Happy Diwali, Happy Halloween & Harnessing Our Ancient Wisdom to Create Change
Namaste and Happy Diwali Dear Friends! For many of us it is also the Indian New Year - Happy Indian New Year!
Diwali translates to row of lights, celebrating the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. Indian households around the world will have been busy decluttering and cleaning their homes, cooking good food, gathering with whanau and lighting diwas or candles to represent the beautiful light that is in all of us. I love the idea of using this ancient wisdom and applying this natural momentum to our lives by weaving some nourishing self care practices for ourselves and our families now, before we are too exhausted by Christmas. Doing this work now also can set us up for doing a deeper review again in the New Year.
Luckily for us in the Southern Hemisphere, we now have longer daylight hours, the weather is getting warmer and all the vibrant summer vegetables are bursting onto the scene.
It’s been a huge year. For me, it has been a bit of a heartbreaking year of saying goodbye to some amazing people. First my Grandma who passed during Lockdown in April, three weeks after her 99th Birthday. I was lucky to be one of the 10 people to attend her funeral. A couple of months later, my uncle in London and most recently my uncle in Wellington.
We have also been travelling. The funeral of my Uncle, time with family and helping Kashi with the Yeti pop up shops. I went on an awesome Women’s mountain biking camp put on by Joyride. It was so nourishing to ride bikes, spend time getting to know some super cool women and explore the beautiful trails in Rotorua. The camp was held on Halloween weekend. I didn’t know much about the origins of Halloween apart from all the lollies but three of the women in our group grew up in the States and shared some lovely stories about the amazing costumes and festivities. But, what really got meinto the spirit was this hilarious and essential Halloween yoga which we practiced together before riding.
I recently read this by Toko-pa Turner and really enjoyed taking a few minutes to do a little review. If you can, get your pen and paper out and workshop some of these wonderful themes, you will love it!
Toko-pa Turner writes:
Halloween is a time for honouring the dead. Not just the ancestors who have crossed over, but the parts of our lives that are readying to die. This is a time to take stock of what you have received throughout the year; and also a time to review what needs to be relinquished. Halloween was understood as a transitional time and they would hold great gatherings to mark the end of the harvest season and the entrance into the darker half of the year.
You may be asked to give up a cherished way of life or an identity that no longer serves you. The thought of stepping into the unknown can be terrifying, even if it is exactly what you wished for. The temptation is to stay in the old comforts because they are (at least) familiar.
But in nature, nothing remains stagnant. To feel truly alive, you must listen for the call to attrition, and loosen your grip on the old way, without knowing what will grow in its place.
What are the conditions that will best serve your unopened seeds. How can the soil be tended to nourish your wellbeing. What must be weeded away to clear the way for new sprouts?
What simple things can we weave into your routine to keep yourself nourished? What can be released?
This could include things like,
Starting the day with a nice big drink of warm water and a squeeze of lemon.
Doing some meal planning so that you can do some prep and also have all the ingredients you need to make nutritious dinners.
Turn off most of the notifications on your phone so that you don’t get distracted each time your phone beeps. Set regular times each day that you check messages and emails and decide on a time limit for social media. This makes a massive difference to our productivity as we aren’t constantly taking ourselves out of our work and creative flow.
Have a meeting with the kids so they are on board with the family menu and are peaceful stakeholders. Ask what their favourite foods are and discuss the ways in which meals can still be healthy and everyone still be happy.
Decide how much (or how little) alcohol you would like to drink at gatherings this festive season and be prepared with your choice when your friends go to buy you a drink.
Making sure you have a couple or more early nights each week.
Including cruciferous and dark green leafy veggies and working on getting a RAINBOW of colours on your plate at dinner.
Batch. Cooking. Is. Essential. Soak some dried legumes overnight and make a huge pot of beans with onion, garlic, herbs, bay in the slow cooker. You could portion them up and put them into the freezer. Or if you are feeling fancy, spice them up into a beautiful dal or the basis of a Mexican fiesta and then freeze into portions. Instant Dinner! (I will write more on this).
Doing something each day for your physical body, for example, stretching or foam rolling, a Yoga practice or joining in on a yoga or pilates studio class or the Barre Base 4 week challenge starting November 20th or try Barre Base Anywhere - it’s weight bearing and amazing for injury prevention.
Planning a nature rich adventure solo or with friends.
Daily time outdoors, walking or riding to work or during your lunch breaks or just enjoying soaking up the vitamin Delightful sunshine.
There are so many little things - many of which are free and each one has a profound effect on our mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
What are you going to add or release from your daily practice? Is there anything you feel might work for you? DM me :).
And if you want more support, get in touch if you want to work together and do a deep dive into your nutrition!