Season: Autumn
Element: Metal
Moon: Quarter
Zodiac: Virgo
Happy Sunday!
The next Rest Event is coming up on Sunday, December 10, 2023, from 1:30pm to 3:00pm. There are a few spots open, so if you are interested to join, please RVSP at abby@cascadefengshui.com.
For those of you who are new to this newsletter, at the Rest Event you are guided through a body scan, energy clearing, vagus nerve reset, yoga nidra exercise, rest / sleep, wake up, meditation, integration discussion, and affirmation over an hour and a half. All you need is a yoga mat, pillow, and blanket for the experience.
Tomorrow is a quarter moon in reserved and modest Virgo. The month of December is turning into a time of rest and contemplation for me. From get togethers being cancelled to projects being put on hold to people not responding to emails to drawing the 4 of Swords for this month to Natalie Miles’ energy forecast of supported, the universe is telling me to reserve my resources, look inward, recuperate, and quiet the mind. After a bit of resistance, I’m all in and let’s be honest it is in perfect alignment to all that I have been espousing. Slow down and rest…
In this more modest month, I’ve been gravitating to listening to instrumental music over podcasts. What we listen to — positive or negative voices, uplifting or depressing music, healing sounds or noise pollution — impacts our mood and overall energy. I’ve mentioned to some of you that I had an individual sound therapy session with Kara Markovich and attended her Sound Immersion in August. Kara works with sound to help move the brain from beta brainwaves (critical thinking, problem solving, the active brain state) to alpha (resting state) and theta (lucid dreaming). You can learn more about her work at her website.
Kara has two upcoming events that I wanted to showcase, since some of you have reached out about support for Winter Solstice and healing through sound. Here are the events:
December 19, 2023 Breath + Sound | A Solstice Celebration - This is a special event featuring special guest Nikke Lewis, her guidance with breathwork, followed by Kara’s work with sound. The event is at Time to Shine Studio in Kalamazoo, MI from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Tickets can be purchased here.
January 13, 2024 Sound + Space - A Saturday morning Sound Immersion that will take you to a place of peace, stillness, and to connect to something greater... yourself. The event is at The Wagner Ballroom in Marshall, MI from 10:00 to 11:30am. Tickets can be purchased here. I am attending this one if anyone wants to carpool from the Grand Rapids area.
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
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 am a fan of traybakes for their speed and variety. I’ve been playing around with creating my favorite macrobiotic* bowl in a traybake. I add stovetop cooked lentils and rice to round out the bowl since these are better prepared on the stove than the oven. So, here is the recipe for a Macrobiotic Traybake:
1 butternut squash
1 block extra firm tofu
1 bunch of kale
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup lentils
1 kombu stick
1 cup brown rice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Peel and slice the butternut squash in moons. Cube the tofu. Wash and chop the kale to bite size pieces. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over the baking tray / sheet. Add the squash and sprinkle with 1/3 of the salt and pepper. Add the kale and sprinkle with the next 1/3 of the salt and pepper. Add the tofu and sprinkle with the last 1/3 of the salt and pepper and turmeric. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the top of the traybake items and toss them in groups to coat with oil and seasoning. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the squash is tender and the kale is crisp.
While this is cooking, put the lentils and rice into 2 different saucepans. Wash each thoroughly. In the rice saucepan, add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20-30 minutes until tender. Add water to the lentil saucepan until it covers an inch above the legumes. Wash the kombu stick and place into the water over the lentils. Bring the lentils to a boil then simmer for 20 minutes until tender. Drain any excess water before serving. To spice up add a generous squeeze of sriracha and toss.
To serve, in a bowl add these proportions: 40% rice, 30% vegetables, 10% lentils, 10% tofu, and 10% probiotic like plain yogurt, kimchi, or sauerkraut.
*The macrobiotic diet tries to balance the yin and yang elements of food.
REST RITUAL
In feng shui, space clearing is a necessity for ensuring a balanced environment and the mental, physical, and spiritual well-being of the inhabitants. Metal bells are an effective space clearer, since the vibrations created cut through and disperse stagnant energy. I prefer bell space clearing over smudging since the commercialization of white sage has resulted in both illegal and over-harvesting of this natural resource. It is also making it difficult for Native American peoples to find the white sage that they use in their beliefs and rituals. The sound of a bell is the cleanest form of clearing that I have found.
To clear a space, ring the bell in the center or walk around the perimeter for a few minutes ringing continuously. If you have a corner or area in particular where you feel the energy is stagnant — this may be evident by cobwebs or dust — focus the bell ringing here for a few minutes.
A high quality bell is preferred, since the better the tool the better the sound. However, I found this tiny, metal bell at Lucia’s in Saugatuck for $5.50 and the sound is absolutely enchanting. As with all things, find what brings you joy in both sight and sound.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope this has been enjoyable. May your weekend be relaxing.
One more reminder on the last event of 2023:
What: Rest Event
Where: Liebestraum Chalet, 5505 Bancroft, Alto, Michigan 49302
When: Sunday, December 10th, 2023 from 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Why: Give yourself permission and come join me to REST
Who: Presented by Cascade Rest Curation in partnership with Cascade Feng Shui
How Many: Only 10 spots available, so please RSVP asap to abby@cascadefengshui.com if you would like to attend.
How Much: FREE!
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.