What am I doing?!
I have always had a dream of a simple life. Being responsible for the
production of my own food and living in rhythm with nature’s cycles. When I started
Nourish.hq my goal was to help people create a life that was as close to
perfection as they could come. A way to live gently, with optimal health, physically,
mentally and spiritually. I use my background in yoga and āyurveda, as well as
lessons from my spiritual practice, to guide people to understand their health
from a different perspective, to feel more in-tune with themselves and the
natural world. To live organically in a world that can sometimes feel more
unnatural than natural. I began a humble attempt to reform our distant
relationship with the foods we consume and share the wisdom of plant medicine. To
honour the abundance whilst simultaneously navigating this world of highly processed
and toxic produce.
The yoga of food has always been central to my daily life – taking food
out of the material sensory urge, and transforming it, through offering,
gratitude, and prayer, into a means of spiritual connection – nourishment for
the soul as well as the body.
Over the years I have been exploring many different ideas and avenues as to how I can best be of service. I always had a vision of where I would be in 10 years – in the countryside with an eccentric assortment of animals, producing food for my family and community, and providing a retreat space in which people could come together in a community of healing and natural development. A community in which we could learn to utilise the earth without creating any damage. To learn how to live in a sustainable way, without relying on anyone else to keep us happy, healthy, fed, and warm – but I always told myself that this idea couldn’t come to fruition until later. I kept thinking of reasons why I couldn’t do it now: I'm too young; I (still…) can’t drive a car (… I know); I’ll probably get lonely; I don’t know anything about gardening (a big hurdle); I need to make money etc.
Over the years I have been exploring many different ideas and avenues as to how I can best be of service. I always had a vision of where I would be in 10 years – in the countryside with an eccentric assortment of animals, producing food for my family and community, and providing a retreat space in which people could come together in a community of healing and natural development. A community in which we could learn to utilise the earth without creating any damage. To learn how to live in a sustainable way, without relying on anyone else to keep us happy, healthy, fed, and warm – but I always told myself that this idea couldn’t come to fruition until later. I kept thinking of reasons why I couldn’t do it now: I'm too young; I (still…) can’t drive a car (… I know); I’ll probably get lonely; I don’t know anything about gardening (a big hurdle); I need to make money etc.
So I came back from Australia with every intention of having a decent stint in London. Establishing myself, hopefully saving up a little money, and then eventually (a couple years down the line) taking stock of my situation and making the big move to the country to start the real work.
But then... there I was in London. And it just wasn’t sitting right. And the more I worked at my projects, the less right I felt. I kept asking myself why I was procrastinating from beginning the work that I really felt called to do. All the tools I needed to start this new mission were manifesting around me. The only thing holding me back was a little bit of resistance coming from a scared little voice somewhere inside me.
So I'm putting an end to excuses and procrastination and, with the blessings and support of the people I love most, I'm moving to the country to give it a go. Progress may be slow and I'm prepared to face a few inevitable crashes and burns, because I have the conviction that what I am trying to do is not only possible, but represents a way of preparing for the future, using the wisdoms of the past.
My little lifestyle experiment has officially begun! Last week I travelled up to North Yorkshire with tonnes of ideas and no idea how to manifest any of them. So, I pooled my resources, namely brother Richard, boyfriend Mark, garden guru Tim, and dachshund Wolfie. I made a big rhubarb crumble from the enormous, multipurpose (see rhubarb hat below) plant we found nestled by sunny wall.
And then it was work time...
But then... there I was in London. And it just wasn’t sitting right. And the more I worked at my projects, the less right I felt. I kept asking myself why I was procrastinating from beginning the work that I really felt called to do. All the tools I needed to start this new mission were manifesting around me. The only thing holding me back was a little bit of resistance coming from a scared little voice somewhere inside me.
So I'm putting an end to excuses and procrastination and, with the blessings and support of the people I love most, I'm moving to the country to give it a go. Progress may be slow and I'm prepared to face a few inevitable crashes and burns, because I have the conviction that what I am trying to do is not only possible, but represents a way of preparing for the future, using the wisdoms of the past.
My little lifestyle experiment has officially begun! Last week I travelled up to North Yorkshire with tonnes of ideas and no idea how to manifest any of them. So, I pooled my resources, namely brother Richard, boyfriend Mark, garden guru Tim, and dachshund Wolfie. I made a big rhubarb crumble from the enormous, multipurpose (see rhubarb hat below) plant we found nestled by sunny wall.
And then it was work time...
First job was tackling the abandoned vegetable garden - de-turfing and harrowing up the soil. We are running late for the growing season so I was eager to dig everything up as quickly as possible so there would still be time to plant some veggies for harvest this year. But this is a hugely labour intensive job... seriously... its a lot. Luckily everyone has been amazingly supportive and working like beasts to help me meet my target of completing the first bed in a week. We have 3 days left to complete, and are now a depleted work force and have been met with some big rain storms. Nevertheless, the earth smells good, the plants have been ordered, and I’m excited every morning to watch more and more get unfolded.
For me, yoga, connection, spirituality, and progress all point to being responsible for my own food. To nurture and raise plants for eating and for medicine. To engage in responsible and cruelty-free animal husbandry. To collect fresh water. To create a little safe haven for animals and like-minded humans. A place to responsibly raise a family in a way that is sustainable and affordable.
And most importantly, this is a journey that everyone can go on in some way. Perhaps moving to the country and growing food isnt an option for you, but there are still ways that you can learnt to engage with food and nature in a way that is conducive to a nurturing, nourishing, and fulfilling life of simplicity, happiness and health.
I do not by any means claim to be an expert in the compendium of vedic knowledge and the knowledge of the land which I live by, but I am a committed student, practitioner and teacher. My only intention is to share what I have learnt and be a part of a community of informed practitioners with the shared goal of keeping these practice pure. If you are interested in what I’m doing, my intention is to document my progress for you, utilising the multifareous online platforms to engage, inspire, and learn. So welcome to Nourish.hq - Country Edition.
With love,
Charlotte
P.s. I will be opening the doors of my home, garden, and yoga shala for seasonal retreats, so people can visit, stretch, feast, and unwind in the beautiful, sacred mountains of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. During these retreats we will be sharing the ancient wisdoms of yoga and ayurveda in a manner accessible to incorporate into daily lives, to live simply and in tune with the seasons. Details on my first retreat (September 20th-23rd) will be released very soon!
