These past months have been all about drawing in new energy, refining, reorganizing, getting ready to launch big dreams and supporting the little structures that make them possible at home. I’ve felt a real draw to create space, to move and create from a place of intention…and I’ve pulled in a few new tools to do just that. Here are the things that are inspiring and elevating me, my practice, my work, and my days right now.
Beautiful, fragrant, floral meyer lemons don’t grow here in Boulder, but there are few foods that ignite my creativity and my taste buds like these little lemons. A box of them was an early birthday gift to myself and I’ve been using them to elevate our most modest meals, as well as crafting cakes, cookies and other treats with them…many soon to come to the Recipe Library!
I had the pleasure of attending the launch party where Brad and my girl Chelsea Sodoro were in conversation, and every single question posed and answer shared sparked me. Without having ties to Ayurveda, Stulberg clearly outlines a connected, whole path towards not just being great at our craft, but great in the world. It was Brad who commented that “nothing is at the top of the mountain except what we bring up there,” an idea that is permeating my every interaction with clients, and every activation in my own life too. I’m completely enjoying this book, and know you will too!
Setting boundaries, safeguarding my energy and managing my time are one in the same – all ways of continuing to build my capacity and keep me tracking on my goals and dreams. This gentle, beautiful timer sits on my desk and reminds me to shift gears, contexts, or simply stand up for a snack. (The smaller version sits in my meditation corner and gently reminds me its time to move on and into my day.) (Use this link and the code LENTINE10 at checkout for love on your order!)
In the interest of protecting energy, I burn these beautiful candles from Anima Mundi in my office when I’m working on big projects. The creation of the candles was ignited by the ancestral practice of velación, the Mesoamerican healing rite where flame becomes a living oracle. In these ceremonies, candles are lit to read the unseen, to assess the energetic state of a person or a situation. Every flicker, every soot line, every bend of the wick or direction of wax is considered language. In velación, the candle is treated as an intermediary between worlds: once lit with a clear petition, its behavior is watched — the steadiness or tremor of the flame, the sparks or sounds, the forms the wax takes, the presence of residue or obstacles — all of it is divination. I love having the flames present to clear space, helping me return to center, keep my focus and inspiration, and weave a subtle boundary of peace and presence around whatever I’m working on. (Use this link for 15% off your order!)
More than a rope, or simple workout prop, the Flow Rope it is a tool to unlock posture, rotation, nervous system balance, and fluid, effortless movement. Whether you’re a runner, mover, or just feeling stiff from life, the Flow Rope helps your body remember how to move with ease again. Boulderite Lawrence Van Lingen has been helping me to unlock the power of this “device,” with videos, tutorials and a completely different picture of what it means to move well in the world.
One of my intentions for the year is to dive more deeply into my meditation practice in formal, and informal ways. And one of the tools that I need to do that is a formal space to…make space. The aesthetic of this set drew me in immediately and I’ve been crafting a little meditation corner to arrive, sit and expand.
Every year for the past 6 years, I’ve ordered a little daruma from Linda at Knotwork LA. In Japanese culture, the Daruma doll represents resilience, focus, and the quiet power of persistence: you set an intention by filling in one eye, keep going through setbacks (Daruma always rights itself), and only fill in the second eye once the goal is fulfilled—less wish-making, more devotion to the path. The intentions I’ve completed sit in my office, reminding me of quiet, immeasurable successes and chapters, little companions as I create and activate in the world.
I love paper, and love the act of journaling, but sometimes find that the more structured offerings end up locking me into wrote lists, or “checking things off the block” instead of using my journal spaces to ideate, dream, process. I’ve been loving these new books from Wilde House because the pages are predominantly blank, but the deep library of prompts, journaling courses and other resources are there to keep things interesting. Each night, I crack open the planner, connect to intentions, then sit to journal and pull up a prompt and see where it takes me. I’m inspired to journal again, and these gorgeous books are to thank.
This gorgeous, grounding tea is what I’m sipping on most days. It’s incredibly warming and wintery, helping me keep the fire burning brightly inside and out. I’m so in love with this blend – that warms vata, cools pitta and clarifies kapha – that I bought a whole pound and think I might need to try to formulate a version myself!