Dark buildings hulked around them, remnants of the 1700s and 1800s, full of hidden stories of the city’s Catholic past, and struggles between English, French, and the First Nations people who were already here. At this summer night disco party, I couldn’t dwell on the past. But I spent subsequent days checking out both the old and the new that this fantastic city has to offer, from its early history to art to spas, and its astonishing number of vegetarian restaurants.
Though it is important to source organic, fair trade, and sustainable when possible, some coffee shops and roasters are taking it one step further: Biodynamic farming. Biodynamic farming is not only organically farmed, but it is done so in rhythm with the cycles of the moon. A method of farming first introduced by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s, it is a holistic system of agriculture.
Heading north and a short distance inland from the coast, Lake Casitas also affords dark skies away from city lights. The recreation area has its own NASA-accredited astronomer and a large viewing telescope. Camping at the lake is one option for an overnight stay.
The shamans of old discovered how to hack our biology to turn on the free radical scavenging systems and the longevity genes after nature had turned them off. They became wise with a diet rich in brain-building omega-3s and through prayer and fasting. They ate a primarily plant based diet that switched on the Sirtuins. And they discovered that when they attained this natural wisdom, the universe conspired on their behalf to maintain their health. They were able to get their healthspan to equal their lifespan.