#21: Lex G.
"Hildegard von Bingen, Corita Kent, and Susan Cianciolo form a kind of Holy Trinity to me."
Lex is a brilliant baker and devoted home cook. She also shared one of her recipes with us here.
At a glanceā¦
Location: Los Angeles
Big 3: Capricorn/Taurus/Scorpio
What does health, or being healthy, mean to you?
I think of health as connection to life force energy. When I am in my highest health, I feel deeply attuned to sensorial experience and radiant with vitality. My current conception of health has to do with expanding my capacity: for curiosity, discernment, compassion, resilience, enchantment . . . I have experienced periods of boundless natural energy and bliss ā which are totally magical ā but I donāt aspire to be sealed into any one static state. I want to experience life with depth and devotion, stay open to surprise, and engage sensitively with this world and realms beyond.
How would you describe your current lifestyle?
Leisurely, potent, joyful, adrift. Beginnerās mind in full effect. Appreciative of profound connection and so much giggling with friends. Humbled by novice pursuits of ballet and calligraphy. Spending my time worshiping peak season produce, experimenting with whole grain baked goods, and immersed in independent study.
Mornings start when I wake up and give my lover a kiss. Iāll drink water and tongue scrape, then put the kettle on. I whisk matcha every morning, adding a splash of maple syrup and/or homemade pistachio milk at the end for sweetness and froth. Then Iāll take a meditative residential walk to admire the local architecture, do a reformer Pilates class at a nearby studio, or sit down on my sheepskin for a Kundalini set. I find Kundalini to be a really luxurious and energizing start to the day. Iāve enjoyed practicing with Harmanjot Kaur, oftentimes working through her material in bite-sized pieces since a single class can stretch past the two hour mark. She brings a dose of cosmic playfulness to her classes that sets a magical tone for whatever the rest of my day has in store. Ā
Winding down for the night starts with leaving my phone to charge in the kitchen. Iām a lifelong devotee of the daily bath, but summer heat has shifted me toward a cool shower before bed. Iāll dry brush my body before I get in, then anoint myself with Everyday Oil when I step out, running any extra oil through the ends of my hair. I try to spend a few minutes detangling my hair and massaging my scalp, where so much tension lives, before combing my hair into a loose braid. Face wash, moisturize, floss, brush teeth. Iāll slip into silk pajamas and put my legs up on the headboard/wall while I read a book on my bed. A small Marimekko cup of water with magnesium usually lulls me to sleep. I fall asleep easily, usually getting 9-10 hours a night. I sometimes wake from dreams laughing, my subconscious mind has a great sense of humor.
Was there a specific moment in life that made you change your approach to health, or become more conscious generally?
I experienced a chapter of life on autopilot around 2016, characterized by dissociation, restriction and vacancy. I felt so trapped by my mindset and circumstances that I turned to different methods of ātranscendence,ā taking complete leave of my body and spirit in the process. (Don't ask me how many pages of Aliens & Anorexia Iāve dog-eared.) Itās wild how the same lessons came up again and again during this period, but I didnāt feel like I could approach them, or my life, head-on. āThey should invent a way out that is not through,ā etc. Honesty, self-trust, unlearning conflict avoidance, and finding the courage to take aligned action has deepened the quality of my life beyond measure. These are skills Iām still working to integrate, and in some ways, Iām still learning the same lessons too.
Where do you look to for advice?
Spending time alone in places of beauty ā beaches, cemeteries, forests ā provides ample energetic wisdom. I always appreciate the reminder that we can experience heaven on earth. Hildegard von Bingen, Corita Kent, and Susan Cianciolo form a kind of Holy Trinity to me. Each a multidimensional genius with a mystical bent and singular style, completely timeless yet meaningfully engaged in her own time.
In terms of texts, I consult Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford often. Iām still midway through reading this, but am super inspired by the dense mycelial knowledge and nonconformist collaborations shared in Letās Become Fungal. Iām both soothed and challenged by Zen teachings; Edward Espe Brownās books have definitely shaped my approach towards cooking and cleaning as an avenue for consistent spiritual practice. I like the foundational concepts that Daphne Javitch shares, particularly the idea that we should honor our commitments ā social, romantic, solitary, and otherwise ā as if they were doctorās appointments. Not out of obligation, but out of recognition that our health is relational and worth prioritizing. I enjoy following postpartum doulas, creative home cooks, and practitioners of TCM and Ayurveda on Instagram for both health guidance and dinner ideas. Ā
F*ck, marry, kill: three health trends of your choice.
I think the pillars of health are rooted in consistency and simplicity, so Iām not a huge believer in trends. That said, F: Reformer Pilates. Low-impact and sweat-inducing, I always leave feeling elated and limber. Ā M: Gravity Colon Hydrotherapy. With adequate preparation and intention, I find colonics to be a powerful tool for release far beyond the physical. K: Biohacking. Enormously turned off by the masculine urge to optimize, dissect, and triumph over the body.
Whatās your palate like? What meals do you find yourself returning to?
The kitchen feels like the seat of my creative practice. My meals are responsive to my cravings and constitution, as well as reflective of seasonality and geography. I aim to prepare food that is layered with flavor and imbued with love. Harmonic, fragrant, beautiful, and easy to digest. I want to invite friends and strangers over for dinner and serve a meal that leaves everyone feeling vibrant and like theyāre levitating just a little bit. Southern California is home to some of the most incredible sun-drenched fruits and vegetables on the planet. Constantly grateful that weekly farmerās market trips form the basis of what I consume every day.
Breakfast always starts with fruit in some form; I honestly go to sleep excited to drink tea and eat fruit the next morning. This summer, my go-to fruit bowl has been apricots or figs simmered in ghee and warm spices, with fresh berries (mulberries, raspberries, strawberries) heaped on top, plus a spoonful of coconut yogurt. Other days start with an ice cold melon from Weiser Family Farms, cut in half and eaten with reverence. Experiencing summer fruit feels legitimately spiritual and life-affirming. My savory meals are usually a paean to vegetables ā itās been a season of fresh and gently braised greens, steamed Japanese sweet potato, chilled green soup, and slow-roasted eggplant. Incorporating a bit more fish into my diet has really helped me feel stronger, more grounded, and agile in my body. The process of baking feels alchemical and transformative, almost beyond words, though I hope to write more about it soon.
You have $300 to spend at a health food store of your choice. Where do you go and what do you buy?
I lived within walking distance of Berkeley Bowl for about a decade, and would shop there at least once a week. Itās one of the aspects I miss most about my past life.
That said, with $300 in my pocket, Iād rather splash out on specialty items at Rainbow Co-Op in San Francisco. Founded in 1975, it has the most exquisite bulk bin selection Iāve seen thus far in my natural grocery studies. My haul would include a Rize Up sourdough boule, a 32oz jar of New Earth Superfoods coconut yogurt, fermented Burmese tea leaves, coconut butter, dehydrated seed crisps, fresh figs and berries, raw sheep and goatās milk cheeses, cold-pressed green juice from Liquified, and so many chocolate bars. From bulk, Iād self-serve a selection of sprouted stoneground nut butters from Living Tree Community Foods and Wise Goat Organics, ferments from Shared Cultures and Aedan, flours from Central Milling and Capay Mills, assorted mushroom jerkies from Far West Fungi, an array of dried herbs and flowers for infusions, and some soft Medjool dates to eat on the way home.
What advice would you give to the person reading this?
Embrace the psychedelia of everyday life.
Note: this Q&A was originally published via Mailchimp. Read the full issue here.