Bodhi Celebration, Beet Root Powder, Sacred Days

We’ll be celebrating Bodhi Day alongside Christmas this year. The celebration of the day of the Buddha’s enlightenment is on the Chinese calendar for December 8, and for other Buddhists on January 19 of this year. Since my husband and I anticipate a busy January, it was decided to mark both holidays in tandem. Simplify.

Our newest homemade scoby, ‘Garbanzo’, has already made two babies, which is amazing. This means that we have a scoby hotel going now. If anyone wants a fresh, organic, homemade scoby to make kombucha, email me. I have a feeling this mother scoby is going to be prolific. Our first batch of booch from the mother was great – a black tea and cranberry booch that was slightly sweeter than normal, really fizzy and delicious. Our next batch will be a pineapple kombucha. After that, and when I get fresh lilikoi, lilikoi booch.

I’ve set a not-so-meaningful goal for 2019, but it’s something that resonates with me, so I’m going for it. I’ve been wearing store-bought makeup since I was 19. Being a Catholic schoolgirl, and the daughter of a staunch Catholic father, makeup wasn’t allowed. Eyebrow plucking wasn’t allowed. Piercings weren’t allowed. Shaving wasn’t allowed. So, when I graduated high school and went away to college, makeup was one of the first things I wanted to try. I’ve been using it ever since, you could say that I became dependent on it, and now, I’m thoroughly tired of it.

I’m tired of the process, I’m tired of feeling incomplete without makeup, and I’m tired of being a part of a model that says that I should spend money and time intensifying or changing the features of my face.

I spent 2018 weaning myself off the commercial makeup that I’ve used for years. I narrowed my choices to cruelty-free products only, like Burt’s Bees and Etherealle. And although that’s a far cry better than the alternatives, it’s still a game of go-and-buy-makeup and spend time putting it on.

Then I discovered makeup that’s not makeup: organic beet root powder is a perfect lip protector, a pure, cruelty-free food product that’s inexpensive, clean, and Earth-friendly. I’ve used it on my cheeks as well, and it’s an easy 10-second process. I also found cacao powder is an excellent eyeshadow, and it smells like chocolate. And I hear that charcoal powder is a great eyeliner, but since I don’t wear eyeliner, I haven’t tried it. But any manner of foundation, commercial mascara, and blush have been off the table for me for a while now. And that’s been a big relief.

But what if I eliminate even beet root and cacao powders and live completely barefaced for good? That’s the goal – to get out from under concerns about being acceptably pretty and allocate that energy to being of service to others. It may not be the most revolutionary 2019 resolution, but I’m hoping I’ll make strides with it.

We’re about to get busy at the homestead and I won’t post here again before Christmas. Have a safe and sacred holiday, forgive those who have wronged you, be of service, eat kindly, tread lightly, keep warm, drink tea, and keep one foot in the garden. Summer is coming our way.

Happy heart and high vibes.

Barbie xo