Rituals

A few years back, I lived with a Czech women who introduced me to all sorts of unique practices. She cooked Borscht until our soup pot turned maroon. She washed her clothes in a big metal tin, even though we had a washing machine. She did aerobics and jumped rope in a leotard to boost her energy. Every day, she jade rolled her face.  Rumor has it that jade rolling was popular among ancient Chinese princesses. It was used to "smooth out the skin" and while I don't know of any scientific evidence to support this technique, facial massage sounded pretty relaxing, so I decided to try it! I ordered a jade roller online, and when it arrived, I realized that I didn't know what to do with it. Was there a special technique? I fell down the internet rabbit hole of facial massage and found a diagram, which basically advised to follow the shape of your face. Anymore, I just massage wherever I'm tense (usually around my sinuses or jaw).  I've grown to love my jade roller. ...

Some of my fondest memories have been accompanied by a cup of tea. I fell in love with Mighty Leaf Green Tea Tropical at the age of 17, when I ordered it at the Foglifter Cafe in McCall, Idaho to warm up from a powdery day at Brundage Mountain. At the time, I didn't know that the tea lined the shelves of most grocery stores, and for years, I stopped at the Foglifter whenever possible to pick up "that special green tea." My affection for tea grew tenfold during a grad school stint in the UK. Between studies and work, I nested at High Stone cafe, a quaint little shop just off the Camden High Street. The shop was decorated with a spectrum of rainbow tea tins, which I sampled my way through until I discovered my favorite: T2 Blue Mountain blend. This floral black tea is peppered with dried blue cornflowers: wholesome and earthy, with the perfect touch of sweetness. I'd order myself a pot and cozy up in the corner for hours at a time, studying some, but mostly chatting wit...