Did you get to see the beautiful full moon this week, or the eclipse? With the clocks turning back, it was so comforting to have an enormous bright moon shining in my yard. I’m as woo-woo as the next vegetarian former yoga teacher, and there are many traditions in which moon cycles are indicators of specific actions, rituals, or thoughts. The full moon is often seen a time to release: to celebrate or mourn, and let go. I cleaned a few rooms in my apartment in recognition of that, and I was reminded how good a clean start feels.
Eat: This is a bit of a “prepare to eat” step more than an “eat” suggestion. But here it is: if you cook or bake, especially come November and December, start to assess what you have in your kitchen now. I made a tasty soup this week, but I had to make do without olive oil and coriander, which I didn’t have in my pantry. I checked my other spices and it turns out I was out of oregano and garam masala, too. I might not be preparing food with them in the next few weeks, but if I’ve got an empty jar, it’s a good signal that I should stock up soon – and add in a few jars of my go-tos, like garlic salt for my savory dishes and cinnamon for baking. If you’re looking for a super high-quality spice company that often runs great specials, be sure to look into Penzey’s.
See: I follow an absolute delight of a woman on Instagram (@shifferdiane) who practices “Sit and Stare Time” every morning after she has her coffee. Her phone is away, her daughter isn’t awake yet, it’s quiet and dark. And I really like that idea! It’s kind of like a meditation, but with your eyes open, just observing. Take a moment to sit and stare today. Let your eyes take in the room you’re in. Try to imagine seeing it for the first time, observing things of comfort around you that you might not normally notice, or imagine what your inner kid self would have to say about the room you’re in. 5-year-old Christina would probably tell me: “You have a lot of plants.”
Do: Plan a game night with friends, virtually or in-person. For me, it helps to make the most of these long dark hours if I have plans to keep me moving, when my body is craving bed at 6:30 PM. Go traditional with charades or trivia over zoom, or play Scrabble or cards in person. Or branch out and explore new games like Wingspan which encourages you to build a biodiverse world of birds, and is pretty darn beautiful to boot.
Have a wonderful, spicy, eyes-open, strategic, and fun weekend, friends.
