Rewild & Slow

I have always had a love for the outdoors and anyone who knows me will know that my weekends are spent walking in the beautiful peaks with my young family.  It’s as though I am compelled to get out and connect with nature - its almost like a physical and mental 'reset'. I feel like walking in the great outdoors is often my therapy, clearing my mind from any worries I may be feeling. It allows me to draw wisdom and understanding of how to live in rhythm with the seasons. 

I spend as much time as possible out in the countryside walking and taking in the fresh clean air and beautiful surroundings of the Peak District, that is literally on my doorstep. I feel being out and 'taking in' my surroundings allows me to connect and synchronise  with the natural world. My work at Face of Nature focuses on the seasons and the 'cues and clues' Mother Nature gifts us.  My work and passion encompasses my love of empowering people to live naturally and aligned to the seasons through seasonal, hand crafted skincare and divine nutrition. 

As we move though the new year the energy has gradually shifted from the metal element of autumn,  to the water element of winter.  It’s the time to 'slow down' and retreat and honour the feminine principles of stillness and introspection. One must take time to to focus on your winter wellness and conserve energy.  It is a time to bring balance into the water element with daily rituals including salt baths, allowing time for rest with warming teas and tonics and restorative practices such as Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. By honouring the seasonal changes and also the needs of our bodies, we are able to align to the season, reserving strength and vitality for the yang energy that lies ahead in spring and summer. 

I think we live in an age where we are living in such a disconnected way to our natural world and also to ourselves. Life moves on at such a fast pace and we have almost labelled a slower pace of living as lazy or something we can aspire to once we have grown old.  Rarely do we take a moment to observe the natural beauty and stillness the natural world offers us. We must take time now to connect with nature in whatever form that benefits you. Take in all that Mother Nature has to offer, the fresh air, the cool earth beneath your feet, the colours and ever changing textures of the landscapes.  Eat seasonally and mindfully, after all, isn't that what nature intended? We must donate valuable time to developing personal connections with people who raise your vibration, and make you feel good. The simplicity of slowing down is an underrated quality.

After living in Australia for many years and enjoying beautiful bright blue skies it has taken some time for me to adjust to the grey skies of Derbyshire. Winter has to be the most challenging season for me, the limited daylight and dark nights are something I never used to enjoy but since my botanical training I have learnt to live cyclically and seasonally and in a way that is connected to nature. Just as the trees have let go and become bare and the outward signs of life are dormant , there is deep work going on inside as the energy is reserved , collected and contained ready to burst through in spring. Take note from the shifting seasonal symbology and remember to align yourself to the seasons. The slumbering nature around us is preserving its energy, preparing for renewal in spring.  The Yin energy of winter is contemplative and intuitive,  and as the door closes on the year that has passed, a new door opens to create space for opportunity and abundance.

This piece was originally written for Creative Countryside.