Weekly Words: "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front"

"Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something
that won’t compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion – put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn’t go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection."

- Wendell Berry

Cumberland Island National Seashore

Last week, on our not-so-sunny trip south, we took a jaunt to Cumberland Island.

Off the coast of St. Marys, Georgia, this barrier island is an fascinating place.  It's four miles bigger than Manhattan, yet on any given day, has less than three hundred inhabitants - most being campers, day-trippers and guests. While it historically was home to Native American tribes and colonial settlers, the Carnegie family put it on the map.

Visually, Cumberland Island is a dream - specifically, the type that's covered in Saw Palmetto and dripping with Spanish moss. A mix of beaches and maritime forests, it's the kind of place that you could find sand dollars on the beach and see an armadillo burrowing amidst the dense trees. It also doesn't hurt that it's full of horses that run freely across the beaches and marshes.

On the day we visited, it was cool and quiet, almost hauntingly so. I can't stop thinking about the pristine beaches and the way that the live oak trees curl away from the shore. And while I look forward to returning on sunnier days, I'd be remiss if I didn't say that Cumberland Island has got me under it's spell.

What to Do

Bike

Cumberland Island consists of a small network of sandy roads that are perfectly packed for bike and foot traffic. Rent bikes at the Sea Camp dock, and depending on how much time you have, either head north to the sandy beaches and historical sites, or turn south to the Dungeness ruins and Pelican Banks for some birdwatching.

Beaches

We spent much of the time that we weren't biking on the beach, which was vast and gloriously empty. We walked and talked for hours, hunting for shark's teeth and shells. Despite the endless fog and cool breeze, the water was fairly warm and the rays somehow poked through.  For this, I was endlessly happy for my big sun hat and a new gorgeous natural sunscreen.

Historical Sites

With a history of wealthy residents, Cumberland Island is scattered with historical manses that were built as the Carnegie children grew up. To the south of the island are the ruins of the Dungeness mansion, Thomas and Lucy Carnegie's home, which burned down in the late 1950s. To the north of the island is the nineteenth century First African Baptist Church, most known for being the place that John F. Kennedy Jr. got married.

On the day we visited, we selected a site halfway between the two (nearly eight-miles from the ferry dock), Plum Orchard. The Georgian Revival was built for one of the Carnegie sons, touted extremely advanced technology (for the 1890s!) and was filled with the most gorgeous hand-painted wallpaper I've seen.

Where to Stay

Cumberland Island is a great place for a day trip, but staying longer affords you the possibility to see more and take your time. Unless you're a descendant of the Carnegie family, you have two options: stay for two or more nights at the lovely all-inclusive Greyfield Inn or camp at one of several campsites.

How to Get There

The Cumberland Island Ferry has several departures daily from St. Marys, Georgia. Make sure to book in advance, as the ferry is small and fills up fast. St. Marys is a sleepy port town, but there are a few places, like The Blue Goose, to pick up breakfast or snacks before your journey begins.

Happy weekend...

Happy Friday! This weekend I'm looking forward to watching the snow melt (forty degrees and sunny? I'll take it!), checking out some new food for Restaurant Week and working to finalize our honeymoon plans. Here are a few things that fascinated me this week:

• Swaying to the sweet honey voice of Leon Bridges, the latest crooner to steal my heart. His first few released songs have those good Sam Cooke vibes that transports you to another time and place.
• Listening to the newer (to me) NPR series Invisibilia? It examines the intangible forces surrounding us in this modern world, and is utterly fascinating.
• Making my favorite bean burger for lunch today. The spices and dressing are totally divine.
• And finally, a long-time favorite poem, "Sonnet: Against Entropy" from science fiction and fantasy writer John M. Ford (that last line really gets it!):

“The worm drives helically through the wood
And does not know the dust left in the bore
Once made the table integral and good;
And suddenly the crystal hits the floor.
Electrons find their paths in subtle ways,
A massless eddy in a trail of smoke;
The names of lovers, light of other days
Perhaps you will not miss them. That's the joke.
The universe winds down. That's how it's made.
But memory is everything to lose;
Although some of the colors have to fade,
Do not believe you'll get the chance to choose.
Regret, by definition, comes too late;
Say what you mean. Bear witness. Iterate.”

- John M. Ford

Simple Techniques for Peaceful Relaxation

I am a historically terrible sleeper. For this, I blame years of being afraid of the dark as a child. Exhausted, but perennially terrified that the monsters would get me, I'd lock my bedroom door, turn on all the lights, and read every book in my library until the sun came up. My mother, however, says that it's because every night throughout her pregnancy, my father would come home from work and talk to me at night. It was no surprise that I was born at eleven o'clock at night.

“The phrase ‘going to sleep’ has always given me great anxiety. I don’t like doing things I’m bad at, and I have been told since I was very young that I am a bad sleeper. As soon as I become prone, my head will begin to unpack.”

— Amy Poehler

Chances are, you've had a few brushes with sleeplessness too. In Stephanie Silberman's fantastic book, The Insomnia Workbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting the Sleep You Need, she quotes the National Sleep Foundation's 2007 poll in which "approximately 67% of women reported having a sleep problem at least a few nights per week within the past month with 46% indicating a sleep problem every night or almost every night." Understanding a bit about our physical and mental chemistry, it's no wonder many of us struggle to get the rest we need.

Over the years, I've worked hard to conquer occasional bouts of insomnia. I've tried natural and herbal remedies, like Valerian root and Bedtime Teas, and have turned to more allopathic medicine in dire times of need. But when daytime stress level increase, the sleep demons return, rendering most of these tools useless and not sustainable for the long run.

What is effective, however, is ensuring that I maintain proper sleep hygiene (which is a whole post within itself) and keep a rotation of relaxation techniques in my arsenal. While true sleep problems may require professional help and a more comprehensive approach, below are a few tried-and-true tricks that I turn to in an effort to encourage the sweet slumber we all love and need.

Simple Techniques for Peaceful Relaxation

Guided Imagery

Guided visualizations are amazing at bringing focus to the sensory elements to help you relax. A new favorite scene, "The Mountain" from The Insomnia Workbook, is shared here, and can be performed in a dimly lit room, while in a comfortable position, before bedtime.

Another approach is to use a recorded visualization to help you fall asleep. For this, Belleruth Naparstek's Healthful Journeys: A Meditation to Help You With Helpful Sleep is the by far best that I've found. When first used over four years ago, the restfulness was instantaneous, and I couldn't even remember falling asleep (which is pretty much the goal!).

Meditation

Meditation is amazing for educing daytime stress, encouraging overall centering, and bringing the self to the present. My favorite meditation is Metta bhavana (Loving-Kindness Meditation), which is a Buddhist practice of unconditional compassion that has been shown effective at reducing pain and producing a positive sense of well-being. I also prefer to perform this before bedtime, but it's very effective any time of the day.

Mantras

Mantras are sacred utterances - simple words and phrases that when repeated can bring peace and focus. Like counting sheep, but with words, these one-liners are extremely effective either before or while trying to fall asleep. For beginners, try repeating the sleep mantra:

Om Agasthi Shahina (Ōm Ah-gah´-stee Shah-ee´-nah)

If you find yourself distracted, bring your mind back to the words by focusing the pronunciation and repetition.

For a more guided experience, try a recorded mantra journey, like that of Deva Premal and Mitten and notice how it changes your evening routine over time.

Focused Breathing

Deep belly breathing is amazing at calming an anxious soul. It slows down your heart rate by stimulating your vagus nerve, and gets oxygen flowing to spaces created when we engage in shallow nervous breaths. To do so, bring your attention to your breathing and notice the parts of your body that rise and fall. Place one hand on your belly, and another on your chest and focus on inhaling until your stomach is expanded. After a few breaths this way, then focus on letting any extra air fill up your chest and lungs after your belly is full. Practice this for several minutes.

Once you've conquered the belly breath, change your focus to breath timing. The most effective count of relaxation breathing that I've experienced is 4-7-8. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 long seconds. Repeat for at least five minutes and notice how much more relaxed you feel.

Weekly Words: "The Guest House"

"This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond."

- Rumi

Mango and Golden Beet Smoothie

Last night, we returned from five glorious days off in Florida. It was a much needed break from a recent busy period and the epic winter we've been having here in Boston, and a great place to celebrate my love's thirtieth trip around the sun.  But there was one thing that was missing from our trip south: the sun.

Gloomy skies aside, we had a wonderful visit filled with quiet island adventures, meditative walks on the beach and some good vacation indulgence. We also had the pleasure of devouring delicious citrus in their natural locale. And now that I'm back, I'm craving more of those fruits and a return to my weekly health routine. 

This mango and golden beet smoothie is a variation on what typically makes up my daily breakfast: a blended mix of fruit and vegetables, nourishing powders and a mixture of seeds.

Beets are a wonderful detoxifying food, and in conjunction with mango, are filled with antioxidant-loaded carotenoids to help support eye health. Maca is a hormone-balancing root vegetable native to Peru and known to help boost fertility and control adrenal activity. These ingredients are combined with orange, raw sprouted protein, my hemp, chia, and flaxseed mix and immunity-boosting bee pollen to provide the right kind of sunny energy needed on a winter morning.

Mango and Golden Beet Smoothie

1 small banana, sliced

1/2 naval orange, peeled

1 small golden beet, peeled and diced

1/2 a mango, cubed

1 packet of raw protein powder (I prefer this kind)

1 tablespoon Maca powder

1 tsp hemp seed

1 tsp chia seed

1 tsp flaxseed

1 tsp bee pollen

Combine first six ingredients in blender, and top with water or preferred nut milk and 3-4 ice cubes. Blend until combined. Add in hemp, chia, flaxseed and bee pollen and pulse until combined. Drink immediately, or if storing, reserve seed and bee pollen mixture until serving, as they will absorb much of the liquid and thicken the smoothie.

Weekly Words: "Your Heart Knows the Secrets"

“Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights.
But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge.
You would know in words that which you have always known in thought.
You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

And it is well that you should.
The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea;
and the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes.
But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure;
And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line.
For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, "I have found the path of the soul.” Say rather, "I have found a truth."
Say not, “I have found the path of the soul.”
Say rather “I have met the soul walking upon my path.”
For the soul walks upon all paths.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.”

- Kahlil Gibran

Shedding Winter Skin

In four short days, we're trading our wool sweaters and boots for some sand and sea. And while I'm thrilled for a break from the snow, I truly can't wait to feel a little sun on my skin. Before I do this, however, some targeted exfoliation is in order.

On a weekly basis, there are three tools that I use to boost circulation, encourage cell turnover and slough off dead skin:

• A washcloth
• A good body brush
• May Lindstrom's "Clean Dirt" cleansing clay

On a daily basis, I cleanse my face with a variety of oils, and use a warm washcloth to gently remove before patting dry. Before showering, I also spend a few minutes dry brushing my entire body, in a circular motion and always upwards towards the heart, which helps remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. 

Several times a week, I also use May Lindstrom's "Clean Dirt" as part of my scrub routine. This divine product is a dry powder of clays, herbs, and spices which foams up when mixed with a few drops of water. Once combined, I paint onto my face and neck, let sit for an invigorating minute or two, and then gently massage for another two to three minutes before rinsing with warm water.

As you've likely noticed, I'm extremely passionate about my personal self-care rituals. I love researching, purchasing small-batch or single ingredient products, and combining to formulate my own potions. That being said, when I discover a company with values and ingredients that I can get truly get behind, I'm all in. May Lindstrom's line falls into this camp, and I've been equally impressed and obsessed with her line since discovering it last year. A true alchemist and artist, May's products were formulated through her own kitchen experimentation, and contain a wonderful mix of wild-crafted, organic, and consciously harvested ingredients.

While these are all elements that I support, what I love most about this line is that it encourages and celebrates the type of personal rituals that encourage overall wellness. I'm a firm believer in the magical power of feeling like you are taking good care of yourself, as mindful self-maintenance can better encourage overall health and self-esteem. Simple techniques like self-massage and aromatherapy lift your mood, lower cortisol levels, and promote good health and immunity. Combine them with a gentle scrub, and you've got yourself fresh skin and a nice routine.

For more on dry brushing, read more here. For May Lindstrom, click here.