MUD\FILMS’ new 'Rituals' series shines a spotlight on the morning routines of some epic, inspirational people. Narrated by our best David Attenborough impersonator, we join our subjects at the crack of dawn to see how they rise in their natural habitats. Launching November 4 on mudwtr.com and YouTube.
Five years ago, while playing chase with her young son, Sunny Savage slammed into the corner of a door while running full speed. She fractured the back of her eye socket and sustained a traumatic brain injury.
The internationally recognized wild food forager was tossed into a years-long carousel of headaches, doctors appointments and treatments. “Multiple rounds of antibiotics and steroids didn't touch it,” Savage tells Trends w/ Benefits, “and I underwent a crazy surgery through the nose to the center of my head. But that surgeon didn't get it quite right, and for three more years I suffered headaches and declining health.”
Finally, in January of this year, Savage found her way to Johns Hopkins for another skull surgery—this one successful.
“This crazy, long journey with a chronic health condition led me to do a serious deep dive in so many areas, but certainly in the daily rituals I anchor my day around,” says Savage.
She’s given countless modalities a try along the way, from neurofeedback to peptide injections, and has arrived at the following self-care regimen: a set of rituals that keep her healthy in body, mind and spirit.
No big surprise that these habits include plenty of connection to the wild world beyond her doors. Her foraging philosophy, including the creative harvesting of edible invasives, is the subject of the new MUD\FILMS doc Find Your Wild. You can watch the film at the bottom of this article.
Time Outside in the Early Morning
“I cherish my morning walk through the garden to observe the biodiverse dance of life on this planet. I harvest wild and cultivated plants to brew into a hot cup of tea.”
Prayer
“For over a decade I have been saying the same prayer to greet the sun upon first seeing it in the morning. This simple practice opens the channel and feels good. Although my connection to the source is layered, this one single practice is my constant signal to creator and self.”
A Home-Cooked Meal
“It's so easy to not eat or snack, or to eat food on the go, but it never satisfies. Through the years, I've learned that feeding myself home-cooked food is a necessary part of my self-care and that, without it, I can never quite get rid of a hollow, unsatiated feeling.”
Sauna
“I sauna and then take a cold shower at least four times a week, and feel like it's saved my life.”
Red-Light Therapy
“When I'm feeling run down and like my mitochondria could use a boost, I've found 30 minutes on the red-light therapy mat is amazing. I have also started to include three minutes of gazing at red lights upon waking in the morning to improve my vision.”
Sleep Hygiene
“This one has been huge—something I've worked on during the past three years to radically shift. I think most single parents and workaholic types will tell you this [sleep] edge is constantly pushed. Now, I limit my bright-light exposure after 8 p.m. and luxuriate in getting a full night's sleep.”
One Wild Food Every Day
“This has been my motto for years and I live it. Every day I eat something wild, even if it is the tiniest flower petal or leaf. This act gives me information from the survivors around me; those who are adapting on the frontlines of climate change and pathogens in the ecosystem. This sharing of genetic material, imbued with phytonutrients and micronutrients, keeps me connected to the gift of abundance that this incredible planet holds.”
[Note: Always forage with great care. A good place to start is with Savage’s “How Not to Kill Yourself Foraging” guide, which can be found on her app.]
Watch Find Your Wild
Wild food forager Sunny Savage shares a deep knowledge of the forest with her young son, Zeb, while harvesting a bountiful meal from the land. Brought to you by MUD\FILMS.
