It was this thing- this joke- about my post-fast skeleton Halloween costume… definitely slimmer, but I’m out of the underfed weakling stage for sure. I took a selfie, but I decided I looked completely unhinged. My makeup was creepy and weird- kind of like Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice (which I know I should embrace, but I decided this was a paint job for the moment, not eternity). I was late- rushing, tried to wipe it off, made a big mess of it, then just resigned myself to the creepiness. Halloween was such a treat. We have a tradition of meeting at my studio before and after trick or treating to eat food, hang out, catch up, and later sort through all the treats.

The boys are 11 and 6- Halloween still has a magic twinkle to it. The rainy & windy weather let up, and it turned into a chilly and quintessential PNW fall evening. This year, I didn’t even have to walk my youngest up- he went to the doors by himself! And my older son just texted me when he made it from one neighborhood to another. Everyone came back to the studio for more fun after trick-or-treating. We busted out the giant weighted punching bag and let the kids loose- the little ones beat the crap out of it with wooden sticks, and the older boys pummeled it with sweaty fists and ninja kicks.

This event and the baby shower I hosted for my bestie a few weeks ago have filled up my social cup and my persistent desire to share frivolity and food with my favorites. The energy in my studio is evolving- and I love it! It has more of a cozy living room vibe than it did before, and the space is versatile for many different kinds of interests and activities.

The Food

The feast this year was a little different- Kalua pig and cabbage in the instant pot (love nomnompaleo’s version)(even better with a pinch of San Juan Sea Salt’s Madrone Smoked Salt!), Thai curried carrot soup (spicy goodness), jasmine rice, lots of delicious aged cheeses, a cream cheese/dill/garlic/olive oil/lemon zest/ S&P dip… fresh veggies – carrots, peppers, celery, Persian cucumber coins… mmm. Friends brought deviled eggs that looked like spiders, fizzy waters, and classic cheesy potatoes- perfect potluck contributions.

The best part was sharing the sacred cultures. I brought 3 kinds of kraut- Kim chi, green and caraflex cabbage/dill/garlic/caraway, and purple with carrot, ginger, garlic, and, now- tomato/fennel/basil/garlic (OMG!), asparagus, dill pickle chips and spears. I also had some raw milk kefir to share which went really well with the spicy Thai curry soup. To watch my guest’s faces light up with excitement at the lively and effervescent flavors was such a joy. The titillated tasters fueled my ideas with shared enthusiasm and asked how they could be a part of it. This is exactly what good cultures do- everyone works together and everyone wins (except the selfish squatters). Community health- emotional, physical, and dare I say spiritual, is bolstered by togetherness, nutritious foods, delayed gratification, learning new things, and repopulating our gut microbiome with helpful beings. Every time we eat, we would do well to remember we are feeding an army- an army that keeps us immune to bugs that would otherwise take us down, an army whose leader is the voice inside our head, and an army that needs to be well trained, well paid, and well appreciated to do its job right. When we mostly eat foods that over-challenge our digestive mechanisms and insult the brilliant nature of our physiology for decade after decade, it is no wonder that we may suffer from health complaints. I’m not saying that’s the only reason- surely there are people that do everything right and still get sick- but this is one crucial piece to the healthy/happy puzzle- eating (and enjoying!) LIVING food that our body actually wants.

Fall Musings

Lovers of autumn UNITE! Our uniform is cozy sweaters, our sustenance- soup and warm beverages, and our preferred activity- uninterrupted reading, crafting, or cooking! I see all that the former seasons have brought into my life with new clarity. Something my tai chi teacher would talk about often was “letting the past die.” When we allow for death, we allow for life. We can use our incredible minds to see what moves us toward alignment and what pulls us out of it. By acknowledging the seasonal holiness of this window- November 1st until the 15th or so- we can truly dive deeply into the healing rest of winter. What became clear to me in the fast was that all the crap- all the stuff we don’t want- all the judgement, bitterness, cruelty, and control- they all exist in the realm of the unconscious. In the present moment exists unconditional love- and when we surrender to the present moment- we realize things about ourselves that were completely shrouded in the suffering of the past. It’s a vibe that many of those who have had near death experiences talk about- this perspective shift where we can see ourselves through the lens of unconditional love with understanding and compassion. We realize how our thoughts and behaviors play into how our life unfolds. Anita Moorjani, author of Dying to be Me, discusses her NDE and how when she returned from it with the understanding that her persistent fears were linked to her metastatic cancer. She describes how her body miraculously healed after being bathed in those vibrations of unconditional love. She talks about how all her fears just vanished with the understanding and experience of her own magnificence. I highly recommend reading her story- the fears we have around death are unfounded. There is nothing to fear. We are precious, treasured children of the universe, and we will be guided every step of the way.