Promises

Hope you're well and enjoying the early grounding effects of fall. My inner chef instinctually sent me to the store to load up on veggie broth and coconut milk for soups and stews to come. My inner student also tells me fall is the time when learning begins again, so I set my autumn intentions every year in an effort to get more right than wrong.

Since the official lockdown was lifted, I've gone back to living, exploring, traveling and creating. Not in a burdensome, busy way, but in a peaceful, balanced, slowish way, trying to hold onto my time, family time, outdoor time and kitchen time.

Just when I thought I got the hang of it, life got busier. I could feel the familiar energy of being pulled to do more while trying to balance the crazy by rushing to relax... Quickly tying up loose ends after dinner to flop on the couch. Fast walking to the beach to sit for five minutes before heading back to my to-do list.

Feeling that palpable busy bubble up, I knew I could let busyness get the best of me or I could choose to bow out. I decided to opt out and take as many people with me as possible. We all made those promises not to go back to our pre-lockdown ways, so what would life look like if we honored what we truly crave?

Using nature as the classroom, I took a group of boisterous and beautiful women to the Hudson Valley for my first destination wellness retreat two weeks ago. Together we paused to get in touch with our basic human needs - to connect with our natural habitat to nurture deep within. It was exciting and magical. We came back grounded and inspired - more human, more spirit.

Now home, I'm very aware of any energy that takes me away from that high vibration, aka "energy vampires." Busy sucks me dry, and it's not a pattern I want to repeat. There will be busy moments for sure, but “busy” is a sad reply to “how are you?” Instead imagine saying... I’m wonderful. I’m filled up. I’m excited. And wholeheartedly mean it.

Slowing down doesn't only feel good, it is the common ingredient in all healthy lifestyles across the planet, especially in the Blue Zones (more to come on that). Our busy way of life plus the SAD (Standard American Diet) is not working. It’s not how humans were designed to thrive. If you’re too busy to eat, then your schedule has to change not your meals. If you’re too busy to notice the beauty in your day, then you simply need to slow down and look. Our time here is precious, every step deserves our attention. It's why losing my very busy food business to the pandemic was a blessing. Providing food for busy people so that their busy lives could get busier made me an enabler in people's bad habits, including my own.

One friend on my retreat told me I'm a "soul nurturer." I'll add human nourisher to perfectly sum up my intention from the beginning - The Bread (human) & Buddha (spirit). I'm committed more than ever this fall to living fully - but slowwwer. Like driving with the brakes on. To take more people with me on this slower soul nurturing, human nourishing journey, I hope you’ll join me in my new SLOW classes.

SLOW to me means Savor a Life Of Wellness. It doesn’t mean to stop. Instead, we’ll be focusing on moving through life in a steady, rhythmic cadence to soak up the wonders of what the earth provides and the gift we’ve been given to see it with our own two eyes. In my new Slow Motion and 3-Day SLOW Reset experiences, we will tend to eating and living, not only to improve our health but to wake us up. Just like we take food in through our mouth and oxygen in through our nose, we take in love and joy when our eyes are open. SLOWing down to take it all in feels so right.

If you're busy isn't fixable right now, never underestimate the power of a deep downward belly breath outside. You can also practice moving in slow motion by making my favorite fall Buddha Bowl: Tandoori Delicata Hash with my plate licking curry cashew dressing. Recipes below.

Thai Batch Cooking Class, more retreats, Insta Lives, Blue Zones and wellness classes to come... slowly.

Hope to see you on screen or in real life one day very soon!

With heartfelt intention...

Pam