Every winter during the months of January and February, I intentionally hibernate with my kids. I avoid crowds, sleep later, and sit in sunshine every chance the weather allows.
I find winter time is also when I tend to consistently have more rituals than any other season of the year.
Whether because of the omnipresent compulsion to start life fresh every new year’s with resolutions of living our “best lives”, or simply because winter casts a spell of dormancy on all life forms, January days seem to shift my world from a state of “busy” to a relaxed, yet intentional, rhythm that is uniquely unhurried and mostly “on purpose”.
More than any other time of year, winter allows me the space to experiment with new routines each day that often involve various forms of gentle, consistent self-care.
I’ve found the simpler the ritual, the better, because those are the ones that actually keep happening. And when a ritual is delivered in a warm mug, it seems to have even more of a nurturing effect.
Lately each day, when I’m feeling chilled or sense the hint of sickness coming on, I find myself making warm honey, lemon and cayenne “tea”. I have always sworn this concoction can nip a fuzzy headed, drippy sore-throat feeling in the bud before it ever settles in, but I’ve never really known why it always seemed to work. This week I took time and explored that curiosity.
A Few Key Health Benefits of Warm Lemon Water (click link for a more detailed article):
1. Vitamin C
2. “Flushes” toxins from the body
3. Assists the body in producing bile
4. Reduces pain from inflammation
5. Helps strengthen liver enzymes
A Few Key Health Benefits of Raw Honey (click link for a more detailed article):
1. Rich in vitamins and minerals
2. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties
3. Contains nutraceuticals, which effectively removes free radicals from the body
A Few Key Health Benefits of Cayenne (click link for a more detailed article):
1. Anti-irritant properties
2. Clears congestion
3. Resists harmful organisms
4. Digestive Aid
5. Promotes cardiovascular health
No wonder my body likes it so much! The “recipe”, if you can call it that, to make honey, lemon, cayenne tea is as easy as can be. And while it doesn’t have to be a daily ritual for you, it may be a fun one to try (or revisit if it’s been a while) this week.
You’ll need:
Hot water
Half a lemon
Raw Honey
Cayenne (as much as you enjoy). For me, that’s a sprinkle – maybe 1/8 tsp.
Mix and Enjoy!
I’ll be posting several other simple winter rituals in the days ahead. What are your favorite daily habits this time of year?
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If you’d like support creating your own rituals, yardsteading and nature connection practices, check out The Handmade Life! There I offer nature-based coaching sessions, share herbal traditions, handcrafted goods, DIY workshops and herbal consultations.
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