thawing the frozen
sagittarius szn edition
Hello Venusian beauties,
Welcome to the Sagittarius season installment of Venus and the Pearl.
It’s been a busy autumn. I’m about seven weeks into practicing as an R.TCMP at Spring Wellness, led an online workshop with Social Justice Partners LA, and facilitated a salve-making knowledge share with Iyé Creative in Victoria. Ariel Reyes Antuan, the co-founder of Iyé Creative, wrote a blog post about the salve-making workshop that you can read here.
Sagittarius is a firey and boisterous sign, and the Truth Teller. Sagittarius emphasizes that the way we get through the coldest, darkest times is together. Gathering in community to break bread, connect, grieve, learn, meditate, play, and resist is heart medicine, and we need it now more that ever.
I begin the newsletter with a piece on “long loneliness”, the epidemic of social isolation and the reasons why it’s important to lean into spending more time with loved ones this holiday season and beyond.
My heart continues to be tender, perhaps broken open, by the state of the world and the ongoing violence in Palestine and Israel. Sometimes the upset can feel immobilizing, which has prompted me to research more about the nervous system’s freeze response and strategies to move the body into action. If this happens to you, too, I hope you find the information below useful.
Additionally, you’ll read about wood betony, one of my favorite herbs to find “light at the end of the tunnel,” along with a simple recipe for fire cider to warm you up during the cold seasons.
Finally, I reach into the past again for words on peace by Thích Nhất Hạnh, hoping his timeless wisdom will bring solace to the hearts of the readers.
I hope you will join me in continuing to call for a permanent ceasefire by contacting your representatives, signing petitions, supporting local actions, and attending community events encouraging peace and freedom in the region.
Perhaps you’ve noticed a change in the tone of the newsletter. This monthly missive began as a creative writing project loosely based on the themes of the zodiac, and is shape-shifting into a delivery method for seasonal medicine in the form of articles, recipes, herbal spotlights, and messages of mindfulness. As I continue to shift with the seasons, this newsletter will, too.
Thank you for your readership and I hope you enjoy this Sagittarius season edition of Venus and the Pearl. If you’d like to support this monthly dispatch of medicinal writings, consider becoming a paid subscriber.
Warm holiday blessings,
Andrea Penagos, R.TCMP, L.Ac.
long loneliness
This summer, Acupuncture Today magazine published an article by Craig Williams, L.Ac. entitled “Point Combinations for Long Loneliness.” I knew about Long COVID, but it was the first time I had ever heard of “long loneliness.”
Loneliness is defined as a painful feeling resulting from receiving less quality and quantity of social interaction than we need. Throughout the pandemic, our social habits changed radically due to lock downs and social distancing, and it's had a lasting impact on our mental health.
As social creatures, we require connection, companionship, and communication for our well being. Loneliness has serious impacts on longevity, physical health, and our mental state, and many of us have felt these repercussions in our daily lives.
Here are 5 reasons why spending time with family, friends, and community can help support your well being this holiday season and beyond.
Improved mental health: One of the most significant benefits of social interaction is its positive impact on mental health. Engaging in conversations, sharing experiences, and forming connections with others can reduce feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Social interaction provides an outlet for stress, offers emotional support, and boosts self-esteem.
Cognitive stimulation: Conversations and interactions with others stimulate our minds, promoting cognitive growth and mental agility. Engaging in discussions and problem-solving keeps our brains active and adaptable, potentially reducing the risk of cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer's and dementia. I recently started going to trivia nights in Victoria with friends for this exact reason (plus a weekly dose of wholesome fun).
Better physical health: Social interaction can have a significant impact on physical health like reducing the incidence of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression, and anxiety. Interestingly enough, research shows that people who engage in regular social activities tend to maintain healthier habits like eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting good sleep.
Stress reduction: Engaging in meaningful social interactions can reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Social support can be a powerful buffer against the harmful effects of chronic stress, helping us cope more effectively.
Enhanced emotional intelligence: Social interaction allows us to develop and refine our emotional intelligence. Understanding and empathizing with the feelings and perspectives of others are essential skills that grow through interaction. A high level of emotional intelligence can lead to more successful relationships and better conflict resolution.
thawing the freeze response
Recently, I’ve become more interested in the different facets of the nervous system and our habitual responses to stress, triggers, and trauma. Over the past few weeks, I admit to being frozen on the couch many times, doom-scrolling, unable to peel myself away from my the images on my phone. Maybe you can relate.
One of the often unacknowledged responses of the sympathetic nervous system is the “freeze” response in the presence of a real or perceived threat. We freeze as a survival mechanism when we feel unable to defeat or outrun danger. As an adult, our nervous system identifies deadlines, traffic, interpersonal conflicts, and upsetting content on social media as danger, along with a number of other triggers specific to our unique life stories.
Many of us go days, months, perhaps even years going in and out of the freeze response, complicating chronic illness and/or depression and making it challenging to care for ourselves, be effective in our work, and show up in community. If you relate to this coping strategy, know that it has brilliantly helped you to stay safe, even though it may not be as adaptive now as it was in the past.
So, how do we thaw the freeze response?
Envision a sense of safety. In meditation, create an imagined place to remind your nervous system of what safety feels like. My safe place is a lake-front A-Frame cabin in the woods, but yours can be anywhere you like, real or imagined. Where is your safe place? Travel there when you feel frozen and drop into a sense of peace and relaxation. Also, you can resource memories where you felt safe and happy, or a time when things worked out really well for you.
Center the body. Using the 1-2-3-4-5 method, name five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This pulls your focus back to the physical body, helping you shift from freeze into awareness, and eventually action.
Gently move your body. Any kind of gentle movement is an effective way to get out of the freeze response. Get up and walk across the room, shake your arms, circle your shoulders up back and down, turn on some music and sway to the rhythm, or roll out your yoga mat for a quick stretch.
Make exercise enjoyable. I love taking walks, but find it increasingly difficult as the days get colder and darker. To counteract this, I make my walks as enticing as possible by preparing tea in a to-go mug, popping on my headphones, and playing a podcast. What kind of movement do you love, and how can you make it more enjoyable?
Work with a therapist. Therapists trained in somatic experiencing, EMDR, or trauma work can help you understand your responses to stress and triggers. Working within the container of a therapeutic relationship creates a safe space to get curious about our habitual behavior and make strides towards shifting into more adaptive strategies.
Get acupuncture. Acupuncture is proven to help the nervous system move from the sympathetic “fight, flight, freeze, fawn” response into the parasympathetic “rest, digest, heal” response. Acupuncture helps us remember what regulation, relaxation, and flow feel like in the body, and you get to take that with you into your life after your session is complete. To schedule an acupuncture treatment with me at Spring Wellness in Victoria, book here.
sacred flora: wood betony
While being a Western Herbalism student at Pacific Rim College, wood betony (Stachys officinalis/betonica), also known as hedgenettle or purple betony, became a major ally in my herbal cupboard. With delicate scalloped edges and bright pink flowers, wood betony encourages softeness, brightness, movement, and opening.
Described by one of my professors as a “light at the end of the tunnel,” wood betony is a nervine tonic, sedative, antidepressant, cognitive enhancer, and bitter digestive stimulant. Appropriate for usage during both day and night, wood betony is a mildly bitter-tasting herb that can be included in any uplifting or calming herbal tea. Instead of being the main character, wood betony is more like the unsung hero behind the scenes, which makes me love it even more.
Wood betony is used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, nervous tension, headaches, persistent unwanted thoughts, and poor memory. I often combine a 1/2 teaspoon of dried wood betony with a few of my all-time favorite nervine herbs like tulsi/holy basil, oatstraw, and rose petals. Please note, wood betony is not recommended in pregnancy or while nursing.
fire cider: a remedy for the people, by the people
Fire cider garnered a lot of attention in the past years when a young start-up company in the US tried to trademark a centuries-old recipe. After a 5-year battle in federal court, the herbal community won and the trademark was rejected, making fire cider a generic term that nobody can own and setting a legal precedent for similar law suits in the future.
Fire cider is a pungent, warming, immune-boosting remedy for the fall and winter season, and it’s easy to make. There are many versions of the recipe, but I would choose ingredients you have on hand in your kitchen or can find easily at your local grocery store. Fire cider also makes a delicious condiment that you can use in broths, soups, stews, and as a salad dressing.
There are two basic components to fire cider: pungent roots and vinegar. Most people add hot peppers for warmth and honey once strained for sweetness. Below is a simple recipe you can make your own by adding, subtracting, or varying the ingredients, centering the flavors you like best.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large white or red onion - chopped
2 heads of garlic - peeled and crushed
2 hot peppers - chopped
1 lemon - zested and squeezed
1/2 cup of grated ginger root
1/2 cup of grated horseradish root
1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 tbsp of dried rosemary
A handful of fresh thyme or 2 tbsp of dried thyme
Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup of honey (or more to taste)
RECIPE: Fill a quart-sized jar with the chopped ingredients and pour enough apple cider vinegar to reach the top of the jar. Use parchment paper between the jar and the lid to protect from rust and store the jar in a dark, cool place for a month, shaking daily. Strain out the solids and stir the honey into the resulting herbal vinegar. Bottle, label, and enjoy 1-2 tablespoons per day throughout colder months.
peace begins here
I continuously return the words of Buddhist monk and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh for wisdom and perspective. In 2003, a retreat was held at the Plum Village Monastery in France in which Palestinians and Israelis were invited to practice mindfulness together for two weeks. Thích Nhất Hạnh offered a Dharma Talk, and I have included some excerpts from this talk below. You can read the full talk here, or read the book inspired by this retreat entitled Peace Begins Here: Palestinians and Israelis Listening to Each Other.
Resources for Peace: Parallax Press has made this books and two others available for free in e-book format on their website. Below are links to all three titles.
–Learning True Love: Practicing Buddhism in a Time of War
–Peace Begins Here: Palestinians and Israelis Listening to Each Other
–True Peace Work: Essential Writings on Engaged Buddhism
“We all have feelings of sadness, pain, or excitement. Our feelings flow through us like a river and often overwhelm us. Being together with friends who know how to handle their feelings and emotions, we can learn how to handle ours as well. Within fifteen minutes of breathing and being mindful, we can begin to know how to handle our fear, despair, and anger; this is very important. If you cannot handle your body and your feelings of anger, fear, and despair, you cannot talk about peace. Handling them well will bring peace and harmony into your body, feelings, and emotions.
Often our bodies are not at peace. We can learn how to bring peace into our body right in the here and the now. Our body suffers, especially during times of war. We feel tension, stress, and pressure. We have worked our body too hard and it is full of conflicts. The way we handle our bodies makes them suffer so much that we have no real peace. To bring peace into our bodies, we allow them to rest and have a chance to renew and heal themselves. We can do it today. Even after one or two hours, we will feel much better. We are not just talking about peace in our body, we are actually bringing peace into it…
…Often we are victims of our feelings and perceptions; we are like a leaf floating on the ocean, with the waves pushing it to and fro. We don’t have sovereignty over our situation. That is why it is so important to come home to ourselves. In this way, we cease to be dominated by our circumstances. This is the basic practice of peace. If we have some peace in our body, our emotions, and our perceptions, then we can help another person to have peace. But we have to begin with ourselves. You cannot be an instrument of peace if you have no peace within yourself.”
- Thích Nhất Hạnh, 2003
ceasefire now
I hope you join me and the ocean of voices worldwide calling for a permanent ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian aid, and a political solution to the agressions in Palestine. Continue reaching out to your representatives and use your voice to call for an end to violence, genocide, and occupation in the region, along with a release of all hostages and unlawfully detained prisoners.
Here are a few ideas to take action:
Canada, US, UK: Ceasefire Today gathers a number of petitions, resources, and tool kits to encourage your government officials to call for an end to the violence in Gaza.
Canada: Petition the House of Commons in Parliament to require the Prime Minister to call for de-escalation and a permanent ceasefire.
US: Use the 5 Calls website or app to contact your local representatives daily.
US: Take action with Jewish Voice for Peace, join rallies, sign petitions, and contact you local representatives.
Keep your ear to the ground for local actions, marches, and fundraisers in your community.
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. With herbal consults, receive a custom herbal protocol and self-care plan, along with holistic tools like supplement recommendations, nutritional support, movement protocols, and/or meditations depending on the concern being addressed. Book online consults here.
A gift for ONLINE patients in LA, the US, and Canada: Mention Venus & the Pearl or SJPLA to receive 20% off all online consults and distance Reiki sessions through 2023. This offering is for all new and returning patients as a thank you for tuning into my newsletter and workshops. I appreciate your continued presence, and would love to make holistic care more accessible to you this holiday season.
Thank you for your readership, and I’ll see you next month for the Capricorn season installment of Venus and the Pearl.