep gratitude for this beloved body, in this precious life. The same inquisitive longing that has inspired my movement journeying has called me to the ritual of morning writing.

Each day is a new ceremony & when we treat it as such, by revealing to spirit our willingness to acknowledge our life as a scared gift. The mystery acknowledges us. 

I first came to my writing practice from the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, in The Artist Way. I attempted to do her work in entirety but “failed” after the second week. But I did adopt her morning pages exercise as a tool for anchoring & awakening daily creativity.

Creativity to me is so much more than the act of making art, it is the act of thinking, speaking, cooking, loving, forgiving, understanding & being artfully. 

To me great art is honest.

My writing practice shows me everyday where I am at.

I have come in & out of journaling over the course of my life, but over the past year I really chosen to devote myself each morning. 

If, for some reason, in the morning I don’t create a big enough window to sit down & write, I try to fit it in at a later point in my day. But the morning is the sweet spot. This practice has become both a way for me to take inventory & express my needs to spirit. 

My typical flow begins with describing personal history, I.E. “Yesterday I ran into so & so, it made me feel ______, I forgot to pay my insurance, I will do it first thing after breakfast…. Etc. Then somewhere after the first page or so I begin to uncover a deeper layer of happenings. Feelings of sadness, or excitement of a potential outcome that elude to a more soul oriented experience. 

I then use prayer to call upon support & clear my field in both a physical & psychological sense. 

“Higher Self, I ask for all the help I can get to stay on task & focused on completing ..____XYZ” 

“I break contact agreement or vow to host any belief that perpetuates self-criticism” 

“Higher Self, please help me to get out of my own way & devote all of my energy on being of the highest & clearest, through the expression of my gifts & abilities, please help me to be compensated generously for that expression”

After doing the prayer work I feel an immediate expansion in both my perception, energy & the remainder of my journaling feels more like transmission from source. I can feel into the most appropriate language by feeling into the words as a poetic embodiment, but each day is different, & that’s the beauty of it. 

I feel, any daily practice is a ritual. It’s a platform that we come to & allow our own wisdom to reach us. By creating a habit of respectfully showing up for ourselves, more of our power comes to coalesce. Paying reverence through a practice is indication of our spiritual maturity, not in achievement but in our level of honoring. To gain greater traction on our path of interconnection with life, we start by respecting our resource of time. Giving structure to our faith & waiting without demand for spirit to reach us there. 

Sitting down with a cup of bulletproof coffee, & journaling has become my favorite part of my day. This wasn’t always the case, it took patience & diligence to sit down and make it to that 3rd page. But like all things we tend to, it gets easier & more fruitful with time. What I love about having a “practice” is that there is no end point, & how we come to and away from it is just as important & informative as doing it. 

There is a deeper layer of subtle energy we learn to feel when we spend time with a practice, greater pixels of our experience are made visible. Writing for me allows for a development of sensitivity as well as an anchor to hold down, & create structure for my wild non-linear mystical feminine nature. I also practice yoga everyday to further support a more effective use of direction in my creative flow. The older I get & the more time I devote to my practices the more I see where I can surrender. To get out of the ideas I have for myself, my life & how I think things ought to look & simply allow myself to embody & express the truth of what is.

I am wild about writing! & it only continues to open me up more deeply to myself as well as to opportunities & ways of connecting & collaborating with others. I wake each day and can know one thing that is for certain,

I MUST WRITE!

If I were to impart any piece of truth I have discovered for myself it is this, follow your curiosity. Show up for what excites you, consistently. For we are attracted to certain practices for a reason, methods of uncovering & retrieving our personal magic ☺ 

XOXOX,

J U L I A M U S E 

You can find Julia and her art practices at…

www.ascendedresonance.com

@innermuse

Leave a comment below to let us know what you think!

Luteal Love by Sarah Martin

Luteal Love

By Sarah Martin @sarahs.healing.house @spindrift_tinyhomes

This is the second post in my series highlighting another magic maker in my community! Sarah and I met in the kitchen of the ever so lovely Beachcomber Cafe, and we’ve been connected by a nourishing sisterhood ever since. She has taught me so much about delicious and nutritious ways to take care of myself. We fantasize of a day when we share land and homestead together making all of our similar dreams come true. Currently, Sarah and her amazing partner Bijan are living in an epic and gorgeous off-grid tiny home they built just last year. They are in the exciting phase of starting their own tiny home company where they build you your ultimate dream home, that you can take anywhere you please! I will link their information below at the end of the recipe.

We are living in a decadently rich time right now where so much information around health is making its way to our doorsteps. This post, and the book recommendation at the end of this post are a great place to get started in the hormonal health world. I am so honored to walk this path alongside Sarah and happy to share this amazing information and recipe below, about how to support yourself during your moon cycle. That being said, this recipe really does apply to any humans looking for a deeply restorative and nutrient/vitamin dense snack!

Grab a cup of tea and enjoy this amazing creation by the lovely Sarah…

This post is going to be all about balls and menstruation.

What a great intro right?!
But seriously, these two topics have woven together so inspirationally in my repertoire of self care recently that it is kind of becoming my trademark. So here we go, lets talk about balls and menstruation.

Let's first discuss what I mean by balls... I love making sweet treats, especially raw vegan ones, and I have found that making little energy balls are the easiest and most delicious way to take your medicine!

Energy balls consist of a binder (usually dates or some kind of dried fruit) a nut, coconut flakes, and any other kind of herb, seed, powder or flavor your heart desires. It is so simple and so empowering to whip up something special for yourself that is exactly aligned with what your heart, mind and spirit are needing to get you through the day. And these needs are changing all the time, especially as a person who identifies as a bleeding woman, am I right?!

Now let's get to the menstruation part... The past few years have been all about aligning my lifestyle with the cyclical nature of my body, and a huge part of that for me has been aligning my diet with my cycle. I am a big time foodie, and so tirelessly researching and understanding the different nutrients and ingredients that accentuate the changing tides of my cycle has been LIFE CHANGING (emphasis on the LIFE CHANGING part). In the past, I have experienced horrible PMS symptoms. I thought it was just normal and this is the way it will always be for me, even though I saw a lot of women around me not having this experience. Every month, the two weeks leading up to my period I prepared myself and the people around me for all ranges of meltdown attacks to happen at any minute. I also prepared for my breasts to swell two sizes bigger and become so painful to touch, to be in a constant state of constipation, to be depressed, to have no energy, to break out all over my chin and so many more variations of what it means to simply suffer in one's body. 

So many women go through this, and sadly, so many more women don't even know the hormonal climate of their bodies and what chemical reactions are happening to make this all happen. THANK THE GODDESS there is a rising movement happening in the realms of women's hormonal health that takes into account the holistic approach, involving first of all knowledge and awareness, then how to make the changes in diet and lifestyle necessary to live our best life in harmony with our hormones. It has been a long road of recovery for me, but I think I finally figured out my perfect balance (and calling in the Law of Balance every day) to where I am living in harmony with my body, instead of battling it constantly. I could talk forever about how this has all happened with me and what changes I have made (or you can read Woman Code by Alisa Vitti for some high vibe guidelines), but what I really want to share with you is how I have created energy ball recipes that are inspired by the different phases of my cycle!

As I mentioned above, the luteal phase (the weeks after ovulation and before your menstruation) is where I have struggled the most in the past, and so I have created a delicious Luteal LOVE energy ball recipe to share with you all. This energy ball is packed with proteins, zinc, iron, magnesium, amino acids, vitamin E and hormone regulating yin herbs that have really saved me during in-escapable long days on the brink of PMS collapse. I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as I have, and feel free to change it up in any way that feels good for you. As long as you keep the base with the dates and the nut/seed of some kind, the rest is up to your creative freedom!

Another great thing about Sarah is her resourcefulness. Shopping in the bulk section with your own jars is a great routine to get into. And this lady right here is the one who taught me to embark on this new practice!

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 juicy medjool dates (without pits)

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil

• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds

• 3 Tbsp black sesame seeds

• 1 ½ Tbsp almond butter

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• 3 Tbsp cacao powder

• 2 tsp moringa powder

• 2 tsp ashwaghanda powder

• 1 tsp gotu kola powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1.5 Tbsp coconut flakes inside, ¼ cup coconut flakes outside for rolling

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare food processor with the S-blade attachment.

2. Heat coconut oil on low. Turn off when lightly melted, but not boiling. 

3. Take out pits of the dates and add into food processor.

4. Combine all other ingredients in food processor. Marvel at the beautifully rich deep colors of which you are about to indulge upon!

5. Add in melted coconut oil to the food processor on top of the other ingredients. 

6. Blend on high for 5 minutes or until the consistency is smooth and sticky. 

7. Set aside a small bowl of ¼ cup coconut flakes and a couple pinches of cacao powder for rolling the balls in.

8. With your hands, create 1 inch balls of the mixture and roll it in the coconut flake/cacao. You should be able to make 12-15 balls. 

9. Enjoy the luxurious taste of this rich and empowering snack. They will last in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or on the counter for one week.

Sarah in her and Bijan’s first tiny home that they currently live in. Side note: This will be available for purchase very soon! Head to their instagram and website to learn more.

Thank you to my beloved Sarah for taking the time to write this nourishing recipe and give insight into what you have learned by living in harmony with your hormones and cycle.

You can follow along Sarah’s beautiful journey by heading over to…

@sarahs.healing.house

You can follow along Sarah and Bijan’s tiny home crafting journey by clicking either links below and heading over to…

@spindrift_tinyhomes & www.spindrifthomes.com

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One more reccomendation, that Sarah had mentioned above, is the book Woman Code by Alisa Vitti. I, too, can attest to this book changing my life for the better. If you or someone you know has or will have a menstrual cycle, deals with fertility issues, low libido, etc. please pick a copy up! I use the app she has created on my iphone to track my cycle, I have read and constantly come back to the book, and love the articles she sends out via email. Click on either links below to follow along the journey of cycle syncing.

www.floliving.com & @floliving

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Thank you for your time and please write below with any questions or comments!