solstice sweetness

& things I really, really liked this year

It’s the solstice.

It’s the last few days in my childhood home before I fly back to Japan.

I’ve entered that liminal space before returning to Tokyo.

My feet are here but my mind is halfway there.

I’m feeling grateful in a visceral, physical way.

I’m feeling overwhelmed, but with beauty. Overwhelmed in the way flowers drip over the edge of a vase and spill pollen onto the table below.

Yesterday, I watched the solstice sunrise with my parents.

My heart ached with the preciousness of it all. The first moment the sun peeked up over the ocean. The sound of the waves and the birds. My parents meditating on the balcony together. Sharing breakfast and coffee afterwards. Crying over a Paul Kelly song. Listen to the date my Dad says. I get goosebumps thinking about it again now.

I love the solstice.

I love it as a reminder that all is temporary. All is rhythmic and forever slipping between our fingers and all is big and beautiful but also not as big as we think, so much of the time. I love how the solstice reminds me of the light in darkness. The beauty in decay. The natural passing and looping of time. The rise and fall. The good and bad.

It’s all beautiful, even when it’s not.

I hope you’ve had a sweet solstice weekend, wherever you are in the world.

You deserve it.

---

So! It is a small tradition to write a list of my favourite things at the end of each year. But it turns out, I am a little bit of a loyalist and my favourites often remain the exact same year after year after year (you can see many current favourites here)(and here, even). So these are a few new favourites I’ve picked up over the last year.

***** there are no affiliate links here! I am absolutely the worst influencer ever! these are all things I love and use regularly from small businesses, many are friends or the daily rest studio members, all creating with so much care and heart.

also !!! if you wish to support this newsletter, or the work of small businesses, writers, makers or teachers you know irl or follow online, never underestimate the power of a subscribe, a like, a comment (!!) or a share. it truly means the world to us! thank you so much!

꩜ buying single flowers on my walk home and arranging them in my claydance bud vase

꩜ spritzing rose water as toner, for energetic hygiene and a hair mist

꩜ blue lotus flowers for a cold brew infusion (this is the most delicious way to drink it, imo. It’s also nice paired with red rose tea)

꩜ the best body oil for post bath massage (bonus points if you can do it outside)

꩜ handmade natural perfume (you can even order a custom blend which is so precious)

꩜ my favourite ceremonial incense

꩜ I cannot get enough of a homemade playlist, for as long as I live

꩜ pearls, always

꩜ the best scented candles infused with stories

꩜ for protection

꩜ living in tokyo means I have to learn how to really love and dress for winter. It’s a work in progress, but sweaters and jumpers from these guys help me to feel a little less frumpy under 25 layers. I’ve had some for years and they still go very strong.

꩜ my favourite podcast, always

꩜ spending venus day afternoon at my favourite tiny french cafe, reading a book at the counter

꩜ yin is my favourite practice, at the moment

꩜ my favourite luxury recently is this black tea with milk or cream

꩜ reading and reading and reading

---

And of course:

The Daily Rest Studio is filled with so much of what I love.

My go-to daily practices: meditations, lymphatic work, gooey movement, venus vinyasa, rest bites and yin for all moments and moods. As well as workshops on poetry, relationships, adornment and doing business well, and gently.

This week, we have three new beautiful practices uploaded and ready to support you over the wavy end of year space: finish the year soft (including my new favourite body mapping practice!) solstice portals (a practice for the fire element with breathwork, yin & guided meditation) and energetic boundaries (a mini practice for energetic protection and the aura).

---

I’ll leave you with this:

A small note from my meditation practice yesterday that hit me loud and clear:

Have more fun and stop underestimating yourself!

thedailyrest

A post shared by @thedailyrest

With so much love

(and a rabid curiosity about your own favourites this year),

Emmie xo