Living everyday life in the city of Stockholm can be a crowded, sometimes hostile, experience. I've been lucky enough to have a little oasis of a home, and it really is a zen-ish atmosphere in casa KETO-licious. But the city, in terms of commuting and walking one's way through the streets in rush hour or weekends, is not exactly soothing for the ancestral-made brain or biology. Simply put, it's not ideal for one's spirit, mood or well-being. Therefore, intermittent non-exposure is key. Today I resorted to quieter areas, and took a complete day off. That's been a wee bit rare for me and my passionate, work-loving personality since a while back (because I love the things I do, and I'm resilient thanks to my holistic, KETO-licious, lifestyle), and since 'extroverted' has lately been my middle name, it was a perfect Sunday for some meditative me time far off from the busyness of the city. I was craving nature and a bit of solitude, so I decided to honour my inner introvert, catch a train at the crack of dawn, and head out towards the Södermanland County, on the southeast coast of Sweden. I felt a need to visit the forests in the countryside of my childhood Summers, and my birth family's cottage, close to Sweden's purest lake. Kitted out with triple layers of clothing, and a lightweight backpack (or, actually, two) containing water, coffee (strong and roasted as dark as the night), a home made brunch box and my little everyday electrolyte companion (the salt), I enjoyed a lovely day of hiking. The sun on my skin, the Winter-ish air in my hair, and the simplicity of a mind decluttered with new room for thoughts and creations. The scent of forest, and the occasional scent of friendly, grazing horses.
No traffic, no cars, no city life hecticness. And no hideously artificial lights as far as the brain could sense or the eye could see. Just proper nature, and stillness. The senses awakening. Peace. All through the elements of nature, and through movement – things that have been normal, homeostasis-inducing and healing for us humans, since the beginning of time. Like a little potion of a life elixir, serving healing properties in ways which only ancestral-based, holistic practices can do.
Halfway through the hiking, I stopped by my parents' country house cottage, where I spent most of my childhood Summers. As I entered, I could feel the warm scent of my grandmother, whose favourite blouse was hanging in the entryway. The one she used when pottering about in the garden, many years ago. After a moment of reminiscing, with inner pictures of memories from times gone by, and a quick inventory to investigate whether any house mice had perhaps moved in for the Winter (they had not), I sat down on the porch, for post-fasting-brunch and coffee. Yes, I know it's November, but I'm an outdoorsy person and I love the cold.
I have enjoyed fasting since my mid-twenties or so, and since then I prefer to have only brunch/lunch and dinner. The cognitive sharpness and energetic creative boost is fantastic. These days though, I am keen to follow the rhythms of my feminine cycle instead of –as I used to do– fasting each day of every month, like a man. No wonder I did that, because society has done a pretty good job of teaching everyone that doing things the way it's optimal for male humans, would be ideal for all. It's no secret that throughout history, us women have been neglected and discarded in scientific research, because our hormonal variations have been "too expensive" to research or investigate thoroughly. And so most things today are still based on the notions of what would bring the most positive impact for a man. Par example, gym equipment is often built for the physical bodies of men. But male and female biology differ.
Having been researching these topics since some years back, I've understood that if not fasting in flow with one's rhythm as a female, it tends to wreak a little havoc hormonally, metabolically and zen-wise. These days I am more in tune with the femininity of my biology than ever, and I intend to live aligned, for life. Just as I will always spread the ancestral knowledge and inspirational guidance through teaching, talking, visually and in words non spoken; To be honest, I don't think I could exist without writing. With love, Hanna
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