How to Take it Easy

tackling the late november- post election haze

photo: my hand holding fresh valerian root from alemany farm, november 2024

When I left my acupuncture appointment yesterday my acupuncturist told me to "take it easy" and my first thought was "how the **** am I supposed to do that?" and my second thought was "ok."

In herb school I was taught that to truly change, we un-do and un-learn our patterns/habits that no longer serve us, and to do this it is wise to toss our first reaction.

try the second or maybe the third thought

so

i went to rainbow grocery and i tried to apply the recommendation. here are the results:

i sat outside on the bench, in a little patch of autumnal sun and ate lunch before i shopped (less hungry shoppers make better decisions)
i bought a can of pumpkin instead of a whole pumpkin (less work in the kitchen)
i bought sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds because seeds are easier to digest than nuts (letting the digestive system take it easy too)
i biked home and i listened to dr. angela davis and lama rad owens and prentiss hemphill talk about what time it is on the clock of the world. ("hope is a discipline" - Mariame Kaba)
dinner was all leftovers (and yummy)
i drank lemon verbena and catnip tea with oatmilk (locally grown!)

in these days of very little daylight and the impending creep, it is easy to have the seasonal blues keep us down.

there is big medicine in finding joy. this can be keeping things simple, including:

getting fresh air (can you go outside before work? how about before 10am?)
revisit your sleep hygiene habits
create phone-free or do not disturb time in your day or week
when you go outside, tap into the senses; notice the feeling of crispy autumn air. what do you smell? what sounds do you hear?
build in moon-time at night
remember your favorite practices, that rely on you returning as a tool of self reflection, like art, gentle movement, meditation
you know, cleaning the house counts?

if this feels overwhelming, impossible, or unpractical, make up your own thing that helps. start small, the plants do.

imagine what might make you feel a little less blue (angela davis admitted to feeling depressed on stage last week) and take one tiny step towards taking it a little easier.

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photo: towards the end of today's breakfast: soft boiled egg with salt, pepper and marjoram (grown at alemany farm)

Bonus Blog: Cookies to Meet the Moment

I like cookies as much as the next guy, yet I'm sensitive to gluten, dairy and a lot of refined sugar. So here's my short list of cookies that can be made to satisfy my sweet tooth on a cold night, and pack a little protein for the punch too. Enjoy ~ happy baking :)