The Ritual Master Sue Monk Kidd’s novel, The secret life of bees, has been eye opening for many reasons, but it has also stimulated my imagination when I was not holding the book. See, I’ve never been to the American South, so all I know comes from books and movies. And when I find myself in the middle of the story, I wish I could be there and learn the bee keeping secrets or the delicious recipes. So instead, I take refuge in some simple rituals that bring the book closer to my reality…
How to love a bee
Like many people, I am not the most confortable when a bee flies around in circles in front of me. But with time, I have learned to simply close my eyes and wait for it to go on its way, that way I can stop making those ridiculous moves, like a toddler trying to avoid a boxer’s punch. In recent years, as the environment becomes a more pressing issue on the government’s agenda, we all hear the allarming statistics about bees. The fact that in such a diversity of insects, our survival is so closely linked to just one, proves how marvelous and how fragile our world is. Their study is incredible, and learning about the organisation of a hive, the different roles a bee has in its lifetime, the calling and example of the Queen are just a few things to inspire humans. So even though I am not confortable around them, I admire and cherish them, in my own way. There are some simple gesture we all can make to help them prosper and help ourselves in the process. Planting bee-loving annual flowers, in a garden, on a balcony or even on a window sill, is a first step. But even easier than that, is making a bee fountain to help them during the hot summer months. You just need a shallow bowl and some pebbles, natural, glass, whatever suits your mood. Covering them with water almoast to the top, allows the bees to sit comfortably on a pebble while quenching their thrist. You can place this on the balcony or in the garden, and maybe turn that space into a meditation corner, a kind of bee-observatory where you can just wait and admire these marvelous creatures.
Honey delight
One of the most precious gifts that bees offer us is honey. The benefits of this golden nectar are infinite, from its anti-bacterial, to its antioxidant and immune boosting properties, you have only to gain by indulging guilt-free in honey consumption. However, a detail well known in ancient cultures, and insufficiently reminded today, is that honey modifies its molecular structure when heated. Many of the benefits we know of, are actually valid only for raw honey, and for some ancient therapies, like ayurveda, heating honey makes it toxic for the digestive system. I have personally adapted my recipes, and use only maple syrup while cooking, reserving the honey for serving. For instance, while reading The Secret life of bees, I got the idea of roasting some pineapple. The ritual of cutting a fresh pineapple is almoast religious to me, I look at its magnificent shape with admiration and hope, every time, that I am worthy of bringing its sweet flesh to the light. When my sacred moment is over, I heat up a knob of butter and toss in the fruit cubes, letting them colour slowly, and naturally caramelize. When serving, I coat them in beautiful silky honey, and enjoy the magic of two simple flavours. You could add a dollop of yoghurt, some fresh mint or pistachios, but I prefer the pleasure of two beautiful ingredients that seem made for each other. My taste of the South…
The gift that keeps on giving…
The bee hive offers many treasures to be collected and enjoyed by all. One of the most versatile, is bee’s wax. Used in so many different fields, we ofter forget how useful and important it is for a great number of our daily products. I have long admired cosmetic brands that use all of the hive’s by-products, and with time have learned to make some myself. Today, I invite you to try a very simple nail butter, to nourish and care for our hands, that serve us so loyally day after day. You will need some bees’s wax, cocoa butter and coconut oil. The proportions are listed on the website, you can have a look before starting. I usually blend everything in a mason jar that serves as an easy double boiler when pun in a shallow pot of boiling water. The indirect heat will melt everything together, and the smell is simply divine. Use an old tin or a small jar to pour the liquid while hot, and let it cool down at room temperature over night. You will have a very rich, hard butter, that slowly melts away from your body heat, as you pass your finger over it. Massage it into your nails and cuticles every night, as a ritual before going to bed. Your nails will thank you for it !
One novel and so many ideas for living an inspired moment. Thank you for joining me as I’ve explored the Secret life of bees. Let me know what is your favourite honey recipe, I’m always curious to learn more delicious things.
Until next time, enjoy your reading, and your rituals !
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