Welcome to the second volume of The Savour Stack.
A thoughtful collection of 10 “things” that made me pause, ponder, and peruse. Whether for one delicious moment or as a current ongoing wonderment. Things, thoughts, books, ideas, tastes, observations, music, etc… that prompted me to slow my roll so I could lovingly savour them.
Let yourself be inspired, delighted, amused, or, at the very least, briefly entertained by the thought of them.
(Almost) Summer Afternoon Thunderstorms — The heat of Summer has officially set in here in Florida. And although intense, there is no greater and wilder feeling of refreshing relief than an afternoon thunderstorm. Always ephemeral and never consistent, I have been frequently gambling with myself on if and when I can catch a sunset at the beach that day. Yet in this gamble, for me, it’s always a win-win situation: you either get doused in the most revitalizing shower, left feeling wild + alive while time stands still, or, you get swept away in the most mysteriously beautiful sunset, complete with dark + ominous clouds contrasted with brilliant egg yolk + cotton candy hues.
Tat Tvam Asi — तत् त्वम् असि — loosely and simply: “That Thou Art” or “You Are That”. These powerful words have resurfaced and been recycled several times throughout my life. Originally written in the Upanishads (a collection of 200 ancient Sanskrit texts estimated to have been written between 800 and 500 BCE, but passed down through oral tradition long before then) - these words continue to sing true today, for me and for many. While there are (very) long-winded explanations and deep-dives that explore their etymology (many of which are quite fascinating if you’re inspired to research on your own) - every time these words reappear in my life - the simpler they become. Loosely. Simply. “You are that”. A force greater than you could ever imagine. And connected to a source deeper than the inky night sky. No need to complicate. But not to be forgotten: Tat Tvam Asi.
The incomparable Oyster dress! — I never could have imagined to be captivated by a gown as much as I was by this one. Seeing actress Anya-Taylor Joy emerge from this work of art like the Mother of Pearl that she is quite literally stopped my scroll and captured my full attention. Handcrafted by Chinese couture designer Cheney Chan, “the oyster dress” (or at least that is what I enjoy calling it) - is equally beautiful as it is playful. Dynamic. Pure. Enchanting. Lyrical. You get the picture - I was adequately moved by this dress. And not just because of the dress itself, but because of my current love affair with shells (which I wrote about in my recent Substack article here).
savoring a moment on by Robert — I have been discovering many new writers and divulging in many wonderful new articles lately (thank you Substack!) but this one especially jumped out at me. It is a short essay and I implore you to read if you have a moment. Robert shares the story of a beautiful memory that he is savoring, and it got me thinking about how wonderful it can be to slip into a reverie from a time past and turn it over in your mind again. Wonder at how much that moment impacted you. Savour the beauty of it. And notice anything new you gleam from it when you look back months (or years) later. His ending quote slash prayer says it all:
“May I never be so focused on what is to come that I forget the past moments that have made me who I am today.” — Robert
“Glacial” — I remember reading a share from a favorite writer I follow (Lisa Przystup) recently, where she described drinking a dram of rosé after a hot day in the sun as being “glacial” in comparison to the heat. Something about the word “glacial” struck me, especially when used in the context of something hot. Suddenly the word was no longer confined to only describing snow-covered alps and penguin-ridden places — it was opened up as a means of expressing a deeply felt and refreshing contrast of experience. An experience of uncanny, cooling relief, after baking in the heat of the sun. Perhaps it’s just because I live in Florida and can relate to this feeling and expression so much, but now when I notice my cold drink instantly percolate with condensation on a hot day, I think “mmm…glacial” as I take a sip. Awash with gratitude and relief.
Sconces! — First of all, new favorite word. Second of all, how delightful are they! I am in the process of envisioning and fantasizing how I want to decorate and design my next home, and one that I’ve realized is of utmost importance to me is lighting. During the daytime, I’m all about natural, sun-filtered rooms. During the evenings, I love soft candlelight glows emanating from different corners of the home. When I (re)discovered sconces on a design page recently, I stopped all other online exploring and focused in. It’s such a perfect way to bring a touch of light to a room or stairwell without a full-blast of illumination. It also allows room to play with shadows in a space (and if you read last month’s Savour Stack, then you know how much I adore shadows).
Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body by Hillary L. McBride — I have been following Hillary’s work for some time now and was very excited to see this book (or more accurately: workbook) come out earlier this year. There is not much to “read”, but more-so inquiries into the self and simple somatic-based practices to experiment with. Its refreshing to see a trauma-informed guidebook that does not get lost too much in the “technical depth” but instead delivers easy-to-reference nuggets of wisdom, practices to explore, and prompts to meditate on. It has been a wonderful manual to pause with in moments when I want to reconnect with myself and my body. Also, I personally love the body graphic she uses throughout the book: featuring a disproportionately small head comparative to the size of the body. It puts into perspective how much less attention we should give to our minds when distorted thoughts or feelings arise and how much more wisdom there is to be discovered through connecting to our bodies. If you’re a fan of workbooks and/or you’re on a nervous system healing journey, I highly recommend.
Water or Swarovski? - The other day after a refreshing late afternoon dip in the pool, I laid out in the sun to dry off and, suddenly, found myself taken aback by the simple beauty of water droplets on skin. Glittering and shimmering in the sunlight. I couldn’t help but wonder: was it water? Or was my body adorned in hundreds of Swarovski crystals? In that moment, they were one and same. Brilliantly there in full crystalline radiance one minute, and magically dissolving the next. The experience of being adorned in this kind of natural beauty felt fit for a Queen. Yet to have been experienced in something so mundane… *sigh* - these kind of moments get me.
The Royal Tenenbaums — I recently watched the movie The Royal Tenenbaums (yes, for the first time…I am slowly becoming more cultured in watching movies and shows after living under a rock for many years). I adored it. But the thing I adored the most was their whimsical home. Yes, the color-blocking (very classic Wes Anderson of course) with a touch of absurdity and maximalist design. But mainly the energy of the house. A house teeming with people of all different shapes, sizes, and temperaments, experiencing a new chapter of life together under one roof. How a physical entity such as a house can become a breathable, animated, dynamic force of life - brought forth by its motley crew of inhabitants. The perfectionist in me breathes a sigh of relief in surrender when witnessing movies like this. Realizing that life can exist and thrive in less than orderly or contained spaces. A refreshingly chaotic way of life that oddly enough works just right.
Healing by Rahill Jamalifard — A track I recently discovered (thank you Discover Weekly), that struck a deep chord, but in a soft place. A short anthem for healing featuring an easy cadence of repetitive and cyclical words and processes (to me, mirroring the often cyclical nature we feel like we are looping in when we are healing), ending with voice samples of what, I would assume, are clips from old home videos of Jamil’s childhood (to me, an ode to the inner child work at the root of it all). Simple. Impactful. Beautiful. Healing.
I hope you enjoyed this month’s Savour Stack as much as I did writing it. I’d love to hear what you’ve been savouring lately! Drop a line below or share with a friend who might be inspired.
xx
Heather