How to live in alignment with nature + my favourite plant based recipes
Do you ever think about how some mammals undergo a hibernation process annually? When winter comes, mammals rest, restore and slow down.
I actually think they could be onto something.
The modern-day demands that we work harder every day, hustle, be continuously connected, and hyper aware of everything going on most of the time.
In this past year and a half, my focus has been on living more in alignment with nature, taking rest periods to recalibrate and disconnecting when I need to. I have stepped back and have been living in a more attuned way, using innate wisdom to intuitively connect and embrace all that nature has to offer. Living off the land, growing my own vegetables and herbs, catching fish for dinner, hiking and exploring my local environment and taking care of animals.
I’m not going to say that once we get the first hit of a chill, we should all quit our jobs, relocate to a cave and sleep for months on end (but hey, some days, that sounds pretty good). However, it is becoming more obvious that modern life’s current fast pace, can’t be maintained, as it fundamentally goes against Mother nature’s intentions.
After the past 18 months of living simply and in a more aligned way, I believe that nature and the natural world has to be our focus now and forever, it's the fix that is needed in this current landscape and one that should be nurtured.
What has become evident is, that once you get in touch with the cycles of nature and all they have to offer, you can start to think more clearly, be more present and show up in ways that you never thought quite possible.
I've always been drawn to this way of life since childhood, as I write in my book Eat Clean Green and Vegetarian. "I grew up in England in a rickety house on a railway line at the bottom of an uncultivated bramble infested quarter acre plot. Within a year we had transformed it into a beautiful vegetable garden that we would disappear into, tackling nature head on and coming out triumphantly with purple stained hands clutching fistfuls of rhubarb or makeshift buckets bursting with juicy seasonal berries."
Growing up I was immersed in nature, being a part of the changing seasons and witnessing the circle of life; from watching the emergence of seedlings poking their first leaves out of the earth to observing the culmination of plants reaching their full potential, it was profoundly nourishing.
I'd love to share with you are ten things I’ve been engaging in, to help me fully align with the rhythms of nature. If you like you can take them one at a time, stick with what resonates and leave the rest. You do you, as nature intended.
My Ten Tips for Living in Alignment with Nature
1. A morning routine. Sticking to a semi-regular morning routine has helped me set up my day in a calming state and check in with how I feel before going into whatever the day may bring. While I don’t have a strict morning routine, I like sleeping without my curtains fully closed to wake naturally with the sun. I then check in with how I’m feeling and feel into what I need, whether that’s savouring a warm cup of tea in bed, writing down how I’m feeling or taking a few deep breaths before I start the day. I make sure I get some early morning sun to help wake my body and brain up for the day too.
2. A regular meditation practice. Unfortunately, our schedule-oriented world has made us believe we’re meant to be busy every second of every day. If that’s you, you might want to add meditation into your routine. After introducing Vedic meditation into my life, I can honestly say it’s made a world of difference. It’s inexpensive and is one of the most natural things a human can do – experience a feeling of calm and peace. Meditation, for me, has helped me feel closer to nature on a fundamental level and returns me to a balanced state. It also has the ability to reach into the cobwebs and dust out past traumas or life events (samskaras) so that you can feel them and then heal from them. You can read more about my journey Vedic Meditation, here.
3. Filling my home with plants. Yes, I know I’m a crazy plant lady, but having greenery around the house helps you feel more aligned with nature and clears the air at the same time! It has been proven that indoor gardening can help relieve stress, boost your creativity and focus. You don't need to just crush them and use their juices, indoor plants can help with mental health and promote a better mood. If you own cats or dogs like me, make sure to avoid peace lily and florist’s chrysanthemum as they can be toxic to animals.
Flowers also make beautiful get-well gifts! There are so many weekly and monthly flower subscription services that can definitely help you with the freshest seasonal flowers. A reliable flower subscription shop should, however, offer ethically harvested and sustainably grown flowers. Just one thing to bear in mind!