Here we are at the beginning of 2023, slowing into the rich, earthy, nourishing aspect of the winter season, a time for turning inwards and reflection. The beauty of winter’s darkness is a time of deep rest and comfort for most of nature and its creatures, which includes us human beings. Let’s take a moment to honor the deep winter and pause together… I invite you to rest your eyes, sense into your heart, and take a long deep breath from your core.
In reflecting upon this last year, here are some questions to consider.
What am I grateful for this year?
What has inspired me this year?
What parts of me are seeking rest and care?
What seeds have been planted for the spring season?
These are questionsBraided Wisdom is also contemplating as we look back on a tremendous year of growth. As we harvest our own seeds of learnings, here are a few reflections to share from 2022.
As the world grapples with this year’s iteration of the pandemic, our team, through a lot of heart and tribulation, found a way to host our first ever in-person programs and retreats on the land at Wolf Dream Mountain. We learned that making time for people to connect in-person is essential to the path of healing. We learned the land and elements are truly supportive resources, abundantly available if we slow down and connect to them with intention and sacred ritual.
We are thrilled by the impact of graduating our very first cohort of leadership trainees in March. The work of our graduates has given birth to more and more cross-cultural mindfulness facilitation and support to communities far and wide from cancer support groups, to elementary classrooms, to therapeutic settings and beyond.
A second cohort of students completed our Original Medicine Yearlong Program (OMYL) in December. OMYL, our precious healing crucible, is the heart of our organization. Our teaching team witnessed beautiful deepening in community. We heard these reflections from our students.
“I've learned that I'm able to trust myself and to honor myself even when my way of being in the world isn't always supported -- to stop caring so much about how I'm perceived -- learning to lead from the heart balanced with mind.”
“Among the many things I learned this year, learning, or being reminded that I am worthy and abundant.”
This year, we launched our first ever peer-to-peer fundraising campaign, Spring Bloom, which brought in over $35,000 to our programs – 40% above our original goal! We feel deep gratitude to our beloved community of students, participants, collaborative partners, funders, and donors for your continued love, presence, and generosity. This year’s success would have been impossible without you!
As we listen during our period of quiet and rest, and look forward to spring’s emergence, we hold gratitude for the various ways that each of you nourish and cultivate Braided Wisdom’s abundant ecosystem. Thank you for believing in this sacred work.
May your 2023 be filled with blessings, abundant joy, and the restoration of love and connection.
With gratitude,
Carol Cano
Poem composed by Teacher & Elder Mentor Jennifer Biehn on New Year’s 1993 after a seven day meditation retreat near Redwood Creek at Muir Beach.
Winter Rains
Winter rains turn dirt to mud.
Earth smells fecund, moist.
Autumn leaves make beds of spongy compost.
Earthworms inch along, transforming old to new.
Roots of trees drink
from labyrinths of underground streams.
Creek flows heavy;
salmon swim
upstream
to spawn and die.
I hibernate with bear in caves of winter sleep
Rains of silence saturate my parched soul.
Earthworms of quiet breathing gently sift the mind.
I send my roots deep to soak up long forgotten truths:
Live simply.
Do more of less.
It takes as long as it takes.
Winter marks the time for many of us where temperatures begin to grow colder, the
days are shorter, things slow down, and our bodies are in need of a different kind of
support. It is a time to build up our systems versus cleansing them, as it is a time where our bodies need more fuel due to the colder conditions. The organs that are particularly helpful to fortify at this time are the kidneys & bladder. The winter is associated with the water element. Both the kidneys & bladder are responsible for vigorously working with all things water in our bodies. The kidneys & bladder are also associated with the second chakra, therefore, intentionally integrating them into your diet could offer a mindful way to use food as a way to connect to a practice of grounding. To care for both organs, eat foods in larger quantities throughout the season that are black. For example, blackberries, black beans, black sesame seeds, or tea made of watermelon seeds. May the recipes below help keep you warm & healthy throughout this season[s]!
Instructions:
1. Coat a large pot with olive oil, add a few pinches of salt, the red potatoes, onions,
carrots, and celery.
2. Stirring occasionally, simmer on medium heat until the veggies are tender, the
onions will become translucent.
3. Next add the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and minced
garlic, stir continuously for about a minute, making sure the spices do not burn.
4. Add the diced tomatoes, stir, and allow to cook down for roughly 5 minutes.
5. Add the dried black beans, along with the veggie broth, 4 cups of water, and the
bay leaves.
6. Bring the chili to a boil, reduce to a medium boil, cook until soft, about 2 hours,
stirring as needed.
7. Once the beans have reached a desired softness, remove 1 1/2 c of the chili with
its liquid, blend for 1 minute or until a smooth texture is reached. Fold back into
the pot of chili.
8. Serve the chili in a medium sized bowl.
** Garnish with cilantro, avocado, diced onion, shredded cheese, sour cream, nutritional yeast, or whatever your heart desires.
Sinclair Shigg is a Chef, Caterer, Integrative Nutritionist, & Meditation Facilitator. Sinclair is often seen as Chef Extraordinaire at our Braided Wisdom retreats and events.
Please enjoy this special recipe!
Upcoming Events & Programs for 2023
All events will be open for registration until the day of for accessibility purposes. Please reach out to info@braidedwisdom.org if you do not receive Zoom information the day before.
We offer the Community Healing Council as a complimentary and follow-up class to the Original Medicine 4-Part Series. The council is a sacred space where we can practice being in community in an open, authentic, and compassionate way.
