solstice blessings to us all

it’s fitting that there was snowfall last night, calm and quiet, with little wind to usher in the shortest day of the year.

many people, myself as well sometimes, don’t enjoy the snow or cold or bitterness that seems to trail after every thing and one this time of year, but the snow last night was a welcome one.

waking up to a pristine unbothered whiteness and a crisp chill was a reminder to take it easy and to take the time to slow down, dress warmly and go with intention into the new cycle.

on this shortest day of the year, i will be taking the time to reflect on the last 12 months and meditate on how i’d like to spend the next 12 upcoming.

we can leave the past behind us, but we do ourselves a great disservice if we fail to learn from both our triumphs and mistakes.

i would implore you to also make a moment to sit with yourself, to check in, and to take stock of what’s important to you. it’s okay if those things aren’t the same as they once were. people grow and change, and with that, their priorities.

may you find peace and happiness with your life, your self, and those around you in the coming year.

happy solstice.

xx

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full moon meditation

i love full moons.

there’s just something about the muted, mellow light and how it seems to cleanse everything it touches.

the full moon is a great time to take a look back on all the happenings of the past cycle; to celebrate your triumphs and successes and to cleanse and ride yourself of any negativity and failures (while still holding on to any lessons you have learned).

i also like to take this time and meditate on all the situations the world has gone through in the last month, as a way to process these circumstances and move past any unpleasantness that may have been felt.

i thought it would be fun to share my process with you today.

perhaps you’ll find that it’s a fitting way to welcome in each new cycle and that it’s a great way to allow good things into your life to fill up the spaces where negativity and muckiness used to sit.

i know i have.

so, try it out and, if you’ve never meditated before, don’t be scared to start small.

one minute. two minutes. five minutes.

it doesn’t matter.

what matters is that you make a point to sit with yourself (something that almost everyone i know is entirely uncomfortable with) and your thoughts in order to process, to learn, to grow.

let’s begin.

breathe.

hold 7 seconds.

release.

hold 10 seconds.

repeat.

as you feel yourself relax, as you allow your worries and fears come to the forefront of your mind, toss them into the aether and dissipate.

don’t dwell. don’t stop to over-analyze.

learn how to be okay with sitting and resting and being.

i do this practice every full moon.

i release my problems and doubts and anything troubling and i trust that Mother Moon will guide me through.

if you have a deity or guide, you can also reach out to them. do whatever you feel works best for you. there’s no rules or certain way to do this.

once you feel you’ve released all you need to, quietly come back to yourself and reengage in the world around you, ready to start this new cycle with a clear head and heart.

xx steph

of grandmothers, magic, and bittersweet memories

it’s been nine years to the day since my grandmother passed away and while there were many, many things that were very dear to me about her, her love of cooking for her family is probably among my favorites.

there is nothing on this earth or in the universe beyond that would convince me that my grandmother was anything short of magic.

she probably wouldn’t be too amused by the notion (as devout in her christian faith as she was) but i don’t think that makes it any less true.

i grew up learning how to cook and bake at her hip, watched her make and participated in making all of her recipes, but to this day, all the best ones will not be replicated.

we have her handwritten recipes (complete with additions and notes and little fixes) and multiple people have attempted to recreate them (some of them to point of tears).

none of us have been successful.

our brownies are gluey and flat, our cookies are crunchy, and our fried chicken won’t crackle.

it’s as maddening as it is hilarious in a “neener, neener!” kind of way.

so, magic.

it’s the only explanation i’m willing to accept.

i miss my grandmother more than i can even begin to put into words. there is a hole in my heart where she sat that still hurts and grieves, but through her recipes and my failures, sometimes, it hurts a little less.

i love you, grammy.

thank you for still making me laugh.

xx steph