The Art of Emerging from Darkness - Natural Therapies for Surviving Winter

OR......some ways I am learning to L♥ve Winter  in Upstate NY ......besides flying away to a warm, sunny, tropical paradise....











Depression, winter blues, feeling down, dark clouds, etc., etc......For many (including myself) this is winter or SAD - seasonal affective disorder.  For others (also including myself) it is a year round condition that may be magnified during the spring, fall, and especially winter.  

I've suffered from depression since I was a child.  Over the years, I've shared my story about my cancer diagnosis, however, it's taken me a while to acknowledge, admit, and now openly share my experience with depression. It's just not a topic that most people are comfortable talking about. 

Depression can be debilitating and extremely difficult to overcome.  However, it is possible, (without drugs) although I had years ago gone down that road.  What I'm sharing here are some simple & natural ways that have helped me to maintain and keep the looming clouds of darkness at bay.  What has worked for me is not just one "therapy" but a combination.; and of course I am only listing a select few. And...as with most solutions - this is not a one size fits all.  I encourage you to experiment, 


USE ALL OF YOUR SENSES ~ see what works best for you ~ mix it up.  Here goes......



For myself - First and foremost is DIET - avoiding processed foods - adding  GREEN - juices, smoothies, etc.  LIVING FRESH whole food - it is loaded with sunshine - wakes up your cells - get's your blood flowing. The more living food I eat the better I feel - without a doubt.   And if you are ready - periodic cleansing.  Oh...and spirulina & bee pollen - great energizers & immune boosters.  If you are having cravings for not so optimal foods - try adding healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado, olives, or nuts - this helps me especially in the winter. 

DRINK-  stay hydrated - warm spring water infused with lemon essential oil or HOT TEA are top on my list.  I make a blend of nettles, oat straw, holy basil, pau d'arco, and whatever else I have on hand.  

SLEEP, sleep, sleep.....  (thank you Gerry)


HEAT is comforting......speaking of heat - HOT showers and baths! 

 Awake your senses ....
AROMATHERAPY.  Using *therapeutic grade oils such as peppermint or lemon can be extremely uplifting. Explore special blends known to help with depression - Valor is my favorite......our sense of smell can have a surprisingly great impact on the mind - chemicals and artificial scents send me over the top - however, natural scents of high quality herbs & oils can create feelings of comfort & bliss.  Therapeutic grade oils can be inhaled, massaged, or ingested. Use in the bath with epsom or sea salt, put in a diffuser, use with carrier oils as moisturizer or just inhale and enjoy intoxicating scents.
 

 LIGHT - I started using a light box every morning (thank you Billie)...of course fresh sunshine is the best but up here our chances are slim to none of a daily dose.  I also supplement with Vitamin D3.

Hang out with KIDS - they are full of fresh ideas, keep you young & laughing - just be sure to have time to yourself (ok...that's a whole other blog)

READ a BOOK (not on an electrical device) a REAL book - keep your mind stimulated - or relax and get lost in an amazing story - fact or fiction...Oh seed catalogs - they start arriving in December!


Movement & Sound - Rebounding - singing & dancing - does wonders for the mind (and helps you stay in shape as well)  I have been using a rebounder (mini-trampoline) for over 30 years - it is the BEST - sing - dance - JUMP - enjoy....get's the blood flowing and stimulates the lymphatic system.

I  also LOVE snowshoeing, hiking, walking. stretching (yoga), getting outside - breathing fresh air and observing our surroundings.  Which leads us to the one "Therapy" that I feel encompasses all the elements connecting our mind, body, & spirit toward any type of healing.......

 








 NATURE THERAPY  =  creating, writing, photographing, making, meditating, moving, touching, smelling, tasting, feeling, hearing.......connecting...


 

Seeing, hearing, listening and feeling all the beauty of winter ~ yes ~ it is cold but it really is beautiful.......

pictures don't really capture the true essence of the beauty in following deer tracks, 











 



spotting a dash of color amidst the brown & white landscape, 

waiting & watching for the oh so elusive sun to peak out from behind the clouds; 
















the sound of stillness & movement in the wind and trees.......












 







The first steps out into the cold..... quiescence.....sadness  -  reminders of a great loss recently experienced.........the absence of light & life are overwhelming . . .

and illusory -  as I keep moving and begin really observing - looking, listening, smelling, feeling, touching - I see signs of life hope - the future - life - regeneration













A tiny caterpillar crawling towards a flower I placed into the frozen ground .......

a once flying insect struggling towards ~ beautiful seeds from the milkweed - now burrowed into the ground - perhaps the home of a tiny mouse or fairy ~










 

a "couple" of plants ~ leaning, supporting and loving (yes plants are living and do communicate!)








 



  



Birds singing and playing in the trees... 

Water dancing in the stream....

I listen to the wind ~ smell the grasses, feel the trees, see the birds and bugs, touch the snow, dirt, and plants   ~  taste the air ~

  

observe with all your senses - the art in nature

The spirit energy in everything ~ always ~ all around us ~ changing ~ growing ~ evolving ....... we are all connected to everything.


So get outside and go inside - connect - observe all the beauty nature has to offer - any way, any where, or any time of year......

m xoxo (yeah that too)



Well I hope you enjoyed a peak into some of my daily thoughts and activities.  As I mentioned above, this is only a partial list of "therapies".  I would also like to add that sometimes life can get in the way and we find ourselves caught up in situations beyond our control.  When this happens (and it does happen) I try and remember that it is all temporary, part of a cycle, it will pass...and just like the quiescence of winter, the life & light of spring will reemerge..... finding and utilizing the right tools can expedite the process.  I encourage you to research, experiment and explore , reach out, connect with other like minded individuals - it's not always easy but it is POSSIBLE.

For those interested, I offer workshops utilizing most of the therapies mentioned above.  Join me for a workshop or retreat - learn more about aromatherapy, plant based living & wild foods, herbs, elixirs & tonics, nature therapy, and our ability to heal naturally.  Our next retreat is coming up May 15th-18th 2015 - please  visit my website or contact me for more details.

I would love to hear what works for YOU  - please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, ideas, experiences AND please share with anyone whom you think may benefit or need a bit of a reminder (I think we all do at some time) : )

Ch..Ch...Ch....Ch....Changes....Autumn is Here

Yes – it’s that time of year again when I get to quote one of my favorite David Bowie songs......The leaves are flying from the trees as the colors are intensifying daily, the evening light is amazing, the sunsets intensely fiery, the apples abundant & crisp bright orange & yellow squashes are all ready to carve & eat, and although the sun still feels warm when present, the air has that oh so familiar chill…..

In the garden still plenty of, tomatoes, basil, chives, oregano, rosemary, thyme, parsley, red amaranth, cabbage, carrots, swiss chard, some corn but loads of collards & kale – which by the way gets sweeter after the first frost…which fortunately we haven’t had yet…..close but no real damage……Flowers are still blooming….. nasturtiums (really), calendula, zinnias, cosmos, and now mums.

Lots of tomato, basil & parsley freezing (I don’t can), sauerkraut/kimchee, elderberry tonic making; and green herbs drying.  Today I’m dehydrating parsley, mint, & nettle seeds and some non-seeded nettle leaves.  Tomorrow I will use the rest of the zucchinis, onions & some carrots to make confetti crackers.  I’ve also saved some sumac seeds to experiment with over the winter.

The elderberries are gone; either picked by me or eaten by the birds; edible stinging nettle leaves are still to be found in new & old places and the seeds are still plenty.  The leaves, seeds & roots of a variety of yummy wild edibles are still available for harvesting such as dandelion, yellow dock, burdock, & amaranth.…Oh and mushrooms, which I will hopefully be learning more about on a walk coming up at the end of the month.

 

My cats are still killing birds, voles, & mice, but I’ve noticed less frogs (thank you) and the chickens are still having fun finding all the goodies in the still soft ground.  Most birds are still around – I saw 2 Blue Jays in the apple trees this morning.  Bees always seem neurotic this time of year – I’m sure they are also  preparing for the cold gray winter which will soon be here…….

Yes,  I will miss my garden, the singing of the birds and buzzing of the bees, watching my little guy run, jump & climb outdoors, warm breezes, eating meals and setting up my office outdoors, and my crazy schedule (well maybe not so much).   That being said, there will still be food from the yard & garden to eat, and time to focus on indoor activities.  I will have time to order seeds & dream about next years garden, experiment with some new recipes (see one below), while working on my book, revamp my website, and get my studio active again. 

But what about the SUN????    I’ve always been a sun worshipper -  I crave the sun like food and will take it in whenever I can (without toxic sunscreen – TYVM).  This all makes sense as I found out I am severely deficient in Vitamin D.  So what’s the solution besides taking a supplement and sitting under a sun lamp (sorry - just doesn’t cut it for me)???  Well....I will stay busy doing the above mentioned tasks and then escape to a warm tropical paradise. 

This year I am planning on coordinating some learning retreats in faraway warm & sunny places. 

Think vegan & raw food, wild edibles, art, exclusive tours, sun, sand, sea, REJUVINATION, making new friends and loads of fun……….I’ll keep you posted.  

In the mean time, I will be present and enjoy one of the most beautiful, miraculous, times of the year......autumn…Hope you will too! 

And since this year has been one of the most abundant for apples, (our branches are literally weighed down with apples) I will leave you with this delicious apple cobbler recipe...........enjoy :)

Better than Baked Apple Cobbler        

6-8 apples

1/2 cup soaked raisins

1-2 T sweetner of your choice  (coconut nectar, raw honey, agave) adjust according to your preference & sweetness of your apples..

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 tsp cinammon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp sea salt

Chop and peel 1 apple and puree with remaining ingredients. 

Cut up remaining apples (peeling is optional) place in large bowl and mix with puree. 

Topping Crumble:
1 cup nuts - Pecans or Walnuts or both
1/2 cup dates
1/2 tsp sea salt

In a food processor, pulse/chop walnuts, add chopped dates, sea salt & vanilla pulse again  (should be crumbly).  Top bowl of apples with crumble.  Dehydrate for 4-5 hours or until apples are soft.

Icing - (optional but highly recommended)
1 thai coconut (meat only - save water and drink to rehydrate yourself or freeze into ice cubes)
2 T coconut nectar (or sweetner of your choice)
dash vanilla
pinch sea salt
Blend all ingredients together and drizzle over warm cobbler. 
 

If you are interested in scheduling classes, workshops, or a mini-metreat at Turquoise Barn or if you would like to attend the wild edible walk with Marguerite Bower at the end of this month, please contact me via email or phone.  After the walk, in addition to a demo, I will  be talking a bit about detoxing and Chris Rosenthal, will be speaking about emotional & mental health.