Wave No. 4
Our Intention
The Wave is a step away from the constant flow of content we take in on a daily basis, where things are often saved and rarely returned to. This journal is designed to be absorbed slowly and returned to throughout the month. We hope to offer a handful of reflections and actions to implement to create your vibrant life.
“The only thing that can grow is the thing you give energy to.”
Monthly Mantra
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Periodically throughout the year, especially near my birthday in November, I pull out the list as it marks my new year. That’s when I reflect on my experiences thus far and add any new callings. As I review the list, I see how far-out some items are, while others I could accomplish in an ordinary weekend.
Although many items on the list are highly unlikely (borderline outrageous), I picture myself living out these experiences as if they could happen tomorrow. I’ve learned that if I keep dreams distant, they will never translate into actuality. I have to pull them down from the clouds to be here with me.
As I moved down the list this month, I noticed most of the new items I crossed off, I didn’t necessarily see coming. The universe brought them into existence without much dedicated time or effort on my part. Therefore, this year I am deciding to actively pursue an activity on the list that takes dedicated time, practice, and intention: surfing. I want to learn to surf as a way to better connect to the ocean, the community around me, and my soul.
I’m excited to experiment with something new. At the end of the day, I created my “apocolist” not to check off boxes or to feel regretful about the things I have not gotten to; I created it to dream without restraint and to remind myself to pursue special moments in life.
P.S. If you know Giada, please hook me up.
Dream big,
CarlyCo-Founder, Creative Director // Coventina and Co.
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Create Your “Apocolist”
Adding more doses of the extraordinary in each day, week, and year of life leads to a beautiful and full lifetime.
Let yourself fearlessly dream just as you did when you were a kid. Write down what comes to mind as you envision your dream life. List everything big and small you want to experience, both in the near future and in later stages of your life.
Keep your list in a convenient spot to revisit and edit.
Golden Pumpkin Squash SOUP
Butternut squash is a favorite fall flavor of mine. This soup is incredibly satisfying and not overly sweet. I love the hint of turmeric and roasting the squash seeds to top my bowl. It is straightforward to make (don’t be discouraged by the appearance of steps), but an immersion blender does come in handy!
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Serves 4-6
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 2.5 lbs)
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• A few dashes cayenne pepper
• 6 sage leaves, ripped
• 4 cups veggie stock
• 3 tbsp. coconut aminos
• 1 can of pumpkin (15oz.)
• 1 cup/8 oz. full fat canned coconut milk
• Unsweetened coconut flakes, to garnish
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Peel 1 butternut squash and chop into 1” cubes. Scoop out the seeds and set aside in a bowl for later.
3. In a bowl with the squash, add 2- 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp. dried thyme, and a few generous cracks of black pepper & salt. Mix to coat squash.
4. Roast squash for 30-40 min on 2 or 3 baking sheets, until cubes are fork tender.
5. Chop yellow onion and 3 cloves garlic.
6. When squash is near finished, heat 3 tbl of olive oil in a large pot on medium/low heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft.
7. Add 1/2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. turmeric, a few dashes cayenne, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper, and 6 sage leaves ripped. Cook until onions are soft and slightly brown.
8. Add 4 cups of veggie stock and 3 tbsp. coconut aminos to the pot and simmer on low, covered for 15-20 mins.
9. Remove the squash from the oven and lower temp to 350. Add squash to the pot.
10. Remove any strings off the saved seeds. Lightly coat the seeds with olive oil, a few cracks of salt and pepper, and a dust of turmeric and smoked paprika.
11. Spread on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until golden brown. (be careful, seeds may give off popping sound when taking out of oven)
12. Using an immersion blender, blend in 15 oz of pumpkin puree to the pot. Then mix in 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk.
13. Toast coconut flakes for a few mins on a dry pan.
14. Enjoy your soup topped with a dollop of coconut milk, roasted seeds, toasted coconut, dash of cayenne pepper, and additional salt + pepper to taste.
*For a thinner soup, add additional stock or coconut milk for your desired consistency.
*If you do not have an immersion blender, let the soup cool and batch blend with a blender. Then transfer back to the pot to reheat when ready to serve.
November is a month of celebration in my family, full of birthdays, anniversaries, and of course Thanksgiving. If there is one thing I know, it’s that great celebrations are accompanied by a perfect libation to toast. I recently crafted this recipe on a whim for an intimate wedding (on the groom’s request). I loved the flavors and when I returned home, I immediately worked on the recipe to share with you. Bring a batch to your next soirée.
Fall Celebration SANGRIA
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• ½ cup fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 3 large sprigs of rosemary
• 1 granny smith apple
• 1 honeycrisp apple
• ½ cup tequila
• 1 bottle Pinot Grigio (chilled)
1. Make ginger simple syrup: In a small pot, put sugar and water over medium heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear again. Add ginger, and let it come to a slight boil, then turn down the heat to low, and let it simmer for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and add 1 spring of rosemary. Let the syrup cool until it reaches room temp.
2. Prep Sangria Base: Once the syrup has cooled, get a big pitcher, and strain in the syrup. Chop apples and add to the pitcher along with the last two sprigs of rosemary, and ½ cup tequila. Put in the fridge and let chill for at least one hour but preferably
3. Mix in the Wine: One hour before serving, add the bottle of wine to the pitcher with the sangria base. Put the pitcher in the fridge and let it sit for one hour (or more) then enjoy! If you don’t have time to let it sit, you can mix in wine and serve it immediately.
4. Enjoy: This drink is best served over glasses of ice!
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Mindful Movement: Balancing with Drishti
A fun standing series to practice setting your drishti (eye gaze) and finding balance. This 20 min practice is led by Carly and does not even require a mat as your hands do not hit the floor.
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Sounds of Coventina: Dreambook
Indie rock with a little soul for all the dream chasers.
Features music by d’Angelo, Cage the Elephant, Miloe, Troye Sivan, and more.
What We’re Loving
In The Kitchen: Lavender Blume
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I first came across this glorious mix at Vivid Chill, a boutique in northern VA (check out their website). It was recommended by one of the women working there, and my favorite way to drink it is still the way she suggested; in oat milk with a drizzle of honey. It’s the perfect way to end your day before bed, or add it to your latte for a lovely lavender note. I use two scoops of the mix in the latte’s case to make sure the flavor comes through.
Daily Living: Hilma’s Remedies
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These plant remedies have not let me down yet. The Gas + Bloat Relief and Upset Stomach Relief (now called Occasional Heartburn + Indigestion Relief) have been so helpful when traveling or after a big meal. Nowadays I mostly use them to stay ahead of ever getting uncomfortably bloated; when I feel uneasy I can take a couple capsules and I am good to go. Although their packaging is currently plastic, I appreciate that Hilma doesn't neglect sustainability efforts as they explain on their website. I love that they have a community garden to teach about the power of plants.
Learn + Inspire: DCEFF Screenings
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I find that watching documentaries is one of the most impactful ways to connect and learn about global issues. This is why I love the D.C Environmental Film Festival, because it brings these films to once space for everyone to enjoy. While the festival itself takes place in March, the Watch Now resource on their website gives access to films all year long. It stores hundreds of environmental films for streaming, and lets you know where to watch. Recently, Carly and I watched Saving the Florida Wildlife Corridor which gives insight to the environmental impacts that developments have on Florida's ecosystem. Let us know which films you watch!
Natural Connections: The Sensory Sea
Have you ever found yourself lost in observing the soft flow of the sea? Or the crash of the ocean’s waves? The ocean captivates us and often evokes peace and serenity. In these moments, the brain shifts into a “soft fascination.” We find a mindful and soothing state where we are lightly focused and engaged, instead of being overloaded with information to process.
The ocean creates a blissful barrier between us and the chaos and manmade qualities of the modern world. Simultaneously, the ocean encourages us to step outside of our personal bubbles and connect with the larger world. It can remind us of our greater purpose and interconnectedness with the ecosystem.
Although we are aware of the ocean’s powerful and sometimes dangerous potential, the ocean is a haven that can unlock a possibility and freedom within us. The coastal environment changes from place to place, and even day to day. One day the beach may be wide and flat and the next day the same shore is barely existent with a cliff of sand leading up to the dunes. Still, the familiarity of the coast remains constant.
Perhaps the phenomenon we feel as we interact with the coast is because of the deep sensory experience the ocean offers us. We truly feel the experience of being alive, of being human.
A Sensory Reflection of Experiencing the Ocean in Boca Raton:
The strong mid-day sun shines brightly on the water, lighting the ocean to a vibrant bright blue that darkens toward the horizon. Steady gusts of wind churn the current, pushing the waves almost diagonally to shore and carrying fragrant salty mist off the water.
The temperament of the ocean is far different than last night when the moonlit salty pool appeared to have no movement at all - as smooth as glass, sheltering the mysterious sea life playing below.
At the foot of the waves, I see white caps sprinkled throughout the entirety of the water. A chill runs through my body as I submerge my body down. The water is frigid and energizing. It is pure and free from strands of seaweed drifting across the body, as it did during the summer. As I hold my breath under the surface, the sound of the wind is now overtaken by the sound of rushing waves above me. Sound waves move faster and it sounds as if waves are coming toward me at all angles, but the vibration of the wave runs through my body, clarifying its direction.
The sound of my swallow is more audible undersea. I feel tuned into my body as my sight goes dark and my eyes are closed underwater. My foot stumbles on a collection of rocks slick with algae that interrupts the soft sand on the seafloor.
In minutes I find myself taken halfway down the beach. A wave grows from behind me and sweeps me closer to shore.
Water sneaks up my nose. I lick the water off my upper lip and absorb the salty taste.
Your Natural Connection
More and more people are migrating to live near the coast, but it is not always feasible to make it to the water on a very regular basis. Ample research has delved into the science and benefits of green space, and more and more research is revealing the benefits of blue space.
Although experiencing a natural body of water invigorates the scenes most fully, Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and the author of Blue Mind, shares that even seeing a fountain in an urban place, feeling water from a shower on your skin, hearing the sound of water, or just seeing imagery of water can be beneficial. How can you create more blue space in your daily, weekly, and monthly routine?
Keep us in the loop + receive a gift. Subscribe to Coventina’s newsletter (below), follow @coventinaco on Instagram and DM us sharing how you took action with the Natural Connection this month. Let us know by Dec. 2nd and you’ll be entered into a giveaway of a Coventina tote.
In the words of Wallace J. Nichols,
“Get in the water.
Walk along the water. Move across its surface. Get under it. Sit in it. Leap into it. Listen to it. Touch the water. Close your eyes and drink a big glass. Fall more deeply in love with water in all its shapes, colors, and forms.
Let it heal you and make you a better, stronger version of yourself. You need water. And water needs you now. I wish you water.”
This article references the work of Wallace J. Nichols and his book Blue Mind published in 2015 by Back Bay Books
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