Season: Autumn
Element: Metal
Moon: Full
Zodiac: Gemini
Happy Saturday!
The Full Cold Moon occurs tomorrow morning in energetic Gemini. We also have an energetic change coming up with winter solstice on Saturday, December 21st. The solstice ushers in the season of winter and with it the yin energy of the water element. In celebration, we will be starting two new things. First, we have a Rest Walk on Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 10:00am - 12:00pm with myself and the brilliant Katelyn at Seidman Park in Ada, Michigan. If you have not signed up yet, click on the Eventbrite link to let us know that you will be joining. Second, this Substack will start a year long series around the feng shui five elements. If you want to follow along each week on internal and external topics relating to water, wood, fire, earth, and metal, please grab or buy a journal and a good writing utensil to use for reflecting on weekly prompts. There will also be books referenced to read if you want to go even deeper into particular topics.
Here is the overview of the year in case you are an Enneagram 1 like me and appreciate knowing what is to come:
WATER (Winter = December 21, 2024 - March 20, 2025):
Internal Topics: Values, Fears, Listening, and Calmness
External Topics: Bedrooms
Books: Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey and The Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hahn
WOOD (Spring = March 20, 2025 - June 20, 2025):
Internal Topics: Authenticity, Anger, Seeing, and Patience
External Topics: Offices & Gyms
Books: The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin and In Praise of Wasting Time by Alan Lightman
FIRE (Summer = June 20, 2025 - August 15, 2025):
Internal Topics: Passions, Anxiety & Depression, Tasting, and Joy
External Topics: Kitchens & Dining Rooms
Books: Ikigai by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles and Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee
EARTH (Late Summer = August 15, 2025 - September 22, 2025):
Internal Topics: Integrity, Worry, Speaking, and Love
External Topics: Living & Family Rooms
Book: Permission to Rest by Ashley Neese
METAL (Autumn = September 22, 2025 - December 21, 2025):
Internal Topics: Accountability, Grief, Breathing, and Courage
External Topics: Bathrooms
Book: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor and The Cure for Sorrow by Jan Richardson
Each week I will curate information on one or more of the topics above, while also sending on helpful recipes and rituals for the seasons. And of course, there will be information in each Substack post about upcoming Rest Curations, Rest Walks, Sounds Curations, and any other curation I bring from my dreams to fruition. Make sure to subscribe below to ensure you know what is coming up and if you want to donate to this community consider becoming a paid Subscriber. I will also be putting a donation box at the entry of the chalet at Rest Curations in case you want to give a few dollars for the tea or as a thank you for time well spent.
Information on upcoming Rest Curations and Rest Walks are at the bottom of the post. And please pass this Substack onto a friend or family member to broaden this amazing CRC community and to give the gift of rest to those who need it. If you don’t live in West Michigan and want to hold a Rest Curation in your local community, please email me at abby@cascadefengshui.com for the script and music information. Or email me if you would like to organize a private Rest Curation for friends, family, or colleagues.
Note: Rest products are still in the works, but I am leaving the paid subscriber Rest Readings, Rest Recipes, Rest Rituals, and Rest Recordings on the post for another six months. If you want to contribute, consider becoming a paid subscriber through Substack:
REST READING
Check out all of the rest reading recommendations in Resources on my Substack page.
REST RECIPE
At winter solstice, or yule, there is a tradition of making wassail — a beverage made from hot mulled cider, ale, or wine and spices, drunk traditionally as an integral part of wassailing. Similar to Halloween and Christmas caroling, house-visiting wassailing is the practice of people going door-to-door, singing, and offering a drink from the wassail bowl in exchange for gifts. While orchard-visiting wassailing refers to the ancient custom of visiting orchards and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year. I’ve never done orchard-visiting wassailing, but it sounds lovely. I may try going out to sing to some of my trees on the darkest night after mulling some wassail. For my version, I have found a lovely nonalcoholic recipe to make, since even though I was a huge fan of mulled wine I stopped drinking alcohol this year. So, here is the recipe for the Wassail*:
2 quarts apple cider
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3/4 cup pineapple, blackcurrant, or cranberry juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Add all of the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and cloves, pour into mugs, and serve. And for the alcohol drinking grown-ups, a splash of rum or whisky doesn’t hurt. Garnish with dried orange slices or a dash of ground cinnamon.
*And if you can’t be fussed to make the above, you can buy Trader Joe’s wassail, which looks petty good.
REST RITUAL
Take time next week to prepare for the winter solstice on Saturday, December 21st, at 4:19am. If you can’t join us at the Rest Walk, the shortest day and longest night can be celebrated in many other ways including the following traditional celebratory rituals:
Solstice Crafts - make a solstice wreath, orange decorations, or pinecone bird feeder. You could also create a star salt dough solstice garland or any other craft from Zero Waste: Christmas by Christine Leech and Emma Friedlander-Collins.
Solstice Gathering - assemble a group of friends and/or family to eat and drink in candlelight or around a fire. Try to cook with seasonal fruits and vegetables, see this December produce guide for reference.
Solstice Reading - if you have kiddos, read The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper. This beautifully illustrated book is a poem to herald in the winter solstice. For adults, contemplate the beautiful words of Jan Richardson from her books The Cure for Sorrow and A Circle of Grace — in particular Blessings for the Longest Night from the former and A Blessing for Traveling in the Dark from the latter. Or get cozy with The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking.
Waldorf Solstice Spiral - create a swirling spiral out of evergreen boughs and a candle at the center. Slow down, walk with contemplation and an unlit candle to the center, light the candle, and as you make your way back place the candle among the boughs to celebrate quiet confidence, carrying light in darkness, and sharing that light with others.
For more winter solstice ideas check out my 2023 Winter Solstice post. To each of you reading this, I wish you all a happy solstice and merry yuletide. May your sun burn brighter upon its return on the 22nd and good tidings of comfort and joy to you and your kin. And I will leave you with one final poem to remember on the solstice:
To Know the Dark by Wendell Berry
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope this has been enjoyable. May you have a restful weekend.
Below are the upcoming 2024 - 2025 Cascade Rest Curations (links to Eventbrite are underlined):
REST WALKS
Monthly dynamic walks to bring both energy and relaxation. These guided walks will start with a circle to stretch and to set an intention to ponder based on the element of the season. The first 30 minutes of the walk will be in noble silence and the last 30 minutes will be open to conversation and observation. The walk will finish with a circle to reflect, share, integrate, and finally stretch. If you have been hesitant to join a Rest Curation, please consider signing up for a Rest Walk since this a more active entry into yin energy. All Rest Walks will take place on the Saturday near the full moon at Seidman Park in Ada, Michigan:
Rest Walk - Saturday, December 21, 2024 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Rest Walk - Saturday, January 18, 2025 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Rest Walk - Saturday, February 15, 2025 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Rest Walk - Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 10:00am - 12:00pm
REST CURATIONS
Guided body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, and meditation over an hour and a half. All Rest Curations will take place on the Sunday near the new moon at the Liebestraum Chalet in Alto, Michigan:
Rest Curation - Sunday, January 5, 2025 from 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Rest Curation - Sunday, February 2, 2025 from 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Rest Curation - Sunday, March 2, 2025 from 1:30pm - 3:00pm
SOUND CURATIONS
Join us to celebrate the element of each season with sound immersions by Kara Markovich at the Liebestraum Chalet in Alto, Michigan:
SAVE THE DATE: Water Sound Curation - Friday, January 24, 2025 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
SAVE THE DATE: Wood Sound Curation - Friday, March 21, 2025 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
SAVE THE DATE: Fire Sound Curation - Friday, June 20, 2025 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm
And if you are interested in my feng shui and interior design 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.