Recipe for Ageless Beauty

You are beautiful!
Your eyes soften their gaze to take in another person’s soul!
Your smile harmonizes with the stars that light up the night sky!

These few sentences are felt by the cells in our body; cells that are nurtured not only by the food you eat, the water you drink, the sleep and rest you need but also the thoughts and feelings that create your life. The power of positive thought is remarkable when it comes to healing the body and creating an environment of self-love. 

Self-love comes in many shapes and forms. Cooking for yourself and your family and using foods that are local, organic and biodynamic is a wonderful expression of love. I’d like to offer another thought: when you are eating in harmony with nature, you are naturally supported. Your energy comes alive, your skin smooth and clear. By choosing foods that are high in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties, you naturally treat yourself with love, compassion and care, and you send those same healing energies into your inner world where they can work to soothe and heal your mind, body, skin and soul from life’s daily stressors.

The plant kingdom is here to support, they offer themselves up in selfless service. It is with great reverence to the miracle of all life that I offer up these suggestions to help keep your beauty ageless!

A wintry sunset walk is amazing for both the physical and mental body.

• Spend time in nature. Get to know her different expressions of mood, whether it be a forest, ocean, lake, a grassy lawn, snowy drift or fragrant rose garden. A 30 minute walk has the power to transform your inner world and outer beauty.
   
• Eat unprocessed plant foods. Especially fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy fats like avocado, flax, pumpkin, walnut, olive and coconut. Fresh foods that have been grown biodynamically or organically retain their life energies even after harvest. Those life energies infuse your body when you eat these foods. Helpful antioxidants are found in berries and brightly colored fruits like kiwis, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Seeds and nuts have well known anti-inflammatory properties as well as minerals that form the building blocks of healthy skin and hair. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale and radishes are loaded with skin beautifying compounds. These natural phytonutrients boost the body’s natural detoxification enzymes to combat and repair cell damage, reducing inflammation and bolstering immune response.
   
• Cook with fresh herbs and citrus. Herbs are loaded with polyphenols, plant compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Citrus is amazing for vitamin C and fiber, not to mention how refreshing it is when added to drinks or salad dressings.
   
• Drink plenty of water. Adding lemon to your water or small amounts of apple cider vinegar are great for detoxing and stimulating the digestion. Whenever you drink water, consider expressing love and gratitude silently into the water before you drink. Do the same when you bathe or shower.
   
• Drink green tea. Green tea is infused with a potent portfolio of age-defying antioxidants. Because it is one of the more minimally processed teas, it offers the most antioxidant polyphenols, including a specific catechin believed to inhibit cancer and also beautify the skin.

• Dance or do a rhythmic exercise like ballroom, tango, 5 Rhythms, tai chi, chi gong, yoga and tennis. All harmonious movements help to strengthen your etheric body, overall health and beauty.
   
• Seek out therapeutic massage, healing touch, reiki, acupuncture, reflexology. Many of these practices are forms of ancient healing based on the perception that life energy flows through the physical body along distinct pathways or meridians. Receiving a treatment aims to open up these pathways so that energy can flow freely and effortlessly, allowing the bodies to do their best work in regenerating and creating new youthful growth.
   
• Listen to music that makes you happy. As everyone knows, music can change our life condition in seconds! Over a year ago, I purchased a Music of the Plants device, a magical machine from Damanhur, Italy that turns the electrical pulses of a plant into musical notes. I use the music of the plants to help center me and provide calm. For more about this, click here.
   
• Take deep breaths. Do you ever find yourself at your desk or in the grocery store and you notice that you haven't been actively breathing? It happens to me all the time, realizing that I'm holding my breath. The cells in your body need air to remain at their peak level of health! Deep breathing also helps in calming temporary anxiety and gives the body a moment to slow down and remain present. 
   
• Use skin care products made of pure plant substances, preferably grown biodynamically or organically. I first got into making skincare products when I realized that organic, thoughtfully sourced skin products were not so easy to come by. One of my favorites is Skin Healer, which can be used for literally everything - cuts, burns, rashes, pimples, dry skin & lips.

Taking the time to care for yourself is investing in your long-term health. There are days when going to a dance class or buying a slightly more expensive skincare product (because it's made with ingredients you can actually pronounce) can feel indulgent. In supporting your physical body, you are also supporting your emotional body. The effort that you've put into your physical and mental health will radiate outward - and it doesn't just stop with you! The happiness and calm that you can begin to cultivate extends outward to others.

For more about nourishing your inner & outer beauty, join Laura and Kerstin Florian, luxury, organic skincare brand in a talk about The Power of Plants on Tuesday Jan. 16th 2018. For more info and to register, click here.

Behind the Scenes with Rooted Angel

Harvest Holy Basil (Tulsi) from Laura's biodynamic garden

For over a decade, Laura has been working closely with the plant kingdom - both in her garden, and in blending essential oils and preparing tinctures. Her interests in biodynamics, plant medicine and holistic health have led her to make a variety of plant-based products intended to restore balance and wellness to the mind, body and soul. We sat down for a quick Q&A to hear more about how she got started and her process.

What is the difference between a tincture and an essence?
Tinctures are concentrated liquid extracts of herbs. They are very potent and are taken by the dropperful, most often diluted in room temp water or juice. Most tinctures are made with alcohol as the primary solvent. Effective tinctures can also be made with vegetable glycerin or apple cider vinegar as the solvent, and are usually recommended for children and people who are sensitive to alcohol. 

A flower essence is the vibrational imprint of a flower that has been transferred and stabilized in water. Flower essences can help people recognize, resolve or release different conditioned ways of perceiving the world and can help us experience greater well being and harmony in our lives.

When did you first hear about tinctures/essences and when did you start using them yourself?
I can’t recall the exact moment, but somehow I always knew there was another way to heal the body, soul and spirit and that the plant kingdom was here to help us whether it be the food we grow, prepare and eat or the remedy that we are attracted to - or that is attracted to us. I do remember my German grandmother using some Bach flower remedies, I think she used Rescue Remedy. As I became more curious I started to study homeopathy, flower essences and aromatherapy. I learned a lot from some very talented and gifted colleagues and friends - Joseph Aldo and Robin Spiegel.

How did you learn how to make tinctures / blend oils?
Robin Spiegel, owner of Lotus Wellness Center, taught me about aromatherapy and how to blend oils, in fact she was my mentor in the development of Rooted Angel Essence Blend. We spent almost 8 months in private sessions together. The question I wanted to explore was what was most needed for humanity at this time...who were the volunteers from the plant kingdom who wanted to come forth and assist in helping to keep a flow of balance and healing of the mind, heart, emotions, spirit? We had 7 different blends that we tried and they just weren’t quite right. Then in the 8th month, the 8th try the blend came through our channeled session together.

"Sometimes it's just easier to get out of your head and into your heart." 

Robin also influenced my desire to create flower essences. I always thought it was a complicated process and that you had to have a distillery or something like that. With her encouragement and my understanding of biodynamic principles I learned to work with the flowers and the solar energy of the sun to create flower essences from the plants that are grown in my healing garden. The very first essence that was created was the Zinnia Flower Essence. The flowers are so beautiful, colorful and playful in nature! It was perfect timing to bring through this flower of play and joy.

The tinctures were a whole other process, actually they are all threads of healing that are woven together in that they actually work! They work because these natural remedies and blends know that they are on their way back to spirit. Anyway I learned how to make tinctures from studying the plants, recognizing their healing qualities (like did you ever find yourself mesmerized by the scent of rosemary or holy basil?). I read books that were written by Rosemary Gladstar and Rosalee de la Foret and followed some of their basic recipes for creating tinctures.

What inspires you to blend certain essential oils together? What's your process when you're blending? 
It's been a mostly intuitive process, the scent of something can attract or repulse you initially. However, the more you allow the molecules to travel through the air octave to activate some part of the molecules within your own being you begin to understand something…kind of like getting past the watchman at the gate.

Sometimes it's just easier to get out of your head and into your heart. The reading literature part of it can be useful confirmation, but its not always accurate when you’re talking about blending oils. Sometimes I’ve created a blend for someone that uses not only essential oil but also flower essences. It requires a good bit of concentration and focus and a willingness to let yourself receive the guidance. And trust, I forgot to mention trust.

Tell me about some of the products you make for Rooted Angel...
The most recent product I've developed is called Better Bones. It seems like lots of people are being diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis, so it was born from a desire to support our skeletal structure and help with regeneration of bones.  Along with a bone health diet, weight bearing exercise and the management of stress and worry, it’s a proactive way to help the bones regenerate. I never underestimate the power of essential oils. A couple of weeks ago I was moving too quickly and bruised my ankle....seemed like I might’ve had a stress fracture. My self prescribed healing came in the form of ice packs for a day, rest, and every day For 2 weeks I massaged my ankle with a blend of ginger, carrot seed, nutmeg, Roman chamomile in jojoba, fractionated coconut carrier oils. You can use this oil on its own or rub some into the most susceptible joints - hips, knees, wrists and ankles before you get into the bath or shower, where you can massage deeper into the skin.

Skin Healer came from my experience with the plants in our garden. One year there was an abundance of plantain growing amongst the herbs, flowers and vegetables. Plantain is considered a weed by some gardeners. My friend David Miles told me it was edible and rich in calcium and minerals. I tried eating it raw, it was a bit chewy and stringy, a good workout for my teeth and jaw! Then I tried it in a stir fry with some other hearty greens and some fresh chopped garlic...I love that a lot of the foods we need are growing right outside our doorstep!

Anyway, one day I was working in the garden and had nicked myself with a garden shear. With a bleeding finger I looked down for something to wrap around the wound until I could clean it out with some soap and water. There was the plantain leaf, it was wide, flat, easy to wrap and felt cooling on this fiery cut. Later I learned that the native Americans called the plantain a green bandaid! Pretty cool when that happens. That was the start of the making of Skin Healer. I learned how to make botanical oils from several other plants like comfrey, St. John’s wort, calendula flower…..and blend them with beeswax. If someone wanted to they could add a drop of their favorite essential oil to the jar of skin healer. I sometimes add lavender, neroli or tulsi but either way it’s a great little healer that has helped a lot of people. 

Breast Massage Oil was developed as a request from a friend DeeAnn Macomson. DeeAnn is a talented musician and massage therapist who uses rhythm and energy medicine to create drumming workshops. She wanted to stay proactive about her breast health. We blended frankincense and helichrysum in calendula infused sweet almond oil. DeeAnn was patient enough to wait until the garden yielded enough calendula blossoms to create this oil blend. 

How do you think plant medicine and Western medicine can interact? 
Favorably, I don’t think they contradict each other. The point is they each have their purpose and one is not better than the other. You may find yourself in serious need of antibiotics and you can still take a remedy to help keep your astral body in balance so that you’re not bonking out with side effects from Western meds.

There are so many plants with medicinal purposes, but what is one of your favorite uses of a medicinal plant? Is there one that you find yourself using the most?
I try to stay with a remedy long enough to recognize that something in me has shifted. Getting back to the question though, I think that all plants are medicinal.

"I think that all plants are medicinal. You could make an amazing salad with all kinds of organic veggies and herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano. You are giving your body such nourishment!"

You could make an amazing salad with all kinds of organic veggies and herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano. To me this would be a favorite (and every day!) use. You are giving your body such nourishment! I also sometimes use dried flowers and herbs to make a medicinal tea, either to stay calm or focused or help my liver to cleanse or to help move my bowels.

Tinctures and essences help me to stay focused with mental and emotional issues. When I’m feeling stressed I’ll take the Holy Basil Tincture that I’ve made. I love using the Rosemary Tincture to help me remember my origin, which is from the stars, and the Trinity Flower Essence is another one that came through a channeled session with a very talented bodyworker and light being, Mary Diehl. She doesn’t have a website or Facebook or Instagram account otherwise I’d shout it out to everyone. When I’ve been somewhat shy and sometimes stumble on being able to express my femininity in a way that resonates I’ll take Alpine Lily or Trumpet Vine. The Alpine Lily helps my feminine soul experience a more vibrant relationship between my physical body and the spiritual feminine. Trumpet Vine helps with active, and dynamic verbal expression.  I purchase both of these from Flower Essence Services and I love that they offer biodynamic flower essences.

What resources would you recommend to others who are interested in the healing powers of plants?
These are some of my go-to books:
- Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee De La Foret
- Aromatherapy for the Soul by Valerie Ann Worwood (any of her books, for that matter)
- Medicinal Herbs by Rosemary Gladstar
- Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health - Rosemary Gladstar
- Spagyrics: The Alchemical Preparation of Medicinal Essences, Tinctures and Elixirs by Manfred M. Junius
- The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy by Kurt Schnaubelt Ph.D.

And some go-to people:
- Robin Spiegel, Lotus Wellness Center: info@lotuswellnessctr.com
- David Miles
- Joseph Aldo

Thank you to Greg Wright for these lovely drawings. All products can be found in Laura's online Apothecary and come with one of these informational cards.

The Making of the Magnolia Amulet

Have you ever walked by something a million times and never noticed it…until you noticed it? Kind of like the saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."

That’s what happened with the magnolia seed head. When I really saw them, lying scattered on the ground, they struck me as one of the most exquisite and intriguing invitations from nature to explore deeper. And once they caught my attention, I saw them everywhere. I remember collecting as many as I could fit into my pocket before the shop owner came out to sweep the sidewalk where I had first “discovered” them. 

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At the time I’d also been working with 2 other colleagues, Martha Robinson and David Miles on developing a series of workshops called “Cosmic Flow of Gardening”. We had been meeting regularly to check in with each other on biodynamics, living soil, plant spirit guides, the 4 elements, preparing the garden, preparing the soul of the garden.... We studied plant behavior, with a desire to rest in the pure and empty listening, beyond the science of what we could read about. We studied plants in our own gardens, receiving gifts from both the seen and unseen forces. In this way we learned something about seeds, referring to them as cosmic, in that they knew exactly what their etheric blueprint was! Encoded in their biology was a journey of incredible growth, an understanding of nature’s rhythms, a vast potential to heal, teach and show us a way of understanding through the various stages of plant development.

On that day when I met the magnolia seed head, I wanted to refer to it in a feminine way. Something was happening to my heart, every time I saw or held the magnolia seed pod it seemed to move me into a softer, more intuitive, yin energy. In that shared experience of wonderment, what I “heard” was the seed itself was not feminine or masculine - but really both. The “A ha!” light went off and so began a channeled session with this beautiful tree. I didn’t know this at the time but later learned that the magnolia is a member of the evergreen family. It has very large leaves and an aromatic flower that is bisexual.

Embellished Southern Magnolia Amulets

Unbeknownst to me, as I was collecting these seed pods, so was my daughter Nicola. You can imagine our surprise and joy when we each gifted the other with a found magnolia seed head! When I think of all the teachings, inquiries and willingness to explore and go deeper with nature, I stand in awe of what comes back when the mind and heart are open to receive.

These pods find their way to the ground in the way that leaves fall from trees in autumn. I wanted to preserve this pod, keep it as an object of significance. Firstly to honor what nature herself created, and also to anchor the energy in the physical plane, to give me a focal point of what the magnolia tree represents. I felt inspired to combine art and healing in such a way to offer inspiration back to the plant kingdom. My background in art and fashion lead me to weaving, sewing and adorning these magnolia seed pods with precious stones, leather, ribbons and trims. This gave me even more time to appreciate and meditate with the buds. Time to look at the amazing intricacies of the stem and pod. In working so intimately with these buds, my appreciation for the plant kingdom grew tenfold.

Magnolia is a tree whose energies help to strengthen and activate the heart chakra, the center of idealism, of love and of healing. More importantly, it aligns the heart with the higher intellect. I’ve found that just by holding the seed pod and bringing my awareness to its gifts that I’m able to shift the energy into a higher state of awareness, where the masculine and feminine reminds us to be true to our ideals and our heart, no matter what kind of external pressure is upon us.

I keep my magnolia amulet on my altar, and recently brought it to rest within the blessings of my advent wreath. 

Laura makes both Magnolia Amulets and Holy Basil Wands as a way of honoring the plant kingdom and the healing capacities of plant life. Both are available in her online Apothecary.

A Reminder to Plant Garlic!

I can't emphasize enough how easy it is to plant garlic! According to principles of biodynamic farming, there are a few prime opportunities left on the 2017 calendar to plant it.

Biodynamics is a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition. It was first developed in the early 1920’s based on the spiritual insights and practical suggestions of the Austrian writer, educator and social activist Dr. Rudolf Steiner. Think of biodynamics as a way of honoring and collaborating with the earth. It represents scale in thinking – a view of all life as energy or consciousness. When we consider what is taking place energetically in the cosmos, we can begin to see how all life invisible forces both in the cosmos and in the earth; that is, all life is affected by Astronomical Rhythms, Seasons & Elements.

The biodynamic calendar categorizes plants into 4 groups: plants that we grow for their ROOTS (carrots, beets, sweet potatoes), plants that we grow for their LEAVES (lettuce, spinach, cabbage), plants we grow for their FRUIT (peas, tomatoes, raspberries, apples), and plants we grow for their FLOWERS (echinacea, borage, cauliflower, broccoli). The calendar is essentially a schedule - over the course of any nine days, there are specific times to work with each of these 4 groups.

The best days to plant ROOTS (garlic!!) in 2017 are:
December 3, 11, 12 or 13

If you plant your garlic on one of the root days this fall, you can expect to see fully grown garlic in your garden in July 2018. Here's how to do it:

1. Find a mostly sunny part of the garden and prepare the soil to receive a clove of garlic (take one head of organic garlic and break it into individual cloves leaving the paper on).
2. Dig a hole about twice the height of the garlic clove (about 1 1/2 inches deep).
3. Place the clove in the hole, pointy side up. You can do a row of garlic, spaced about 4-6 inches apart. 
4. Cover the cloves with the soil, a little water, and then top with about 3 inches of salt hay or leaves to keep them warm for the winter.  I like to offer a prayer of intention, welcoming them to the garden and thanking them for sending their roots into the soil, may they find their way effortlessly and freely into another dimension of themselves in the coming year.

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RESOURCES for More Information on Biodynamics

Stella Natura - Biodynamic Calendar
A Way to Garden - Planting by the Cosmic Calendar
Oregon's Wild Harvest - What is Biodynamic Farming?
Today Show Video - Biodynamic goes further than Organic

Embracing Fall: A Photo Essay

I live in a place without seasons.

It's common to associate California with sunshine, beaches, and endless summer - but where I live in San Francisco, it stays between 50 and 65 degrees all year long. My daily uniform is jeans, a t-shirt and a fleece - even in July.

Changes in weather help us conceptualize the passage of time. Without distinct changes in season, my year is not broken into quarters as it was when I was living on the east coast. It is challenging to know the time of year based on what's was going on outside my window - the weather in March is more or less the same as what it is in June and the same as what is it in November.

There's always some plant that's alive here - nothing is ever rendered dormant by snow or frost. Some leaves may fall from trees as they would on the East Coast, but the Southern Magnolia, for example - one of the most popular trees in the Bay Area - is in gorgeous full blossom right now and it's a day away from December. 

Though presence and absence of heat does not indicate a passage of time for me here, holiday decor does. Halloween pumpkins were quickly replaced by Thanksgiving wreaths. The morning of November 24th, just hours after we went around tables explaining what we were grateful for, I saw pine trees strapped to the roofs of cars and twinkle lights woven through fences. 

After Thanksgiving, time seems to accelerate. Though it's still in the low 60s here and feels like Fall, the media (and my next door neighbor, whose tree is illuminated with hundreds of neon lights) tells me it's winter. 

My mind is starting to believe it. When I grocery shop, I'm enticed by the Christmas Chai Blend Tea and the Peppermint Bark that's packaged in candy-cane wrapping. We've swiftly moved past fall and there's still a month of it left!

Since moving west, I've lamented the absence of fall foliage. Fall reminds me of layered sweaters, corduroy, warm tea, and LEAVES. As a child, I did all that I could to preserve the vibrancy of foliage. For years, I laminated leaves between pieces of sticky, translucent contact paper that my mom would buy in rolls from Staples. As soon as I had a camera, I started photographing my leaf collections instead. All in an attempt to freeze time and encapsulate the wonder that is autumn.

Though there is nothing quite like East Coast Fall, I did find a sliver of foliage just 2 days ago in Oakland, California (30 minutes from where I live in San Francisco). In a quiet, residential neighborhood, I strolled with my camera and found many trees turning color - including fruit-bearing trees that I never grew up seeing in Connecticut: pomegranate, lemon, satsuma, hachiya persimmon, mysterious berries (likely poisonous, but still quite lovely!).

The Christmas trees and sparkly lights had me fooled. It is still fall! It's not time yet for reindeer and snow and mulled cider. Seeing the foliage in Oakland reminded me to SLOW DOWN. Even though the media and grocery stores and my neighbor with all the lights will have me believing that it's time to holiday shop and hunker down for winter, I'd like to keep in mind that we still have nearly a month of autumn left to embrace. 

Though I seldom feel a distinct change in season here, my walk in Oakland felt very reminiscent of East Coast Fall. For the first time since I moved here 5 years ago, I felt the presence of a SEASON. I felt a chunk of time - and I can see it passing. I haven't felt this in a long time.

I invite us all, even if we've already begun holiday shopping, to remember that autumn is still here. May we be present with time, with ourselves, with others. May we find the time to breathe deeply, go for walks, observe nature.

I'm always in enough of a rush - why rush the seasons too?

The Allure of the Pomegranate

I’ve always been intrigued by pomegranates, ever since I read the story about Persephone, the Greek goddess of spring and daughter of the agriculture goddess Demeter who vowed not to eat until she was set free from the underworld. But she couldn’t resist a pomegranate, and swallowed six of the seeds. Thus the yearly cycle of six months abundance and six months winter came to be. (Although I heard that Californians say she ate only two seeds and Eskimos say she ate the whole fruit)

This seed-laden fruit has long been the symbol of fertility. In ancient China, sugared pomegranate seeds were served to guests at weddings and the ripe fruits were thrown to the floor of the newlyweds’ bedchamber where they burst open and spread their seeds across the room!

In certain other traditions, the pomegranate was said to be the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. Mohammed encouraged his followers to eat pomegranates, believing they cleansed people of hatred and envy.

Many studies show that the pomegranate is one of the most powerful, nutrient-dense foods for overall good health. These clinical findings clearly show a correlation between pomegranate compounds and their positive effect on both human and animal cardiovascular, nervous and skeletal health. This is one fruit that you can’t afford to exclude from your diet!

When you buy pomegranates, look for the bigger, heavier ones. They have the most juice. The outside rind should be dark red and firm. They’re messy, fun to eat, and crazy to cut open because they squirt their juice in all directions. Some people start at the top and peel back the skin, then carefully separate the fruit into sections so that not even one seed gets squished. This Citrus Pomegranate Drink below follows the cut-open-and-squirt method. Be sure to wear dark clothing or an apron!

Pomegranate tree in Oakland, California

Citrus Pomegranate Juice
Serves 4

Adding pomegranate juice to a citrus blend adds a dose of color, flavor and antioxidants.

2 small grapefruits
2 juice oranges
2 tangerines
1/2 lime
2 pomegranates

1) Use a citrus press or a juicer to juice the fruits.
2) Pour into serving glasses & enjoy!
*I'll often fill the glass 1/2 way or 3/4 with sparkling water and then fill the remainder with this yummy citrus. Makes it last longer!

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Our family dog, Lulu, used to love pomegranate seeds (and carrots, and cookies, and peanut butter... you name it!). Now, whenever I peel a pomegranate, I think of her.

Giving Thanks Every Day

I keep this simple blessing on our family refrigerator so that when I'm in the kitchen, I remain conscious of where our food comes from. Today, on Thanksgiving, and all days I do my best to extend gratitude and appreciation for having access to abundant produce and for the amazing nutrients that homemade foods provide.

Today is a good day…
To perform a simple blessing over your food.

Your body’s own wondrous energy will do the blessing for you
If you simply hold your hands over what you are about to eat.
Hands helped to plant and nurture this food.
Hands helped to harvest and package it.
Hands cooked it.

And the goodness of the food will strengthen us,
Hands and all.

Namaste

Clearing Clutter for Clarity

I made an aim that 2017 was going to be a year of clearing away all the clutter in our home…a huge, overwhelming and daunting task! I’m talking about years and years of saved magazines, news articles, trinkets big and small, collectibles, paintings, clothes that I’ll probably never wear, paints that have dried out, pens and pencils (how did they give birth overnight like that?), slippers from hotels we stayed in, books I’ll never read, cool empty glass jars with lids cause you never know when you’ll need one and oh my gosh, a boundless number of shoes which I adore and never wear.

You know the drill, just way too much stuff.

Funny thing is when I started to do this I wasn’t very organized about it - just figured I’d move through  it all organically….a drawer here, a shelf there. Wow, was I wrong about that approach! Although it did make me look productive, I just kept circling and those piles kept growing.

And then, I got help from someone who really knows her stuff. And here’s what I learned.

Clearing clutter or dejunking as Mela calls it is Holy Work. It is meant to be a reverent practice whereby you clear away that which no longer serves so that miracles can happen…..Yes, miracles. I’m talking about clearing so that the books on the shelves are able to contemplate their own thoughts. It was about allowing myself to be deprived of the books as I learned to enter a desert retreat of pure, empty listening. And what I learned was everything is text! The cosmos is a vast, polysemous, multi leveled book in and of itself; and it is to be read. So are the stars, faces, flowers, hands and rocks. I realize that I don't need one more cookbook, notepad.

What I needed to learn was a system of using my creativity in a completely new way. I learned that I was the one I’d been waiting for! And I needed to learn to trust, that if I did toss something that I wished I hadn’t... to trust that it was already integrated into my being.

"Dejunking" is sacred work

We started with baby steps; and went room by room. First downstairs and then up to the upper rooms of the house. Armed with dust cloths and cleaning products made from heavenly plant botanicals, I found myself almost in tears; sometimes frozen in a state of panic, and sometimes diving down a rabbit hole of memories. 

I kept the awareness candle lit and with 30 min breaks would get up, stretch, drink water and go back for more.

Holy work is emotional
And sacred
And filled with mini miracles
And some humor

One of the first bookshelves I went to was so tightly packed I could barely move the spines. When I was finally able to budge an opening, a book fell to the floor and opened to this page “Clearing Clutter for Clarity”. Seriously, I kid you not! The title of the book is “Ask and it is given” by Esther and Jerry Hicks.

Here is some of what Abraham had to say about Clearing Clutter on page 242:

“Physical Beings have a habit of gathering stuff around them. Most of you gather this stuff because it is the way you keep score: it is the way you fill time. In other words, you live in a physical world, and physical manifestation has become important to you, but then you get buried in the details of your manifestation. Most of you spend much of your time just looking for things, and it is not only because you have too many things to sort through, but it is also because the gathering of the stuff is contrary to the freedom that is inherent within all of you. We have talked of the feeling of sadness that feels empty. People often try to fill that feeling of emptiness with stuff. They buy one more thing and bring it home, or they eat something: in other words, there are lots of creative ways in which you have tried to fill that void. And so it has been our encouragement to some: Discard everything from your experience that is not essential to your now.  If you could just go through and release those things you are not wearing, release those things you are not using, release them and leave your experience in a clearer place, then the things that are more in harmony with who you are now will more easily flow into your experience.”

Well, I must say that I do feel lighter, no longer trapped in overwhelm and cotton candy head. It feels like the house can breathe, the energy can move, and the angels have a place to visit. Its just a wee bit more peaceful.

And there’s still more Holy Work to do. Mela reminds me that Rome wasn’t built in a day, but if there was no plan, there would be no Rome.

Please do contact Mela Stevens: mela@wholebodyworks.net, if you would like some brilliant guidance on dejunking. Her step by step approach is simply amazing.

An Ode to Garlic

Harvested, dried garlic bulbs - ready to eat!

Garlic is one of my very favorite herbs. It has amazing health benefits, is the basis of nearly every savory dish I cook, and it's fun to grow.

This impressive bulb can impart energy and vitality, improve digestion and absorption and cleanse the body of toxins. It helps protect the body against the effects of pollution and nicotine. Acting as a powerful antioxidant, garlic helps to slow the aging process and protect against degenerative disease. Garlic is famous as a remedy for heart and circulation, reducing blood pressure and a tendency to clotting, thereby helping to prevent heart attacks and strokes.

The ancient Egyptians knew all about garlic’s energy giving properties, because the builders of the Great Pyramid at Giza apparently ate garlic to give them strength. The Romans too gave it to their workmen and soldiers to impart vigor as well as courage. To the Greeks, garlic was a symbol of strength. The athletes at the Olympic Games used to chew garlic before taking part to improve their chances of victory. Since such times until the present day garlic has been much valued for its great ability to ward off infection, to combat food poisoning, diarrhea, dysentery, wind and colic.

It is an effective antibacterial, antiviral, anti fungal and anti-parisitic remedy, shown to be equal to antibiotics such as penicillin. Garlic is excellent for sore throats, coughs, colds, flu, bronchitis and asthma. It helps to clear phlegm, sinus congestion and hay fever. Also helps to reestablish beneficial bacterial population in the gut after an infection or using antibiotics; a good remedy for candidiasis and thrush. By enhancing the secretion of insulin, it can help lower blood sugar in diabetics. The sulfur compounds in garlic are thought to have anti-tumor properties, protecting the body against cancer. Regular intake of garlic may significantly lower harmful cholesterol and thereby protect against heart and arterial disease.

A tip from Anthony Williams, the Medical Medium, author of Life-Changing Foods: “If you feel like you’re coming down with something like a sore throat, cold or flu, mince one raw clove of garlic and mash it into half an avocado, banana or some cooked potato. Repeat this three times daily until you feel better.”

I plant garlic (and all of my veggies, flowers and herbs) according to the principles of BIODYNAMICS. Biodynamics is a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, food production and nutrition. It was first developed in the early 1920’s based on the spiritual insights and practical suggestions of the Austrian writer, educator and social activist Dr. Rudolf Steiner. Think of biodynamics as a way of honoring and collaborating with the earth. It represents scale in thinking – a view of all life as energy or consciousness. When we consider what is taking place energetically in the cosmos, we can begin to see how all life invisible forces both in the cosmos and in the earth; that is, all life is affected by Astronomical Rhythms, Seasons & Elements.

Garlic scapes (the stem part of the garlic...the bulbs that we are used to eating are underground) in their prime, July 2017

I love using the Stella Natura biodynamic calendar, even though it makes my brain feel really small each time I read it. I apply these principles whether I’m planting or harvesting from my kitchen/medicinal herb garden, planting seeds that are favorable with the astronomical rhythms, making compost tea for the plants and the soil, or preparing tinctures that restore and harmonize the vital forces of all living things.

The biodynamic calendar categorizes plants into 4 groups: plants that we grow for their ROOTS (carrots, beets, sweet potatoes), plants that we grow for their LEAVES (lettuce, spinach, cabbage), plants we grow for their FRUIT (peas, tomatoes, raspberries, apples), and plants we grow for their FLOWERS (echinacea, borage, cauliflower, broccoli). The calendar is essentially a schedule - over the course of any nine days, there are specific times to work with each of these 4 groups.

Fall is a great time of year to plant root veggies and garlic.
The best days to plant ROOTS (garlic!!) in 2017 are:

October 28
November 6, 14, 15 or 24
December 3, 11, 12 or 13

Garlic grows in the most amazing and unexpected way. The bulbs that we are familiar with seeing and eating grow underground, while the scapes of the garlic grow tall (nearly as tall as me!) with silly, long beaks, reminiscent of a children's book character. If you plant your garlic on one of the root days this fall, you can expect to see fully grown garlic in your garden in July 2018.

To harvest, gently unearth the bulb from the soil and be sure to dry fully before using. Garlic adds wonderful flavor to almost any dish, and can also be used raw in pesto, or for medicinal purposes. ENJOY!

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RESOURCES for More Information on Biodynamics

Stella Natura - Biodynamic Calendar
A Way to Garden - Planting by the Cosmic Calendar
Oregon's Wild Harvest - What is Biodynamic Farming?
Today Show Video - Biodynamic goes further than Organic

Garden garlic

Easy Breezy Beet Chips

“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious”
- Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

As their color suggests, beets are a blood tonic and so are good for anemia, the heart and circulation. They purify the blood, alleviate constipation and aid the liver. Energetically, beets are a grounding vegetable, meaning that their earthy roots can be felt as a stabilizing mineral rich force in the body.  I like to use them a few different ways - as a liver cleanse I’ll grate some raw and add to a salad. For a great afternoon snack or side I’ll make beet chips, which are both savory & sweet.

EASY BEET CHIPS
Serves 2-3 People

3-4 Beets
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp Unrefined Coconut Oil (enough to lightly coat)

Spice Blend:
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Dash of Cayenne

1) Heat oven to 375,  slice beets thinly. If you have a mandolin, feel free to use!
2) Toss with melted coconut oil and spice blend. Use the spice blend liberally - you may have some extra. Save for another time!
3) Place on a baking sheet and roast for about 15-20 min per side. Some of the thinner little ones will crisp up right away, so I usually hang out in the kitchen while these guys are cooking.