from grit to pearl
capricorn szn edition
A wintry hello, dear readers!
Welcome to the Capricorn season installment of Venus and the Pearl newsletter.
Admittedly, I am very late on sending this newsletter as Aquarius season is right around the corner, but I’m hoping the content lands right on time.
We’ve been experiencing record cold temperatures and snow here in Victoria, forcing us all to cultivate endurance and grit in the face of extreme weather conditions - it’s truly giving Capricorn season energy.
Capricorn is the zodiac’s most dedicated and hard-working sign, teaching us to move in a determined way through the coldest, darkest season, knowing that the steady work we put in today produces fruit to be savored later. The G.O.A.T. revels in delayed gratification, embracing the winding road it takes to arrive at our goals and never giving up, despite the challenges.
Last week, I dove head first into a fitness journey having hired a nutritionist/trainer. The pandemic plus the experience of immigrating to a new country weighed heavy on my body (literally), and I’ve committed to the necessary work to reverse that process and regain control of my health. I’m trying on new habits like meal planning, batch cooking, daily walks, and regular weight-lifting workouts. So far, it’s paying off. Very Capricornian, indeed.
Perhaps it’s too late to say Happy New Year, but it’s always time for a good journaling moment. If you’re still reflecting on the past year and/or planning for the year ahead, I’ve compiled a few reflection questions to inspire contemplation and step into the new year with intention.
2023:
What wins do I want to celebrate from 2023?
What people, projects, and things offered the most delight in 2023?
What habits, practices, and projects do I want to continue cultivating? Which do I want to let go of?
2024:
How do I want to feel in 2024?
What do I want more of this year? What do I need less of?
How am I leaning into my potential? How do I want to grow?
What practices would support me this year?
How do I take better care of myself?
How do I want to offer care to others?
Below you’ll find this month’s offerings: my ins + outs for 2024, the virtue of pearls, practices to keep warm and well, the lesson of snowdrops, a recipe for an immune-boosting mushroom soup, and a few Venusian pearls giving me life this season.
Wishing you endurance, grit, and quiet moments of reflection this Capricorn season (or what’s left of it). If you’d like to support this newsletter, share it with friends, shout it out on social media, or pledge a monthly donation.
Wishing you an abundance of warmth and care,
Andrea Penagos, R.TCM.P., L.Ac.
ins + outs for 2024
in:
hot girl walks
infrared sauna blankets
minding your blood sugar balance
avoiding unnecessary additives in foods
batch-cooking for increased efficiency and nutrients
making lifestyle choices that prioritize your well being
challenging yourself to grow in ways you thought you couldn’t
getting help - ie. a therapist, nutritionist, naturopath, herbalist, acupuncturist, etc.
out:
ignoring major (and minor) health symptoms
over-processed, packaged foods
self-sabotaging behavior
self-abandonment
procrastination
going it alone
from grit to pearl
Pearls are a reminder of the virtues cultivated in darkness - specifically willpower. As the oyster attempts to protect itself from an irritant (often a piece of sand), it lays down layer after layer of nacre that eventually become the iridescent pearl. With each pearl, the oyster births a testament to its own enduring and skillful ability to care for itself while under duress.
May we all build the resilience to turn our challenges from grit to pearls, transforming our lives into shining examples of our capacity to love and care for ourselves (and each other) despite the circumstances.
pearl as medicine
In the TCM materia medica, Zhen zhu 珍珠 or pearl powder is cold, sweet, and salty in nature. Pearls clear heat, settle the the Heart, reduce palpitations, calm fright, treat tremors, and promote skin healing. They are a potent source of calcium, magnesium, and the anti-oxidants superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione, protecting against free radical damage both internally and topically. Other benefits include increased collagen and bone production, improved complexion, and calmer moods thanks to boosted GABA levels in the brain. Check out this pearl powder by Root and Bone.
enduring winter
Winter is a quiet, internal time when life retreats to the depths and receives nourishment in preparation for the more active, warmer months ahead. As the season progresses, the soft blanket of snow melts to sustain life below, transforming the cold and damp into an explosion of green leaves, sprouts, flowers, moss, and mushrooms in spring time.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the watery winter season is attributed to the the kidneys, which are the source of Yin and Yang and house our willpower. In this season of storage and conservation, where we protect our precious resources - mainly our Yang, the warmth of the body - in preparation for the rest of the year.
Below are a few TCM-inspired strategies to help you endure the cold season and keep warm this winter.
There’s no bad weather, just bad clothes. I learned this phrase in Canada and I cringe a little every time I hear it, but it’s 100% true. Good gear makes all the difference! Keep your neck, back, ankles and feet warm to support a resilient immune system.
Eat warm foods. Warming, nutritious, easy-to-digest foods are ideal for winter. Soups, stews, and root vegetables like turnips, carrots, and potatoes, work well in the winter diet. Generous usage of garlic, onions, ginger, hot peppers, and cinnamon warms your meals and your body.
Hop in the sauna (blanket). Deep, penetrating heat drives out cold and helps manage aches and pains while also fortifying your immune system. Recently, I rented a Heat Healer infrared sauna blanket from a friend who is travelling for a year, and I’ve been spending 30-60 minutes 1-3x/week warming my bones inside the blanket. Highly recommended for workout recovery or folks who deal with chronic pain that’s worse with cold, damp weather. It’s a game changer!
Sleep more. Nature encourages us to rest more in winter, with TCM recommending we head to bed early and wake up with the sunrise. Instead of binge-watching Netflix, try turning in around 9pm a few days a week and see how you feel.
Move gently. Balance more intensive forms of exercise like walking, running, swimming, and weight lifting with yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi to avoid exhausting yourself. In winter, you build reserves for the rest of the year, so focus on maintaining mobility and strength in your workouts versus increasing intensity. Exercise indoors when possible.
Connect with the beauty of being alive. It’s the season of bright white snow, twinkling lights, delicious warm drinks, nourishing foods, and staying cozy. What makes life beautiful for you? Maybe it’s art, music, learning, or play. Bring the light back into your everyday life by surrounding yourself with the things you love.
Reflection questions: How are you keeping warm and cultivating strength in this cold, quiet, internal moment? How are you fortifying yourself in preparation for the upcoming seasons? How are you keeping the flame of hope and joy alive as we move towards spring?
snowdrop - a lantern in the dark
One of the first flowers to emerge on Vancouver Island in the winter is the snowdrop. Galanthus nivalis is a perennial bulb with white pendulous flowers that blooms from January to April. Every year when I see snowdrops for the first time, I gasp with delight and then exhale a sigh of relief. During the peak of winter, nature reminds us that spring is on its way!
There’s a beautiful patch of snowdrops in my neighborhood that I enjoy visiting in the winter. This New Moon in Capricorn, I wondered if the snow drops had arrived and ventured into the small forested area where they usually bloom. I found a sea of tiny white lanterns illuminating the forest floor. So magical!
Snowdrops speak to us about keeping hope alive in the darkest, coldest times, encouraging us not to fall into despair despite the challenges. There’s always light somewhere, we just have to trust it’s there and be curious enough to look for it.
Reflection question: What does the snowdrop communicate to you?
fortifying medicinal mushroom soup
Mushroom medicine is all about connection and protection. Our Earth is connected underground through mycelial networks supporting the processes of life and death, breaking down the old so the new can arise. Mushrooms are in constant competition with bacteria, viruses, and other fungi for food, so they have antimicrobial, immuno-modulating properties that also help humans fight off pathogens. Soup is a classic winter comfort food that warms our hearts and bellies, and this one has the added benefit of powerfully and deliciously fortifying our immune system and our Qi, or vital force.
INGREDIENTS:
9 cups water, heated in a kettle
12 ounces of protein like chicken breast, beef, or tofu, chopped
2 cups assorted edible, fresh mushrooms like button, oyster, trumpet, bunapi, shiitake, maitake, and/or any other mushroom you have on hand, sliced
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup spinach or any mild-tasting green available like kale (add more if you prefer)
1 quarter-sized piece of ginger (or larger depending on your preference), chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro
Salt and additional spices to taste
OPTIONAL HERBAL ADD-ONS:
6-12gms Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus)
6-12gms of Dang Gui (Angelica sinensis root)
6gms Gou Ji Zi/Goji berries (Lycium chinense)
3 pieces of Da Zao/jujube dates (Ziziphus jujuba)
2 slices of reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)
2 tablespoons of chaga mushroom grounds (Inonotus obliquus)
RECIPE:
Sauté the ginger, onions, and garlic in your pot with a tablespoon of avocado oil, ghee, or hot water until soft.
Add in your protein, mushrooms, and brown rice. Sauté together on medium heat for a few minutes and add salt to taste.
Pour the hot water into the pot and add the small bunch of cilantro, more salt if needed, and other spices or chopped vegetables to your preference. Put a lid on the pot.
Optional: At this point, place the dried herbs (Astragalus, Angelica, Reishi, Chaga) into a cloth bag and submerge into the water. The goji berries and jujube dates can go right in the soup.
Cook the soup for 45-60 minutes on medium-low heat, adding more water if necessary. In the last 10 minutes, add in your greens and stir into the soup.
Serve the soup, adding fresh cilantro and green onions if desired. Squeeze a little lemon juice, drizzle sesame oil, or sprinkle on more salt for extra flavor.
Enjoy the immune-supporting benefits of this medicinal mushroom soup!
pearls for your venusian soul
I have experienced, paid for, and loved all of these recommendations and want to share my findings with you. None of these reviews are sponsored.
For the Wild Podcast, Episode 361 with Layla K. Feghali: In this podcast episode, Lebanese herbalist and author Layla K. Feghali of River Rose Remembrance calls us back to our own power and challenges us to act in the face of the ongoing genocide in occupied Palestine. A must-listen for anyone who is grappling with the gravity of this moment and wants an informed, land-based perspective on the history of colonial violence in the SWANA region. Listen to the podcast episode on Spotify.
Green Muse Herbs, Victoria, BC: My dear friend Anna Jaquet from Green Muse Herbs upgraded my Organic India Tulsi Sweet Rose tea bag obsession by gifting me a loose-leaf, farm-direct Tulsi Rose blend. It’s spicy, honey-like, buttery, sweet, and absolutely delicious. It’s my new favorite tea, hands down. If you’re in Victoria, check out Green Muse Herbs for an delightful array of herbal goods and tell Anna I sent you <3
Orquídeas by Kali Uchis: This album has been giving me LIFE this winter. This Cancerian Queen delivers an equally dreamy and upbeat delight with her new fourth studio album, perfect for motivating hot girl walks, training sessions, batch cooking evenings, and even newsletter writing!
work with me
I offer acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, and Reiki treatments at Spring Wellness in the Quadra Village neighborhood (Quadra + Kings) on Mondays from 9am-2pm and Wednesdays from 2pm-8pm. I bill insurance directly for acupuncture and accept policies from insurers like Pacific Blue Cross, Green Shield, Sun Life, Canada Life, Manu Life, and more.
I treat a range of conditions in my practice including acute injuries, chronic pain, back pain, sciatica, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, depression, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, and fertility challenges. I’m bilingual and offer services in Spanish when requested.
To book in-person appointments at Spring Wellness, schedule here.
Online herbal consults and distance Reiki sessions are available for patients in the US & Canada on Tuesdays from 11am to 4pm. With herbal consults, you receive a custom herbal protocol along with holistic tools like supplement recommendations, nutritional support, movement protocols, and/or meditations depending on the concern being addressed. Book online consults here.
I deeply appreciate your readership, and I’ll see you again in Aquarius Season for the next installment of Venus and the Pearl!