How to Welcome the Autumnal Equinox, with Stiggly Holistics

After a long, hot summer, it's finally time to welcome a new season! It's always important to take care of ourselves, both inside and out, when changing from one season to another, and this year, our friend Sacha Jones, from Stiggly Holistics, has volunteered her insight! It's been a while since we spoke with Sacha, and we're happy to welcome her back to talk bringing in Autumn in a healthy, holistic way. 

AC: Tell us a little bit about Stiggly Holistics and what you're up to these days. 

SJ: Stiggly Holistics will be celebrating her 10th birthday soon, and we are looking to do some celebrating and relaunching between the fall and the spring. This will include introducing some new classes, starting some new women's groups, opening up my pottery studio and expanding that part of the business, and playing around with new packaging ideas for my product line... much good stuff on the horizon! I can't reveal it all now but just to say - between this coming October and the spring of '17, Stiggly Holistics will be seeing a little bit of a facelift, which feels really fun and exciting.

The heart, essence and roots will of course remain true to where we began - "nourish your body, nourish your soul" will always remain our motto. We believe in caring for the whole person - not just the food we put on our plates, but also the quality of our soul food, our home environment, how we care for the planet and so much more. It's all under the same holistic umbrella, and that's a very important part of the Stiggly mission. I'm hoping to have a little celebratory relaunch/anniversary party at some point, I will keep you posted.

Yes, please do! How does the autumnal equinox affect us, internally and externally?

I always love the autumnal and vernal equinox, because to me it's all about balance. Winter is extremely inward, summer very outward whereas spring and fall are a lovely mixture of the two. I love how the shadows change somewhere around the autumnal equinox, and with that there is an energy shift that is almost palpable. With the daylight and darkness being about the same, we tend towards a little more indoor time, perhaps getting to bed a little earlier, slowing down just a little bit, and we tend to get a little more grounded and centered.  

What are some steps we can take to ease into Autumn in a healthy way?

My first suggestion is to get yourself to your local farmer's market and see what's in season. Let that guide your meal planning. Eating seasonally is more than a trend; it's really good for our body and soul. Nature provides what we need, just at exactly the right time. You will start to see more root veggies, and energetically these foods help to ground us. In this same vein I also recommend exploring herbal infusions and decoctions - and nourishing your body with "teas" like elderberry, ginger, oatstra, and other favorite herbs. Have fun experimenting with flavors you like, get really into the ritual of it all and sip, smile, breathe.

Secondly, I suggest really considering the beginning of Autumn as an opportunity to take a deep breath, release your shoulders and honor the moment as a new beginning. Whether or not you have children in school, or are yourself in academia, or if all that is long ago in your memory, there is a "back to school" vibe that's ingrained within us. Let's use that to let go of some non-serving stuff and embrace some new ideas. How balanced is your life? Do you have enough boundaries? Are you always saying yes to others? How is the balance between your work and play time? See where you can cut back in your work obligations a little - and by so doing, increase your time, energy and motivation for play and true relaxation.

Also, in keeping with the theme of balance, I really recommend getting into a daily practice of balancing on one leg. Aim for at least 30 seconds per leg, at least once a day. You can do it while you wait for the kettle to boil, while you brush your teeth, while you wait for a subway, or really anytime...to make this harder, more fun and more beneficial, I also recommend you try and do this with your eyes closed. Time yourself. How long can you balance that way? If it feels impossible, keep at it - like anything it gets easier with practice.

image credit: Stiggly Holistics

image credit: Stiggly Holistics

What's the best part of the new season, in your opinion?

A new season marks another chance for us to go inward and hit that proverbial "reset button" on ourselves. It's a chance to look within and see what's working, what's not, and a good time to re-evaluate our goals - personal & professional. I also love seasonal clothing, and Autumn is maybe my favorite, since I love jackets and home-made knitwear. It's the time to blow the cobwebs off the knitting needles and, in general, just start being creative. 

Truly it's hard to put into words just how intoxicating Autumn is, but I really love the collective hum, which feels like excitement. It's almost like culturally we become squirrel-like, all rushing around, gathering "acorns," preparing for the colder months ahead while the delicious scents of pumpkin spices and hot cider fill the air. It's all about the ritual, the familiar and the comfort in that.

How can we use the concepts of Stiggly Holistics to create holistic spaces?

When I think of holistic spaces, I think of creating home-space that feels safe and cozy - somewhere you want to spend time. 

When I consider nourishment and self care, it goes so much deeper than what we eat, as I've mentioned. And a very big component of that is home environment. I always want to know from my clients what home feels like. Does it feel safe, comfortable? Would you be comfortable inviting people over, even if your space is tiny? Do you make your bed every morning? Are the sheets and pillows comfortable? What is your lighting like? Do you have somewhere to sit and just be quiet - whether that's to read, meditate or just relax after a busy day at work? Are the things in your home relevant? Do you still love the art on the walls, the books on the shelves? Do you look around your abode and smile? Have a sense of pride? 

You can start small when creating a holistic home environment - you don't have to spend a lot of money, but get a few things in place. Clean out your fridge and fill it with healthful, life-giving foods and try to avoid a build up of leftovers. Use green cleaning products (make them yourselves), and avoid chemicals in your home (this includes laundry detergent so you can sleep better on eco-cleansed sheets). Every season, go through your "stuff" and have a little clean out. I'm a fan of natural, "organic" materials and found objects (as well as antiques, thrift, stoop sales...), and believe holistic home spaces should be as void of plastic as possible.

Our "stuff" contributes to the energy of a home, and what we lay our eyes on contributes to the way we feel, so let's make our home spaces as beautiful and comfortable as possible - in a way that works for ourselves. Your home may not be featured in Dwell magazine, but do you love it? Do you feel truly at home there? That's what really matters. Home is truly is where the heart is, and I think keeping that concept at the core when you declutter, design and get cozy will help guide you to really loving where you live.

As always, such wonderful advice from Sacha on remaining true to yourself and taking care of you! What can you do in the coming months to treat yourself with loving care as we transition from warm, yang weather to the colder, yin season? Be sure to try out Sacha's recipe for cleansing fire water too! 

by Anjie Cho

Sacha Jones is the founder of Stiggly Holistics. he hails originally from Wales but is a long time New Yorker and spends her time between the East Village, and Sullivan County upstate. Stiggly Holistics specializes in holistic wellness - we want to get to know the WHOLE you and get you on the path to feeling your very best self. We run group classes, women's groups & offer individual counseling - as well offering a line of organic body balms and herb teas, and returning soon to the line - hand made ceramics. You can learn more by visiting our website, www.stiggly.com and you can sign up for our Juicy Tuesday Newsie musings for weekly motivation right here.

Why You Should Give Yourself the Best You Deserve

For those of you who read my newsletter, I promised that I’d write a blog post about Deepak Chopra’s Creating Affluence. And if you’re not signed up for the newsletter, sign up HERE! I write about things there that I only share on my newsletters!

If you receive my newsletter, you may have already read the first part of what I wrote on knowledge and prosperity. The second part that I wanted to share is the idea that we always deserve the “better and best." Deepak writes: “People with wealth consciousness settle only for the best. This is also called the principle of highest first. Go first class all the way and the universe will respond by giving you the best.”

I sometimes forget that I deserve the best. The best doesn’t necessarily mean the most expensive, but I see it as meaning the best that you need at that time. What it doesn’t mean is settling for something that’s mediocre. I see how I used to do this with clothing, for example. I would fill my closet with many inexpensive items that weren’t the best. The quality and styles were not ideal, and it showed! The items would either never get worn, or not complement my look. Now I try to buy one thing that I love, rather than a handful of pieces that are mediocre. We can apply this to food, too! Perhaps eating a modest amount of something delicious is preferred to eating a lot of something that’s average. With books, even though I want to get everything, I’m trying to be patient and first finish the book I’m reading before I purchase another :)

If we translate this into our homes, we are able to create more SPACE! We have less clutter and, as Deepak says, the universe will respond by giving us the best. It’s true! If you make some space in your life (and your home!) you will attract even more of the best. And we all deserve the best. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that. We deserve the best within our means. More isn’t always better!

Is there something you can let go of to create some space in you home? Can you remember to settle for only the best?

by Anjie Cho

If you’d like to learn more about feng shui, check out Mindful Design Feng Shui School at: www.mindfuldesignschool.com

Your Holistic Guide to the Autumn Equinox, with Jill Hoffman

I'm so excited to speak with Jill Hoffman, a Brooklyn-based Health and Lifestyle Coach, about the autumn equinox and how it affects each of us. Check out our chat below, where Jill and I talk shifting from summer to fall and three easy ways to handle the change with grace and holistic style! 

AC: As today is the fall equinox, how does the shift from summer to fall affect our bodies?

JH: During the summer months, most of us experience an accumulation of heat in the body that will turn into dryness in the fall. If we don’t work to balance out this dryness, during winter our sinuses will become irritated and can become a breeding ground for a viral or bacterial infection. Autumn is also the season to retreat. It's your time to savor the abundance of what you've harvested in the spring and summer months and to focus on the health of two of your major organs of elimination ~ the skin and the colon. Just as the leaves start to shed from the trees and reveal their inner core, the fall season beckons us to turn inward and let go of waste. It is a cleansing period and a time of transition for the earth and our bodies.

What are three lifestyle tips to help support this shift from summer to fall?

1. Transition to eating foods that are in season. Fall offers a bounty of grounding and nourishing fruits and vegetables that are important to balance out the dryness that naturally occurs in our body. These might include root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, beets and turnips. Eating 2-4 apples a day provides good fiber for colon health and malic acid to support your skin. Trade up your raw salads for more cooked, warming foods to help you prepare for the winter months.

2. Increase sleep. It is natural for our bodies to slow down this time of year. As our rhythm starts to bring us more inward, our need for sleep increases. Unfortunately, as our schedules tend to get busier as we move towards the winter holidays, we often ignore this craving. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be sleeping by 10pm. This is so we can stay in tune with our circadian rhythm and support detoxification. If you have a hard time winding down, dim the lights in your home after sunset and avoid using any devices after 8pm. Create a “wind-down” routine that starts at 9pm which might include yoga, meditation, warm bath or anything that makes you feel warm, cozy and nourished.

3. Dry brush your skin. Your skin is your largest organ of detoxification and is also our “face” to the world - we want it to look good! Right underneath your skin is your lymphatic system, which is essentially the garbage disposal system of your body. Waste and toxins are transported through this system so that they can be expelled through the detox organs. However, it is common for the system to get sluggish this time of year. By using a dry brush every morning, you are essentially giving your skin a “workout." It stimulates your lymphatic system and ushers the waste out of your body, thus improving the appearance and complexion of your skin. Also, using a dry skin brush will naturally boost your energy - just like regular exercise!

How have you created your own holistic space?

I love learning about energy and so the concept of Feng Shui has really resonated with me. I am currently in the process of fixing up my home office space. I have been studying the Bagua Map and am trying to apply the concepts to this space as well as my entire home. The first step was to make sure that my desk, stove and bed are in the command position. It makes so much sense how not being in command of your space can create chronic stress in the body. Reducing stress is something I am really passionate about in my work with clients, and I’m so grateful have this new tool to experiment with and to share with my community. 

by Anjie Cho

Jill A. Hoffman is a Health + Lifestyle Coach and has been working with clients since 2013. She specializes in teaching busy women how to be fully nourished so that they can experience radiant joy. Jill received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s cutting edge health coaching program. She is a board certified Holistic Health Coach and a member of the AADP (American Association of Drugless Practioners). Jill is currently working on certifications in transformational coaching and thyroid health coaching and is the founder of the Healthy Thyroid Movement. Jill lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, Chris, and 7-year old rescue pup, Toby. You can learn more about Jill and her work by visiting cravehealthwithjill.com.