Mindful Matter
5 Things We Learned About Wellness this Month
Jennifer Lioy, Creative and Community Lead at Holstee
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Aaché.
It seems like flu season lasted longer than ever this year. Whenever I find myself with an itchy throat or stuffy nose, I know it’s time to break out the Aaché. What’s that, you ask? It’s a tea-tonic that Mike and I have come to depend on over the years, filled with all sorts of natural, immunity-boosting goodness. Since we are exploring the theme of Wellness this month, I thought it would be fitting to invite you into our kitchen and share our not-so-secret recipe for it.How To Make Aaché: Throw the following into a blender… - One small clove of garlic (peeled)- One peeled piece of fresh turmeric, about the same size as the garlic clove (one small teaspoon turmeric powder can work as an alternative)- One peeled piece of fresh ginger, about double that size- One heavy-handed shake of red cayenne pepper- A quick shake of black pepper- Fresh-squeezed juice from half a lemon- A heaping teaspoon of (preferably local) honey- 5 oz of hot water Blend until liquified (or if you don’t have a blender, hand-chop the garlic, turmeric and ginger into a puree and stir it briskly with the other ingredients). The final result should be cloudy. Give it a good stir before drinking to make sure that too much isn't settled at the bottom of your glass. Drink twice a day or until you feel even better than you did before you got sick. Bottoms up!🍹 Dave RadparvarCo-Founder, Holstee P.S. Friends often ask where the name “Aaché” came from. As mystical and exotic as it might sound, we actually made it up 😆. The name is inspired by the sound you make when clearing your throat after that last, heavily concentrated sip. Try it and you’ll see exactly what we mean ;-). P.P.S. Wellness comes in many forms — and physical health is just one component. Explore our Wellness Guide where we explore the six dimensions defined by the National Wellness Center.
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Take care.
This month’s Wellness Art comes from Jennifer Lioy, our creative and communications lead at Holstee. When Jennifer first showed me a draft for this art, I asked her why she chose the words "take care" as her starting point. I loved her thoughtful response: “I love the phrase ‘take care’ as a mantra for wellness because while it's most commonly used as a casual, sometimes careless way of saying goodbye, when you give it a moment of pause, it's actually a lovely message to wish someone (or yourself).There’s no guilt implied, no judgment about what you should be doing buried underneath.While taking care for me means spending time in the sun, sleeping soundly, eating roasted veggies, and not drinking too much coffee, maybe it looks completely different for you. I hope this art serves as a helpful reminder to do whatever you need to feel good, content, and strong. Take care." What do you need to do in order to “take care” of yourself today? Dave RadparvarCo-Founder, Holstee P.S. For me, this comes back to my daily non-negotiable habit that I shared in a past Reflections email. P.P.S. Love this month’s art? Become a print or digital member today and let me know by shooting me an email. I’m happy to send you a copy of this month’s Wellness Art and Guide as a gift. Oh and if you haven't seen it yet, here is a peek of the art...
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Soft front, strong backs, and wild hearts.
I was recently stuck in traffic driving up California's 405 to visit Mike in Ventura. As usual, it was bumper to bumper traffic. I was in for a long ride so I turned to the company of one of my favorite podcasts. I opened up On Being hosted by Krista Tippett and selected the episode “Soft Front, Strong Backs, and Wild Hearts” featuring researcher Brené Brown. As I listened to the two women drop poetic wisdom, I was so wrapped up in their words that I forgot about the traffic. One quote in particular captured my attention. It was this quote from Brené's latest book: “We are neuro-biologically hardwired for belonging and connection. We’re hardwired to want it, and need it so much, that the first thing we do is sacrifice ourselves and who we are to achieve it.” I had to let that idea soak for a moment. I asked myself: If our sense of belonging comes from being accepted for who we are, then would it really be “belonging” if we had to sacrifice a part of ourselves for it? As I struggled with this question, I kept coming back to the interconnectedness between our need for belonging and our identity. That feeling of belonging is a validation of our existence — evidence that our lives have meaning, that we matter, and that one day, when we are no longer here, our presence will be missed. In her book “Braving the Wilderness”, Brown resolves this with a definition for “true belonging” — a perfect summation of how we establish a lasting sense of self that supports rather than diminishes our sense of belonging: “True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.” Simply said, when you are true to yourself, you will realize you truly belong. A powerful thought. Sending love from my wild heart to yours, Dave RadparvarCo-Founder, Holstee P.S. This podcast was just one of the links we featured in this month's Curated Resources for Kinship [Member Content]. Take a moment to explore the others as well as this month’s Kinship Guide [Member Content] before we start exploring March's theme of Wellness next month!
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