I hope you had a satisfying holiday weekend. Something I’d NEVER imagined myself doing before – tooling around on this John Deere lawnmower that now takes residence at my home – amused me to no end this past weekend.
Strong woman operating machinery I also had a bit of a debacle in the back end of Real Food Wellness which resulted in a couple nights of very sparse sleep. Thankfully like most things, in it’s own time, I found a way forward. In the meantime, running on low energy, I was drinking quarts of nettle infusion as a “peace offering” to my adrenals for all their hard work. I may have mentioned nettle infusion in the past. I still love it and still keep dry leaves on deck for support. When my clients or friends are dealing with some physical or emotional burn-out, and are open to herbs (or not into supplements) I tell them about nettles. Word of mouth is the way we do things as social creatures, isn’t it? In the spirit of spreading good and helpful tools, I’d thought I’d share a handful with you today in a light-hearted blog post…including the infusion instructions if you are interested. See if anything piques your interest… You’ll find the nourishing theme of The Feminine throughout, from my favorite new protein powder to transcendent music, visionary art and poetry, and an interesting summer read. Here’s the list: For your Body: Food: Bone Broth protein powder – With most packaged foods, we miss out on something, meaning there is no “perfect” protein powder. This one is pretty good and is riding the wave of bone broth popularity in an easy to consume protein powder. The collagen is said to repair the gut and strengthen the nails, hair, and skin. I use the vanilla version with berries, almond butter, greens, and cinnamon. Herbs: Mountain Rose Herbs – Stinging Nettles - Like I mentioned above, an adrenal fortifier. Nettles are also wonderful for seasonal allergies. Read more from the expert, master herbalist Susan Weed, along with simple infusion instructions. Yoga: YogaGlo - When I moved further away from the yoga studio I’d been practicing at for many years, I was thrilled to know of YogaGlo, an online resources for classes. You’ll find wonderful master teachers, dharma talks and meditation, and a simple filter to choose specifically what you’re looking for. Lately I’ve been taking the lovely Claire Missingham’s and Elena Brower’s classes. Immune system: Kick-Ass Immune - Friends had introduced me to this ‘encouraging’ concoction to strengthen the immune system back in 2010 when I was in school in Boulder. Perhaps bookmark this for a time you’re known to need a boost. To Shift Your State Music to touch you deeply: Estas Tonnes - If you’ve never heard of Estas Tonnes, you will thank me. He’s a gorgeous, gorgeous human and his music bursts me open. It is soulful, transcendent, and what I perceive as a direct download from Source itself. A modern-day troubadour. See if you agree with me. A hilarious video to put you in a good mood: Zombie Apocalypse - It’s ridiculously funny. If you have siblings or have ever had your wisdom teeth removed, this might delight you. Visionary Art and Poetry to open you: Net of Being - Alex Grey is am American visionary, author, and teacher. I turn to this inspiring visionary book when, what Michael calls, Channel One (consensus reality) has me losing sight of the grander vision and blueprint for my own life and our collective journey together. To Open You to Unseen Energies that Influence Your Life Summer read: Goddesses in Every Woman - For women of all ages and stages. This is a bestselling classic by psychiatrist and author, Jean Shinoda Bolen. She shares the archetypal patterns for women that express themselves in our lives. You’ll gain insight to what influences some women to have little problem in the workplace, some women to feel they are born to be mothers, some to feel deeply drawn to or ambivalent toward marriage, some to tend to gravitate towards multiple lovers, and more…It’s likely you will identify with many and get a clearer roadmap of the challenges you will face and the invitations on your path as your life progresses as a woman. For a Dose of Body Weight Sanity If warmer weather has body weight on your mind: Blogs for your sanity – Yes, this is a link to the very blog you are reading right now. May these serve you well! Wishing you a beautiful transition into June, the brightest time of the year here in the Northern hemisphere. I’m celebrating this precious time with you. Until next time… Laura