Welcome rain, or in other parts of the world…. snow?

Spring time is absolutely stunning where we currently live. The vibrancy and the shades of greens, seeing the rate of flowers blooming is truly inspiring (and Yes, I’ve become the grandma who takes pictures of flowers whenever she has a chance). However, this aw inducing beauty comes at a price. Spring time in my latitude comes with heavy rain, blankets of thick pollen covering everything you see. Strong and potential disastrous winds. Loud thunderous nights of uncertainty, hoping public infrastructure and the trees that surround us are built to withstand such “mood-swings”.

This time also reminds me of what blooming truly is. We all think of growth and flourishing as this pain-free, beautiful becoming. But I bet you a flower or a butterfly would happily disagree. Metamorphosis seems like the most chaotic yet organized natural process. To me, feels like walking into a ledge, with your eyes closed, fully trusting in the outcome, wether its death or a beautiful transformation, or both.

“Omnia mutantur, nihil interit.”
"Everything changes, nothing perishes." — Book XV , Ovid’s Metamorphoses

In this version of nourishing, and this second quarter of the year, I am focused on:

Natural rhythms and dances over rigid schedules

I’ve learned , in a painful way, that rigid daily schedules don’t work smoothly when you have kids, someone always gets frustrated in the process of completion. Instead attuning to the rhythmic influences of celestial bodies (sun, moon, planets) and seasonal changes are key.

Circadian rhythm regulation

• Going to sleep when the sun comes down and waking when the sun comes up. Receiving morning and afternoon sun as rituals of wellbeing, and cycle sync’ing have become our family’s favorite time.

• Implementing red light
  We’ve incorporated red light lamps to our sleep time routine, for over a year now. And it has made sleep time less of a fuzz with the added bonus of cuing everyone in the house to start their bed-time routines. We turn our red light lamps on ~30 min before sundown.

Moon cycle

The moon and I have had an obsessive relationship for quite some time now. But only until I had my second child I decided to “sync” into her cycle, and dive deeper into her mysticism. All thanks to and her Mother Maker course. This course was a magical spark that allowed me to explore the idea of working with the energetics of nature. A year and a half later, I’m here synchronizing with the moon emotionally, taking advantage of her influence over me.

It’s not a secret to say that the moon’s connection to the feminine is rich, ancient and fed by countless mythological tales, spiritual connections, and even psychology. Here, some of the most obvious links that might entice you to pay more attention to her cycles and hack your day-to-day or rather, phase-to-phase:

• The length of the moon’s orbit around earth and the menstrual cycle is roughly the same: 28 days.

• The menstrual cycle has 4 phases just like the moon.

• The moon and it’s deities often embody mystery, emotion, fertility, intuition and protection.

• The moon in astrology is linked to the “inner world” the more receptive, fluid, nurturing side of the chart.

• In Jungian psychology the Moon represents the Anima, the inner feminine aspect of the male psyche Animus. It’s the soul or true self that connects a person to the unconscious (dreams, creativity and spirituality)

(Winter) New moon/ Menstrual : Release

Biology: Shedding the uterine lining. Lowest hormone levels
Energy: Slow down, rest, reflect, restrain from overstimulation Symbolism: Death, rebirth, a time to release, reset
Ritual: Detox regimes, quiet time, introspective journaling, focus your energy inside your head and in your nest, Yoga.

(Spring) Waxing moon/ Follicular Phase : Cultivate

Biology: Body prepares for ovulation. Rising estrogen
Energy: Creativity, nourish, clarity
Symbolism: Growth, intention-setting, building momentum.
Ritual: Focus on movement, Work hard, moon and star gaze, set clear intentions and goals, Goal seeking journaling, Pilates.

(Summer) Full moon/ Ovulation : Celebrate
Biology: Egg is released. Peak fertility. Estrogen surges
Energy: Magnetic, radiant, social expressive
Symbolism: fullness, illumination, abundance, connection
Ritual: Peak fertility, manifest, socialize, Have fun, connection focus, magic.

(Fall) Waning Moon/ Luteal Phase: Regenerate
Biology: Hormones dip if no pregnancy occurs.
Energy: Reflection, refinement, sensitivity
Symbolism: Letting go, evaluation, discernment
Ritual: Creative finishing, decluttering (mental or physical)

You might ask, why do these connections matter? why should you care? I believe, our power, as women, lives in understanding these rhythmic dances. Yes, this careful balance that might topple at any moment, but dealing with the chaos is also part of the fun. Understanding our natural cycles is empowerment, and working with them day-to-day is rebellion. A woman that aligns with her cycle, holds space for herself, knows when to act, when to rest, when to work-out, when to go hard, when to pursue a creative endeavor.

If you are new to this concept, you might ask, where do I start? Well, I started by tracking my period, understanding each phase and introspectively journaling my emotions. Then, slowly catering my exercise levels based on the phase of my cycle. Hardest workouts would happen during ovulation, and slow, gentle moves during menstruation. Once you can intuit how your cycle moves through your body and how your emotions feel, you can start to incorporate the moon cycle. Since we live in a world “contaminated” by artificial light, we wont ever be completely sync’ed to the moon ( unless we live in complete darkness) But, you can emotionally link to it… align project timelines, creative musings and such.

Aligning the flow of energies is working smart not hard. it’s aligning with the natural flow of things and therefore preserving energy and health, instead of wasting it or misdirecting it.

Energy is not simply E=M^2.

Trust your rhythm, trust your dance

Much Love,

Laura

I’ve learned to “like” winter the hard way. Being raised in Canada, we had to deal with 6 months of colder temperatures when my body was used to being in the tropics, Colombia. Rough transition you might think… and Yes! - It truly was. My family and I kept going , as pre-programmed humans, with the same eating habits we had back in Colombia. We tried to get the same quality fruits and fresh flavors we were so used to. Disappointed after trying all fruits in winter, as they were watery pieces of bright colors - they looked great but they tasted bland.

10+ years later of winter living, I’ve understood that we need to honor the seasonality of the location we live in, and with that my cooking habits have changed depending on the season. Winter arrives and I’m thinking soups, stews, warm cozy drinks.

The new year arrived and I decided to take on the challenge of cooking something somewhat new every day for 5 days. I posted it on my IG and here are my two most popular recipes.

Click on the names for downloadable printable PDFs.

1. Oxtail Stew

   i call it my winter Botox. This stew is rich, saucy and perfect for a snow day.

   

2. Chicken Soup with an asian twist

   Chicken noodle soup is a staple in my house. Both my littles love noodles and chicken broth so, I load the broth with all the goodness a chicken can offer, add in spices like ginger and fresh veggies and it’s a hit!

   

   A few more shots of my week’s cooking…

Stay warm,
Stay nourished.

Laura.