Regenerative Wellness
On a recent flight to the west coast, I watched a documentary entitled The Biggest Little Farm, a story about a professional couple with a dream of running a farm with a focus on regenerative soil methods. During the course of the film, they build a thriving ecosystem where every element of the farm, even the challenges, have purpose. Their approach to farming is akin to a natural approach to personal wellness.
The film documents the journey of John and Molly Chester, from urban dwellers to biodiverse farmers, taking 200 acres of dead soil in Ventura county, California and turning it into the homestead of their dreams. They personally grow as the farm comes to life, focusing on making their surroundings as beautiful as possible as a means of inspiration to show up each day for years and work hard to nurture their vision.
This evolution is not without challenges. The Chesters are constantly called upon to create solutions for an unending series of problems, including predators, pests, the birth and death of animals, and natural disasters. They learn it’s not about controlling their environment, but about being good stewards by balancing all the elements on their farm naturally, from insects to birds to soil microbes to the animals. They also learn to rely on the support of others and grow with and in their community.
Beauty, inspiration, showing up – these are all important tenets at Athena Wellness and our approach to regenerative wellness, which includes creating a natural environment to encourage enhanced well-being. We advocate living in harmony with seasonal cycles, cultivating good relationships, and welcoming intentional personal growth through the diversity of healthy food, daily movement, engaging activity and connection in community. While this leads to increased vitality, it’s not in the absence of challenges.
Everything has a role in your ecosystem, even setbacks, which can be humbling and feel like disharmony. Approaching wellness challenges becomes easier with an optimistic and curious attitude. What are your natural rhythms and patterns? Why might you feel out of balance and what needs to be done to regain equilibrium? How have your patterns changed? How can you deepen your connections? How might you find comfort in the natural fluidity and imperfection of your state of wellness? How can you grow in harmony with nature and your surroundings?
You may be flooded with new insights when you take the time to pause, observe and listen to what you truly need. When you give yourself time to try different things and permission to adjust your approach when needed, the pieces will come together and something new will emerge – an ecosystem that’s perfect for you with fertile soil in which to grow and thrive.
Journal Reflections: Is your current state of wellness in balance? If so, how might you elevate your current practices to create a thriving and regenerative wellness environment? If not, what can be done to bring it into alignment?