Spring Wellness Recipe

Marinate

In Spring, it rains. The ground is saturated before the flowers bloom. What a reminder of our need to nourish our sense of being more deeply before springing into more doing! Pondering the journey from the soaked, nutrient-rich soil to the branch of the brightest redbud – there is an absorbing, a natural soaking up and receiving. Likewise, seeking the place where we receive nourishment and inspiration to fuel our growth, our connection to source, is what the first days of Spring invite us to.

It’s dfferent for each one of us, but creating time and space to discover what it looks like afresh during this season will undoubtedly yield fullness in the months ahead. Cultivating stillness that is hopeful, a capacity to hold the anticipation before a bloom, much like Spring, will surprise us with life-giving nourishment.

And it’s worth noting the other obvious reminder here: hydrate! Keep it simple. Drop something fresh in your bottle: sprig of thyme, slice of ginger or Meyer lemon – anything to make those taste buds curious for more!

Move

The waters are moving! Hesse Creek and Roaring Branch are not still these days. Spring is an invitation to find our flow too! Our bodies are made to move. What kind of movement are you craving? Perhaps try something new this year instead of falling back to old standbys.

Flow also means ease – the sensation of moving with the current of a river instead of against it. Mindfulness practices can help us cultivate this capacity of flow. And it really can be as simple as spending time noticing the same tree or plant every day for 2-3 minutes while breathing into a relaxed, soft belly. The ease with which that plant grows might just become you.

Make

Nature, being so nourished and at ease, cannot contain her creative powers! New buds are bursting, leaves are unfurling and sparrows and Spring peepers serenade us because they cannot do otherwise! Give yourself an outlet to make something, to create freely and express your fullness without judgement. Pickup watercolors, dance, try a new instrument (I may have signed up for voice lessons for the first time in my life last week!) You might just surprise yourself.

What do you think? Is this recipe a keeper? Yes, you still have to decide what’s for dinner. Click here for a little inspiration from Chef Sarah Steffan. And here is a piece of inspiration from a favorite author to share at your table as well.

“Every day you’re given a choice: You can relax and float in the direction that the water flows, or you can swim hard against it. If you go with the river, the energy of a thousand mountain streams will be with you, filling your heart with courage and enthusiasm; if you resist the river, you will feel rankled and tired as you tread water, stuck in the same place." - Elizabeth Lesser

Sending you all the energy of Smoky Mountain streams in Spring, friends! Soak it up!

– Hope Parks, Blackberry Farm Wellness Lifestyle Expert