Season: Winter
Element: Water
Moon: Full
Zodiac: Cancer
Happy Tuesday!
I hope you all had a wonderful winter solstice and a merry Christmas to all who celebrate. As we head towards the end of December and 2023, don’t forget to sign up for the Cascade Rest Curations in January 2024. There is an Energy Release Curation on Sunday, January 7, from 1:30 to 3:00pm for $26.00, a free Rest Event on Sunday, January 14, from 1:30 to 3:00pm, and a Feng Shui Curation on Sunday, January 28, from 1:30 to 3:30pm for $44.00. Just click on the links above to sign-up on Eventbrite. Looking forward to seeing you in January!
Tonight is the full Cold Moon in empathetic Cancer. Empathy is a word that has been coming up a lot for me lately. In this complicated world we live in, empathy has been a useful tool when holding complex issues in my head where two things are true at the same time. I try to empathize with where people are at currently and how much they can handle. If I start to push too hard, I truly try to pull back to a place of empathy and give people the space to change at their own pace. Because change is happening all the time, all around us. There is no hurry, but change is inevitable. The only permanence is impermanence. As the Stoic philosopher Seneca once said, “All things are in a process of change. You yourself are subject to constant alteration and gradual decay. So too is the whole universe.” If you are interested in Stoicism, I have enjoyed Breakfast with Seneca by David Fideler.
If we embrace change, would it be possible to live with more ease? Would this give us more permission to rest? Change is constant in feng shui — we change our element as we progress to different phases of our lives (more on this in my next Substack post), we change our energy in our bodies by changing the energy around us, and we change the energy of our spaces by working with the energy of the five elements. Change is happening, so let’s embrace it.
Here are two changes I am curating for you from the article, book, and podcast themes that have been wrapping up 2023 and forecasting 2024:
Change from “rugged individualism” to “we are a collective”:
Rugged individualism = the practice or advocacy of individualism in social and economic relations emphasizing personal liberty and independence, self-reliance, resourcefulness, self-direction of the individual, and free competition in enterprise.
Collective = is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together to achieve a common objective. We are all in this together as a family, a community, an earth, a universe.
Change from “one size fits all” to “we are all unique”:
One size fits all = relating to policies or approaches that are standard and not tailored to individual needs. Standardization in education, healthcare, and occupations is just not serving us well.
Unique = being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else. We all are special and sharing our individual gifts to the collective is our purpose or ikigai.
Note: Rest curations, products, and recordings are still in the works, but I am leaving the paid subscriber Rest Readings, Rest Recipes, and Rest Rituals on the newsletter for a month or so. If you want to contribute, consider becoming a paid subscriber through Substack:
REST READING
One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane
Breakfast with Seneca by David Fideler
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris
Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Simple Matters by Erin Boyle
Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
The Year of Cozy by Adrianna Adarme
How We Show Up by Mia Birdsong
Permission to Rest by Ashley Neese
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve by Stanley Rosenberg
The Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hahn
Burnout by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Saving Time by Jenny Odell
The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer by Dan Buettner
The Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener
Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor
Essential Oils to Boost the Brain & Heal the Body by Jodi Cohen
In Praise of Wasting Time by Alan Lightman
The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
REST RECIPE
I’ve been eating a lot of treats this December, so I need a way to reset while still getting a sweet fix without all the sugar. This marvelous turtle egg recipe from Jessica Murnane’s One Part Plant cookbook is the perfect solution. She calls them turtle eggs most likely because they taste like a classic chocolate turtle (a candy made with pecans and caramel dipped in chocolate). The use of dates simulates the flavor and texture of caramel without adding sugar. So here is the recipe for Turtle Eggs:
2 cups Medjool dates, pits removed
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
18 pecan halves (1 for each turtle, so a couple extra just in case)
1 cup dairy-free or dark chocolate pieces
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. In a food processor, process the dates and the salt until a ball of dough forms. Use a spatula or spoon to scrape down the sides of the food processor, collect the dough, and with wet hands roll the dough into heaping teaspoon-size balls. Press a pecan into the center of each and pinch the dough around it to seal, forming the ball into an egg shape. Transfer the eggs to the prepare baking sheet and put them in the freezer for an hour. While the dough freezes, melt the chocolate in a microwave or double-boiler on the stove. Drop each egg into the chocolate to coat it fully, then scoop it out with a fork, shaking it a little so the extra chocolate falls through the tines. Transfer the chocolate-coated eggs back to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle each one with a little sea salt if you like. Return them to the freezer until the chocolate has set and you are ready to serve.
*Dates help your body to produce melatonin, which in turn helps your sleep quality. Dates are also high in fiber, which takes time to digest and can keep you feeling full throughout the night.
REST RITUAL
This week’s rest ritual for all of you is very simple — please REST before the end of 2023. If you can, go to bed early, sleep in, take a nap, take a walk in noble silence, curl up with a good book, or take a hot bath. Enjoy the quieter, slower moments of life.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope this has been enjoyable. May your week be relaxing.
Below are the upcoming 2024 Cascade Rest Curations (links to Eventbrite are in the titles):
Energy Release Curation
Date: Sunday, January 7, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: 90 minute energy release and rest curation in community with like-minded people.
Cost: $26.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, January 14, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Feng Shui Curation
Date: Sunday, January 28, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the key feng shui concepts of chi, yin yang, the five elements, the creative and destructive cycles, and the bagua map.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, February 11, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Tea Ceremony Curation
Date: Sunday, February 25, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the ritual of tea making and pouring, the benefits of herbal teas, the attributes of the water element, and what you can expect from the year of the wood dragon.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, March 10, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Spring Equinox Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Sunday, March 24, 2024
Time: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Spring and yin themed menu presented as a cooking demonstration to learn and feast on with a rest event after.
Cost: Price Pending
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, April 14, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Wood Element Curation
Date: Sunday, April 28, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Learn the depths of the wood element and how to integrate its attributes into your home and your life.
Cost: $44.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, May 12, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Sound Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Join Kara Markovich for a sound immersion, various instruments such as singing bowls, crystal bowls, gongs and various other instruments, fill the space, allowing you to move into a state of deep relaxation.
Cost: $50.00
Rest Event
Date: Sunday, June 9, 2024
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft Avenue Southeast Alto, MI 49302
Description: Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half.
Cost: Free
Summer Solstice Curation - SAVE THE DATE
Date: Saturday, June 23, 2024
Time: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Pending
Description: Summer themed catered meal emphasizing the balance of yin and yang with a rest event after.
Cost: Price Pending
Please note that I am still working on coordinating the curations marked as SAVE THE DATE. I will update these as details progress in future Substack posts.
And if you are interested in my feng shui services, please see my website at www.cascadefengshui.com and contact me at abby@cascadefengshui.com. I’m also on Instagram at cascade.feng.shui.