Summer to Fall with Charlotte Hardwick and Tammy Fender

The transition from Summer to Fall is an impactful shift, both in nature and within ourselves. As Charlotte Hardwick and Tammy Fender prepare to return to Blackberry Farm for their Autumn Renew and Restore event, they shared their thoughts about how to flow within this time of change, find time to prioritize wellness in your daily life and what they're most looking forward to when we welcome the Autumn season.

It often feels easier to be present and relax during a retreat than it does in our everyday life. How are you all approaching this event so that the guests can take what they learn into their life beyond Blackberry?

Tammy: It’s so important when you change your routine to come to terms with your “why.” I’m excited to share with retreatants all the ways that aligning with the seasons can create a sense of cohesion, clarity and comfort in your life, especially during the Autumn. We’ll explore not just the different routines and protocols to support Fall skin and its resilience, but we’ll delve into the underlying foundations and holistic philosophies of why this is important over the longer term and go well beyond the skin.

Charlotte: This is the absolute heart of my work. Whenever I work with someone, the first thing I do is get an idea of their schedule, their lifestyle, their challenges and their goals. On our first night at dinner, after we practice together, I will send cards around so people can write privately a little about what is going on for them, what they are most interested in focusing on at the retreat, and what are they looking to take home with them. Whether it is our yoga practice, meditation, cooking or writing, I will offer 10- to 30-minute ways to incorporate a practice once they get back to their lives. It may be unrealistic to do a 90-minute practice at home, but we can certainly put together a few stretches to remember after exercise, a bedtime wind down routine, a short morning or evening meditation, or a way to begin meal prep at home even if they don't know where to start.
This retreat is just an opening; a gateway to feel better and inspire. Simple tools and tips are offered along the way so they can bring practices home to begin.

It can certainly be a challenge in any season to get enough rest. Why is sleep important going into Fall as we move out of the lightest part of the year and approach the new season?

Tammy: The Fall season, with its dimming light, is an invitation to turn inward. Just as the earth comes to a time of rest, so can the body and spirit in order to restore and renew. The same is true for our sleeping hours—every night is an invitation to come into yourself for full restoration. On the physical level, nighttime is when the skin repairs, which can help slow the aging process. In sleep, the whole being can go into repair mode.

Charlotte: I am going to answer this different way; one that relates more to the many benefits of rest and a restorative yoga practice. I believe a restorative yoga practice is just as important as sleep, and that is what I teach. I see from myself and my clients that rest and slowing down in general goes to the absolute bottom of the list in terms of taking care of ourselves. While many of my clients will emphasize and value exercise and good nutrition, they do not prioritize rest because they think it is a waste of time. Obviously, we have more time on a retreat for longer classes with more rest, and time to slow down to write and meditate, but even a few minutes a day can make a big difference. It is incredible to watch everyone's energy and attention shift after they practice and rest a little. Most everyone does feel better and goes home craving a slower practice to recharge and recalibrate. This is very important for our wellness and health on so many levels. First, with a restorative and restful practice, people simply feel more balanced and have more clarity, but we are actually inviting healing throughout the whole body through a parasympathetic nervous system response. We alkalize the blood, we strengthen digestion, we gently detox and balance hormones. Today, most of us are busy and are running on adrenaline all day. This creates a lot of cortisol which lingers in the body and is toxic and degenerative, creating imbalances in the body. Rest and restorative yoga is medicine. Medicine to rinse cortisol and adrenaline, to strengthen our organs, systems and glands, and to release tension, rigidity and stagnation. Rest brings more vitality and a more generous heart.

You both do a lovely job of sharing how personal wellness practices can be unique to what works best for each individual. For anyone who may think designing a wellness routine feels overwhelming in the little free time they may have each day, how would you encourage them to approach it, or simplify it?

Tammy: It’s always best to approach by first seeing what you can simplify, what you can eliminate—from your skin care routine, from your schedule or from your diet, for example. When you simplify first, cutting out the things that no longer serve you, you may discover a lot of leeway to incorporate new habits. The whole holistic lifestyle is an embrace of simplicity, moving closer to a natural state of being, and while it might seem daunting, it can feel really good, like a relief.

Charlotte: To begin where they are. Look at what they can commit to. If you know you can't do a 60-minute class, then we can find a 10-minute beginning to support your day. No time to meal prep on a Sunday? No problem. Let's make a few homemade dressings for the salads you will buy at work. Or get the ingredients and recipe for smoothies to replace the bakery stop. Health and wellness is about awareness around what needs to change and where you can realistically begin, and being consistent is key.

What foods or ingredients do you find yourselves drawn to during the transition to Fall? What foods are nourishing to the body in this time; what foods are benefitting skin health?

Tammy: Nourishing the skin in order to build its resilience is my key strategy in transitioning to cooler, drier weather. For me, that means relying on nutrient-dense, mineral-rich root vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes and beets, but also foods that provide essential fatty acids, like avocado. At the same time, I like to recommend botanical skin care formulas blended with nutrient-rich moisturizing remedies, including avocado oil, lotus or rosehip seed oil.

Charlotte: I actually cook very little in the Summer; I mainly just put together all the beautiful produce and make simple salads and easy pastas using tomatoes, corn, peaches and basil etc. It feels like everything in the Summer just needs a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of vinegar or a sprinkle of salt. Because of this, when Fall comes around, I could not be more excited to get in the kitchen and cook. I love to plan for the week, make batches of soups or stews, and have people over to share warm bowls of something cozy. I crave warm drinks and soups the most. I love to put fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, pieces of oranges or lemon, whole cardamom and cloves into a pitcher and pour hot water over it to make my version of a chai tea. I drink this all Winter long. I love it, crave it, and I also feel it keeps me well. Root vegetables are my favorite and make delicious soups and curries. I love all the squash, pumpkins, carrots, sweet potatoes and beets. Butternut, delicata and red kuri are Fall vegetables that feel like a gift when they start showing up at the market and are the ones I cook with the most. Fall vegetables are sweet and grounding and keep us warm and healthy all Fall and Winter as they are nourished under the ground by the dark rich soil. This season is not the time for cold raw salads. We want to stay warm from the inside out, roasting and cooking Fall vegetables with warming spices will keep our digestion strong and build immunity. The cooking we are doing in our wellness demo will support Tammy's amazing work and products because Fall vegetables are filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They can help your skin stay hydrated and supple and are regenerating with healthy doses of Vitamin A, C and beta carotene to flood the body and skin. The natural sugar and fiber in root vegetables can also help your body eliminate toxins and crowd out sugar – both incredible for skin!

As I am eating sweeter vegetables and more wonderful fat like coconut oil and avocados, I also love to use lots of oil on my skin. And Tammy’s are the best!

What is one thing you can’t go without during your own nighttime ritual?

Tammy: While moisturizing with a really beautiful crème is always important during the nighttime ritual, one of the moments I love is spritzing with Bulgarian rose water. This simple formula is crafted with pure essence of rose, and it helps me attune to my heart, while also bringing rose’s precious rejuvenating support to the skin. It’s a really beautiful way to end the day.

Charlotte: I always make a tea before bed – always. It’s usually mint or ginger.

There is unique beauty in every season. What are you looking forward to about Fall?

Tammy: I love drinking tea and sitting down with a good book during the Fall, and I love joining nature in this moment of pause. When I can look out and see that the trees and the flowers are also coming to rest, I feel really aligned and woven into the whole.

Charlotte: Cooking and fires. I love lighting fires in the morning when it is still dark and of course at night. I really look so forward to making soups and sharing them.

Is there a phrase or a mantra of sorts that you have in mind for Fall? Something that you may enjoy coming back to when you need to be present, or something that’s a good phrase to consider as a journaling prompt?

Tammy: “Be slow and savor” is my Fall mantra. Because I love to do this—I really do love to stop rushing in order to join nature in its slowing down. Remembering these words also shines a light on whatever might stop me from doing so. A great journaling prompt might be: What is stopping you from slowing down to savor the season? Each fleeting moment is precious, and more than at any other time of year we can feel that in the Fall.

Charlotte: We are going to journal on the retreat, and one of the series of questions I ask myself as I transition from Summer to Fall is: As the leaves are changing colors and are falling from the trees, what area of your life are you craving change? Is there a part of your life that is changing that is challenging for you and you don't feel ready? What are you ready to release, let go and shed?

Fall begs us to notice. The colors around us – apples, pears, leaves, pumpkins. The smells – cinnamon, fires and warm curries. The shifts in the light. Noticing the subtle shifts between Summer and Fall. How can you make time to enjoy the beauty of fall?

Fall is also the time to gather, prepare and be more definitive with setting boundaries. Fall is a time of refining and focusing on what is essential as we head into the quieter meditative moments of Winter. With more time inside, there is time for thoughts, feelings and dreams as pivotal to our well-being. As you move inward, how will you protect your time and make room for projects you want to complete? How can you lean into changes of the season to set the foundation of the next season?

Click here to learn more about Autumn Renew and Restore at Blackberry Farm.