A Tarot Card Practice and my favorite Chai recipe!
Try resting this month. Don’t worry, you won’t rest forever. Eventually, you’ll want nothing more than to do your work. At that point, you will emerge rejuvenated and ready to go after your desires and dreams.
Card: 7 of Stones
The Seven of Stones is a reminder to step back, take a deep breath and take a look at the big picture. You want to be sure you are investing your time and energy into the right focus for you. It can also be a good time to enjoy the mature progress you’ve made on an endeavor. Continue on that path if you decide it’s the right one, or realign your direction, if needed.
Practice: Paring Away
While we love to add new things to our lives at this time of year, have you ever tried taking things away? It’s a good time to assess what isn’t working in order to free up time for things that are (or might be if we had time to do them!)
Step 1: Make a list of what you spend your days doing.
Step 2: Make a checkmark next to the things you don’t enjoy anymore in their current presentation.
Step 3: Brainstorm how you can adjust these things so you enjoy them again or decide to get rid of them altogether.
Obviously, some things we have to do, like go to school or work. But if work is driving you crazy, you might want to find a way to adjust or switch your job. If you don’t have time for your partner and you might be growing apart, make some time together before that happens! If you’ve been painting but it’s no longer fulfilling, take a break and try something else
Recipe: Spicy Chai
Chai is a great warming tea to drink in the winter-time. Here is my favorite recipe that I based on my best guess of what might have been in the delicious chai at the erstwhile Open Secret Bookstore combined with my own version. I’ve been known to make this on New Year’s Day along with a batch of Cinnamon Rolls.
Ingredients (per 2 servings, make as many as you like)
6 cardamom pods
4 pea size amounts of dried ginger (or use fresh)
4 peppercorns
1/4 stick cinnamon
2 t darjeeling tea
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
honey or sugar to taste (optional)
Grind the spices together. If you are using fresh ginger (recommended!), chop and add it at the end. Heat water, milk, ground spices, optional sugar, and tea together for 15 minutes, stirring and meditating. You can say a mantra over the tea as you stir to keep your mind focused and infuse it with that intent.
Strain tea into cups and serve with much love. You can adjust spice mixture and sugar based on what flavors you like.