Five Scorpio season rituals for reflecting on the year and tending to your inner garden In Sleeping Beauty, a princess wanders through the castle, finds a spindle and pricks her finger. She falls asleep, and in time the castle disappears behind a hedge of thorns. As a child, I wanted to know who would get through the hedge.Now I find myself wondering about the long interval in the story.What happens when the world goes quiet and the next chapter takes its time arriving?There’s something of that interval in November. The year is nearly over, but there’s still time to sit with what has happened. What progress have I made that I’ve barely stopped to acknowledge?What do I want to carry forward? What am I keeping alive because I was once so proud to want it? For me, this is the alchemy before the end of the year. Scorpio season, and the whole month of November, are the time when I want to spend more time inside with myself and a soothing cup of cacao. That allows me to stay with questions I might otherwise hurry past. I can look at a fear long enough to see what it’s guarding.I can admit how much I want to be seen and get curious about whose eyes I’m hoping to catch. Sometimes I realize I still want the dream. Sometimes what I wanted was the feeling I thought it would give me. What if the void is fertile? I am currently doing a deep dive into meditation and sitting in silence. I am examining where my body is storing shame and fear around vulnerability and personal power, what parts of myself I am hiding to feel safe. All Scorpio themes… intimacy, power, money, control. But my favorite part of it is confronting the unknown: Scorpio season triggers a deep fear of endings, change, and the unknown. It asks us to look at the shame we feel when we "fail" or when something we built comes to an end. I know all of these topics make you shift in your seat and perhaps think about something like Christmas. But the real challenge is that you stay with the feelings that rise from such questions. The challenge is to see this time as a garden to tend to during the winter. The fear of the winter frost. We want the flowers to stay forever, but Scorpio demands we have the courage to let things die so that something true can take root later. And here is the alchemy of November: feeling things intensely, letting our true desires or past traumas be exposed where we have suppressed them. Eventually this becomes an act of looking at the rotting compost pile in the corner of the yard, instead of looking away in shame because it smells or looks ugly. Scorpio reminds us that this exact material is what makes the soil fertile.When I say the void is fertile, I mean that a little space can give a quieter desire time to become audible. It might sound as ordinary as I want more evenings to myself or as unnerving as I think I want to begin again. Sometimes all I hear is I’m tired. That’s worth hearing, too.If you’d like to explore this for yourself, choose one of these November rituals. Begin with whichever feels easiest to make time for. 1. Free-write for ten minutes Set a timer and begin with This year, I surprised myself when… Give yourself credit for something specific. Maybe you asked for help sooner, kept a promise to yourself or said something you’d been swallowing for months. Then pick one question and keep writing until the timer goes off. • What am I ready to stop giving my time to? • Which dream would I still choose if nobody knew I was pursuing it? • Where do I want to be seen, and by whom? • What do I want more of in an ordinary week? Read it back once. Underline the sentence that surprised you. You can leave it there for tonight. 2. Revisit your natal chart Start with one placement. I’d choose the Moon if you’re reflecting on what makes you feel at home in yourself, or Venus if you’re questioning what you value and what you genuinely enjoy. Read the placement, then look for a real moment from this year that brings the question to life. Try asking:When did I feel most like myself this year? What was I doing, and who was I with?If you’re new to astrology, bring that question to a natal chart reading. It gives you a personal place to begin. 3. Make room for a breathwork class If you’ve spent days thinking your way around the same question, try giving it a little space through breath. Choose a gentle, guided breathwork class where you can go at your own pace. Before you begin, jot down how you’re arriving in a few words. Afterwards, give yourself a minute before you reach for your phone. Notice what you feel like doing next. Perhaps you want to write, walk home in silence or go straight to bed. Let that ordinary answer count. 4. Scorpio ritual for the inner garden The purpose of this ritual is to turn your heaviest emotions—grief, anger, shame, or fear—into fertile soil for your personal growth. Find a quiet space, open your journal, and write down what feels heavy right now. What are you ready to stop carrying? Call it by its name.Read what you wrote and acknowledge it without judgment. View these heavy feelings not as trash, but as "organic matter" that is ready to break down. Alchemize. Write down one way this exact challenge can enrich your future self. Ask:How can this pain eventually become the wisdom or resilience that feeds my growth? Safely burn the paper, tear it up, or visually close the journal, trusting that the decomposition process has officially begun. 5. Planting Hidden Seeds (The Winter Gestation) Anchor an intention in the dark, trusting it to grow invisibly throughout the winter months. Choose your seed by writing a single, potent intention or dream for the coming year on a small piece of paper. Fold it tightly. Choose a symbolic "underworld" for your seed. You can bury it in the soil of a houseplant, slip it under your mattress, or place it inside a dark drawer. Place your paper seed into its dark resting place. As you do, whisper or think: "I trust the dark to hold you while you grow.” Forget about it for the rest of November and winter. Resist the urge to check on it, letting the magic of dormancy do its quiet, unseen work. Everyday practices during November: Sit with the quiet for five minutes Leave your phone in another room. Sit somewhere comfortable and feel your feet on the floor. Let your breath find its own rhythm. If your mind starts planning tomorrow, return to the weight of your feet or a sound in the room. At the end, ask yourself:Is there something I already know that I haven’t given myself time to hear?If an answer comes, write it down. If you feel restless or draw a blank, you’ve still spent five minutes keeping yourself company. As Sagittarius season approaches, I can feel the pull of the horizon again. I love that moment when the world starts to feel a little wider. This year, before I decide where I want to go, I’d like to take one honest thing I’ve learned about myself and give it somewhere to live. It might be an evening I keep free, a conversation I finally have or a small promise I make good on before December. What would that look like for you?

When you have spent the day responding to everyone and everything around you, it can take a little time to recognize your own needs. This ritual offers a space to listen. Preparing the cacao, sipping it slowly and settling into your breath become an invitation to notice your body, your emotions and what deserves your attention. Allow yourself around 20–30 minutes. What you’ll need • Ceremonial cacao, finely chopped, using the supplier’s suggested gentle serving • 150–200 ml water • 1 teaspoon of Rose Beauty Tea  • A saucepan, strainer and whisk • A journal and a comfortable place to sit • A teaspoon of blackstrap molasses for those who have a sweet tooth * BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES benefits: A 1 Tablespoon (3 teaspoons) blackstrap molasses contains roughly 3.6 mg of iron, which equates to 20% of the overall Daily Value (based on a standard 18 mg reference target), supporting red blood cell formation and helping combat iron-deficiency anemia. * ROSE PETAL AND ROSEHIP TEA benefits: Contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds that help with PMS, reducing period cramps, bloating, mood swings, and anxiety. Rich in polyphenols (such as gallic acid and anthocyanins) and vitamins (including Vitamin C) that fight free radicals and support cellular health. Stimulates bile production from the liver to aid food breakdown. Offers a mild, soothing effect on the nervous system to help lower tension and encourage restful sleep. Provides hydration and Vitamin C, which assists with collagen production and helps maintain a natural glow. * CEREMONIAL CACAO benefits: ceremonial cacao contains theobromine, a gentle cardiovascular stimulant that promotes blood flow and mental alertness without spiking cortisol or causing caffeine crashes. It is mineral rich, serving as a strong plant-based source of magnesium (which relaxes the nervous system and supports muscles), iron, zinc, and copper.     THE RITUAL 1. Create space for yourself: Put your phone aside and prepare a place where you can sit undisturbed. You might light a candle or choose quiet music. Before you begin, notice how you are arriving. Tired? Restless? Distracted? There is no particular state you need to achieve. Taking a moment to notice how you feel helps you recognize what you need. You might become aware of tension you’ve been carrying, tiredness you’ve pushed through, or emotions that haven’t had room to surface. Let thsi awareness guide yor ritual - whether you need to get comfortable, move gently, or simply sit quietly. Begin by giving yourself the attention you so often give to everything else. 2. Prepare the rose infusion Pour hot water over the rose petals, cover and leave to infuse for 5–7 minutes. Strain, keeping the fragrant infusion as the base for your cacao. Let this preparation be part of the ritual. Notice the scent rising from the cup and the colour of the water. 3. Slowly prepare your cacao Pour the rose infusion into a saucepan over very low heat. Add the finely chopped ceremonial cacao and whisk gently until melted and smooth. Keep it warm without bringing it to a boil. Taste and add a little honey if you wish. Pour into your favourite cup.     4. Choose an intention Hold the cup and pause before drinking. Rather than setting a goal, choose something you want to give your attention to: Today, I make space for… Perhaps it is rest, honesty, tenderness or a decision you have been avoiding. Let the intention be simple and personal. 5. Drink with attention Take a small sip. Notice the warmth, the richness of the cacao and the delicate presence of rose. Drink slowly, pausing between sips. Feel your feet on the floor and allow your shoulders to settle. When your mind wwanders towards plans or unfinished tasks, gently bring your attention back to the cup in your hands.This is a simple way to practice presence. Paying attention to warmth, scent and taste awakens your sense and gives your mind somewhere to rest, inviting you to experience a familiar act more fully. It is also a moment to receive the care you have taken in preparing this drink. Partway through, pause and ask yourself: What am I noticing now? Perhaps your jaw has softened, you feel more settles, or you are simply enjoying the taste. Whatever you notice can be your starting point for the breath practice that follows. 6. Let your breath guide your attention inward Set your cup down and sit comfortably. Begin by following your natural breath. Then, if comfortable, breathe gently through your nose for four counts and breathe out for six. Continue for 5-6 minutes, without forcing the breath or holding it. Keep this practice soft. If you feel light-headed or uncomfortable, return to your normal breathing. More about Breathwork find out here.     7. Listen, then write Let your breathing return to its own rhythm. Sit quietly before reaching for your journal. Explore one or two of these questions: • What have I been too busy to notice? • What needs care or attention in my life? • What would honouring my intention look like in one small action? There is no need to make your answers beautiful. Let them be honest. 8. Close with an act of care Finish any remaining cacao and take a moment to look around the room. Feel the support beneath you. Choose one thing from your reflection to carry into the day. Give it a practical form: time in your calendar, a conversation, a boundary or permission to rest. The ritual becomes meaningful through the attention you bring to it—and the care that follows.If you haven’t exeperienced ceremonial Cacao with Rose Petal base, visit our Cacao & Rose - The Art of Savouring Day on November 28, at The Stylist in Zug    

Every year, a few days after Lammas—the ancient harvest festival that rests between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox—I notice the same feeling quietly arriving. A sweetness. A longing. A gentle ache. As though summer, despite its abundance, has already begun slipping through my fingers. A few days ago I wrote that August is the Sunday of summer, and I believe that more deeply with each passing year. It is the season that invites us to linger a little longer. To savour rather than rush. To gather what has ripened before the landscape quietly begins to change. When I look across the fields now, I see the hills softening from green into gold. The wheat bows under its own fullness, and I feel the presence of Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, everywhere around me. Her season is not simply one of abundance, but of devotion—the quiet wisdom of tending, nourishing, and understanding that every harvest carries the promise of a new cycle. Perhaps that is why my understanding of beauty has changed so profoundly.     Nature has become my greatest teacher. So have the Greek myths, the goddesses, and the ancient feminine mysteries that remind us beauty has never been about perfection. It has always been about vitality. Presence. Rhythm. The aliveness that radiates from a woman who lives in harmony with the seasons—both around her and within her. This year, High Summer carries an even deeper meaning for me. As a mother, I find myself witnessing my daughter slowly crossing the invisible threshold into womanhood. It is impossible not to think of Demeter and Persephone—the eternal story of love, letting go, and trusting the cycles of life. I feel immense pride, touched with the bittersweet tenderness that every mother knows when she realizes time moves only in one direction. So I wanted to honour this moment.     A LOVE LETTER TO HIGH SUMMER To write a small love letter to High Summer—to this golden pause before autumn arrives, to beauty as a ritual rather than a pursuit, and to the quiet abundance that still surrounds us. The days are warm, the sun still generous, and we likely have a few more weeks before the first cool mornings announce the changing season. Until then, I hope you’ll join me in slowing down.Below you’ll find the beauty rituals I’m reaching for most this season, a few simple recipes you can make at home, and a guided beauty meditation I recorded for you—a gentle invitation to experience beauty not only on your skin, but as something that begins much deeper.     BEAUTY FROM WITHIN ◌ Rose capsules or hydration, even complexion and elasticity. Also to protect the skin against the aggression of the single oxygen radicals resulting from solar radiation ◌ Hibiscus tea to combat free radicals that damage skin cells. ◌ Mint and spearmint tea is one of my all time favourites. It supports hormonla balance, but also provides hydration, helps dygestion and helps you cool down. ◌ Nettle tea is great for any irritation, eczema and redness. It protect skin cells from oxidative stress and free radical damage. I’ve written often about the many gifts of the rose - its remarkable ability to nourish feminine beauty, soothe the nervous system, and gently support the heart. But if you’re only beginning your journey with this extraordinary flower, rose tea is perhaps the simplest and most accessible place to start. Marshmallow infusion: it hydrates the skin from inside out and prevents moisture loss by protecting the skin's natural hyaluronic acid.     FRESH SEASONAL FOOD Cucumber - I love using cucumber over my eyes to cool me down and refresh the skin. But another trick I use is drinking cucumber water. It calms angry skin and helps lower body heat. Coconut water is another favourite of mine. I drink it daily. replenishes vital electrolytes, and supports heart health.     BEAUTY SUPPORTING SUPPLEMENTS ◌ Milk Thistle is a favourite supplement - it protects the liver from toxins, lowers fasting glucose and fights cell damage from free radicals.I also love the VITALITY Greens by Anima Mundi, containing spirulina, dendilion, nettle, moringa. A HEALTHY LIVER clear skin and eyes, stable weight and good steady energy ◌  Liquid Silica helps the body's collagen production. ◌  Gluthatione - another supplement I can’t recommend enough. A powerful antioxidant that helps clean out toxins and keeps your immune system strong.     HIGH SUMMER SKINCARE SUMMER Face and Body Serum - because its wild geranium essential oil is the best ingredient for summer skin. It slows melanin accumulation to prevent sun spots, and acts as a lightweight astringent that regulates sebum and cools heat-stressed skin. It also contains Juniper berry essential oil which improves the metabolism in the skin layer, cleanses the skin of impurities and toxic substances and promotes its healing. Finally Marigold CO2 extract helps with skin hydration. It has a pronounced anti-age effect and is a proven antioxidant. If you need more protection from the sun use ZDRAVETZ fluid, which is more concentrated and focused on the qualities fo the wild geranium extracted through the innovative crytical CO2 method. Floral waters are fantastic hydration and skin refreshner for summer and my preferred ones are ZDRAVETZ & Lavender. One of my summer skin secrets for the whol body is the Dead Sea Mud Mask: I use under the shower. It is packed with powerful minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sulfur—each one a tiny superhero for your skin. These elements work together to detoxify pores, reduce inflammation, and deliver deep nourishment.   HIGH SUMMER PRACTICES Lymphatic clearance with dance and massage - Dead Sea Mud Mask to Start Fresh your morning 1. Dry brush your body. 2. Run the shower to wet your skin. 3. Apply Evenly: Spread a thin layer across your face and neck, avoiding eyes and lips 4. Relax: Leave it on for 10–15 minutes as it dries and works its magic 5. Rinse: Use lukewarm water and a soft cloth or sponge to remove the mask 6. Follow Up: Apply your favorite Body Oil. Use it 1–2 times a week. More isn’t always better—consistency is key!   MASK for fresh and clean skin 1 tbsp yoghurt 1 teaspoon Grape juice 1 tbsp honey 1/2 ttbsp. Ancient healing clay Mix everything together and apply on the skin. Leave till it dries.     MEDITATION TO CULTIVATE BEAUTY Take 10 minutes out of your precious day to reconnect with yourself. Click here, slow down, and enjoy your meditation.