November….. Ah that time that conjures up large buffets of food and family gatherings and of course, stress. Today more people are bucking that trend and taking a lesson from wellness experts by learning the power of saying No instead of Yes to everything. This trend started with large retail businesses choosing to stay closed instead of opening the day after Thanksgiving providing more time with families. In our Asheville area, many of the vacation rental homes are full as families gather to rest, celebrate, and connect. For local Ashevillians, November is still beautiful as we really move into the winter season and the fallen leaves reveal an entirely new landscape to enjoy.
We encourage you to reimagine November as Revember. Use the weeks before and after holidays to refresh, re-energize and remember to take care of yourself. Here’s how:
1) Retreat! Create a personal retreat for yourself and your gathering of friends and family without having to get dressed up or worry about busy restaurants and schedules. We’ve provided a checklist below.
2) Reimagine holiday desserts with our ayurvedic dessert recipe provided below.
3) Re-consider how you shop and what you buy with our wellness shopping ideas.
Create your own personal retreat without all the fuss:
No need to make reservations, fight spa schedules or even cook.
We can help! We are proud enablers of wellness and have provided a simple list of ways you can incorporate rest and relaxation this holiday season. The following tips take you away from the crowds, reduce the stress of scheduling appointments and making reservations and even include ways to get out of the cooking! Whether you’re a year-round resident, seasonal local or simply visiting from out of town, the following list can be incorporated in your home, vacation rental, bed and breakfast and even your Asheville hotel.
The perfect one-day retreat itinerary in Asheville:
- Morning – Pick a day and take the morning for yourself to sleep in, hit the trail (so many around Asheville), indulge in a gourmet brunch, or settle into a cozy nook with your favorite book.
- In the afternoon, extend your moment of reflection and relaxation with a relaxing massage. No need to struggle with scheduling to get into busy spas. We can easily bring the massage to you with our mobile massage experiences.
- As evening approaches, you don’t have to do anything! No need to fight with making reservations and no need to get out of your comfy clothes. We’ll have a private chef on hand to whip up a three-course, farm-to-table dinner while you’re relaxing. Yes, you can absolutely come to dinner in your pj’s and robe. Formal attire not required.
- Then, instead of a typical night out in the cold wandering downtown, gather around the crackling fire and dive into the ancient archetypes of the tarot. Often rowdy and always soulful, a group tarot reading can mark a rite of passage, spark deeper conversations, and strengthen vital friendships. There are often a few tears, lots of laughs, and plenty of group discussion during this fun and illuminating experience that offers you a deeper connection to everyday magic. What a great way to reflect on the previous year, say goodbye to those negative thoughts and prepare your soul for 2023.
We guarantee, once you do this, you’ll want more! We suggest adding any of the following to turn your personal retreat into a weekend of bliss:
- Hot stones restorative yoga class
- Mountaintop yoga hike
- Forest bathing walk
- Private yoga class on-property
- Sips with a Sommelier (a private wine tasting experience)
Source: https://ashevillewellnesstours.com/winter-wellness-mini-retreats-in-asheville/
Reimagine those holiday desserts:
Satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season without the guilt, excess calories, or sugar crash. Enjoy these deliciously spiced date balls from @kristin_linde (private chef, Ayurvedic consultant, yoga hiking guide, marketing guru, and powerhouse boss babe among other things!)
These treats are not only healthy, but they contain five of the six tastes making them a fabulous Ayurvedic addition to your holiday spread.
Ojas Building Date Balls
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds, soaked and peeled
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 c raisins
- 4 tsp sweet spice mix
- 1 tsp asvagandha (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp cocoa nibs
- 1 Tbsp nut butter (tahini almond, peanut, etc.)
- Rose petals and toasted, shredded coconut for dusting (optional)
Directions:
- Blend almonds, dates, spices, and nut butter in a food processor.
- Check texture by hand-rolling a ball. The mixture should be moist enough to hold together when rolled into a ball, if needed add additional dates.
- Before rolling the remaining balls, hand-stir in the raisin and coca nibs.
- Toast the coconut.
- Roll finished balls in the coconut and then dust with dried rose petals.
- Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. Makes about 24 treats.
Sweet Spice Mix
- – 2 tbsp cinnamon powder
- – 2 tbsp ginger powder
- – 1 tbsp cardamom powder
Reimagine shopping and gift buying
Instead of making a mad dash to the stores, you can:
- Purchase a basket of wellness ingredients for healthy recipes (like the above) and set a date to cook and enjoy together. There are many pre-made baskets like these online. You can also pay for a subscription membership for home delivery. Examples: HelloFresh and Eden Out, a local Vegan Meal Delivery Service
- Get your loved ones a Gift Certificate from Asheville Wellness Tours. They can use it for any of our wellness experiences to craft a retreat any time of year. What a great way to spread the wellness love!
- And of course…. Definitely support your local small businesses! For folks who want to give something tangible and can’t resist the urge to wrap, here’s a friendly nudge to buy local and support your neighbors…wherever in the world you may be!
- If shopping online is your go-to, browse this wonderful gift guide filled with unique gifts from artisans and businesses right here in Asheville.
- If you prefer window shopping and a lovely stroll downtown, some of our favorite local businesses with unique gift options are: Bee Charmer, Adoratherapy, The Herbiary, Hummingbird Candle Co, and Dobra Tea.
Wherever you are in the world and however your holiday season looks, we here at Asheville Wellness Tours are wishing you priceless moments of rest, rejuvenation, deep connection, and joy. If you’ll be in Asheville over the holidays, say hi! We’d love to see you on the trail, in the forest, or around a cozy fire.
Warmly, Nicole and the AWT team.
