For those of you counting, spring is less than a month away. 🌼🌷🪻
Until then, a round-up of the things that have gotten me through the longest winter.
This has been one of the hardest winters I have experienced. Between the wild, daily headlines slapping us across the face like rough waves, a hearty dose of viruses threatening to infect us at every turn, and the bitter cold temps/countless snowstorms we’ve weathered here in the Northeast, I have been at the end of my rope for a while.
In early January, we were nearing the end of our road trip in Colorado when I felt a wave of anxiety wash over my body. I could barely function, weathering physical symptoms that rendered me useless and couch-bound for pretty much the entire time we were there. On the last day, I forced myself to go out and explore a small town and stumbled into a holistic co-op. Nearing tears, I explained my current state to the shopkeeper. I was feeling the winter creeping in, and I had a feeling it would be one that I’d need all the tools to survive. Not to be dramatic, but I felt this in my bones, and to my surprise, she did, too. She offered me a tonic with cacao as the starring ingredient. I’ll dive into my obsession with cacao at length in another newsletter soon, but for now, I’ll say that this tonic has been holding me, along with some other staples that I’ve collected throughout the season as I hibernate in the safety of my nest.
Speaking of my nest, I moved recently, relocating to Brooklyn, which felt as though it was a long time coming. I’ve been feeling the deep urge to return to New York for years, but the timing wasn’t right then. It is now. I am experiencing such pleasure and grounding energy as I set up this space. Expansion abounds as I upgrade from a full to a king mattress, pick out new, European linen sheets in fun colors, and light a fresh candle on a clean bookcase filled with books that have been hiding away in storage for the better part of the last two years.
I’ve been checking in with friends, and almost all of us seem to be in true hibernation this year. Of course, every winter is hibernation season, but this one in particular feels deeper. We are burrowed, and I’ve observed that there is not much desire to be out and about. And somehow, it feels collectively like we are preparing for something big on the other side. When I think of spring’s arrival, I feel abundant, warm, and filled with breath. I can’t explain why, but I know big things are coming for all of us. I think we are going to be pleasantly surprised by what we can do and be on a person-to-person level. We will crawl out from inside our caves of hibernation and gather. Some of us have lived in these tiny spiraled confines for more than a few years, and it’s finally time to emerge.
Emerge. Doesn’t that word sound so sweet on your tongue?
Until then, this issue is all about gratitude and planting the seeds on a sunny horizon.
Here’s my list of things that have been my deep allies in my hibernation:
Peaceful Worrier. I respond to flower essences in a way that feels more effective than any herb I have ever taken. Flower essences work on our subtle electromagnetic body, and as humans, a lot more than we realize gets stored in this layer. Old traumas, and buried emotions all go to live here. They get lodged into our physical body eventually. I believe this is why somatic healing is trending right now. We are realizing how much the body keeps the score. Peaceful Worrier has helped me release my busy mind and anxieties around the winter season (I’m one of those health-anxiety people) and return to center. This formula has felt like a deep breath that is released from the belly.
On the same note, I never am too far from my bottle of First Aid Kit. This formula has been a medicine cabinet staple for years and is a magic healer. If I’m having a panic attack, a hard conversation, a tearful moment, fear, a racing heart, etc, I reach for this bottle. First Aid Kit immediately takes the edge off and allows me to back up from the ledge. I consider it my natural Xanax.
Cacao!!! Cacao came in strong as ever as an ally to work with this winter, and she has not let me down. I still drink *some* coffee, but cacao has become my staple morning beverage. She speaks to me deeply, and I can’t wait to continue to work with this plant ally. I have a few favorite brands, but currently, I can’t stop drinking Maya Magic, which I discovered in Utah, partly because I love that it is named after me (haha) and also because it has a blend of maya nut and mushrooms that feels like a bolster for my immune system. The Maya nut also gives it a nutty flavor, which pairs beautifully with the richness of the cacao.
Armra Colostrum. I know EVERY influencer was pushing this so hard in the past few years, and at the time, I wasn’t interested in the hype, but let me tell you. My brilliant naturopathic doctor put me on this in the fall, and I’ve been taking it religiously all season. I’m not sure if it’s just a security blanket, but I do feel like my system is stronger and bolstered from it. This is something I will continue taking for a while.
Activist Manuka. Every fall, I buy myself a bottle of the immune elixir from Activist Manuka and take a dropper whenever I make eye contact with it.
Weighted blanket. I bought a Bearaby weighted blanket last year, and it has become a staple in our family. Everyone uses it, including Oli girl. She loves cuddling up on top of its sturdy knit.
A good pen and notebook. I’ve been pretty dedicated to my morning journaling practice. I make myself a cup of cacao and write. Most mornings, I find myself recounting a dream; other times, I write about what I’m grateful for. Some of the practices I go back to often are:
Auto suggestions. Write a list of three things that you are calling into your life in the present tense using this format: “I am so happy and grateful that I___”
Joy journaling. My friend
has a wonderful YouTube on this HERE.Free writing. Write whatever comes to mind without judgment.
“What do I need?”. This might be my favorite exercise and most consistent. It’s amazing what comes out on the page when I allow for my earnest self to answer.
Vitamin D. Obviously, talk to your doc, but most women are deficient in vitamin D. I know I’m not the first person to tell you this, but taking vitamin D during the winter for the past few years has been helpful to stave off my inevitable seasonal depression.
A sauna blanket. This one is a bougie addition, but it has honestly been an incredible addition to my home. I run ice cold and struggle with Reynauds and Chilblains. The sauna blanket was a Chanukah gift from my family and is a bit of an investment, but I can say that it is amazing to be able to sweat at home without trekking to a sauna. In my ideal world, I have a wooden sauna in my home and would use it daily. Calling it in. And until then, this will do.
The Brooklyn Candle from Brooklyn Candle. The first thing I did once I was unpacked enough to see my floor was walk over to Brooklyn Candle and buy myself a beautiful scent for the new space. I settled on the Brooklyn first because why not start with something corny and quintessential? Next up will be their limited edition Forest Bath fragrance, and following that, the Santa Fe, because it smells exactly like the air there.
Beading. If you’ve been hanging around lately, you know how obsessed I am with making necklaces right now. I’m working on launching a brand-spanking-new website featuring the available pieces, and have been joyfully nesting into a blanket with a cup of tea at night to make more. It’s been a wonderful hibernation activity and surprisingly rewarding since you all love what I’ve made.
Subscribing to OPEN and The Class. Subscribing to both platforms has been a wonderful way to ease back into movement. I have been sedentary for way longer than I’d like to think about, but slowly, I am unfurling and returning to movement. It is emotional and beautiful, and these platforms have held my hand through this resurgence.
My friend Kendra is the brilliant herbalist and owner behind The Herbal Scoop in Narrowsburg, NY and I love her tea blends dearly. My go-to blends for the winter are Catskill Cozy and the Get Well, Stay Well. I also keep the Heaps of Health tincture in my purse to take whenever I’m in crowds of people or at the end of a social day.
Loose dried hibiscus. I love hibiscus for its tanginess and can drink cups and cups of it. I’ll sometimes add a pinch of petals to the blends from Kendra above to punch up the flavor, plus hibiscus is packed with vitamin C. It also reminds me of summer and that is something to celebrate.
Let’s dance soon,
x Maya
🥹♥️