This program is being offered virtually through Zoom. In order to participate and receive the Zoom link, register by clicking the RSVP button above or by emailing programs@smithcenter.org

with Chef Cathryn Pethick

Soothe Seasonal Change with a Harvest Feast! An Ayurvedic Approach to Autumn:

Balancing Vata: As summer’s heat and humidity fade, Vata’s transition arises with autumn; it’s qualities of cool, dry, windy, rough, mobile and subtle begin to rule the days. The air is so clear, leaves swirl, their colors rich and mellow.

Our autumn menu balances this season of Vata dosha with the richness of sweet roots, vivid late season leafy greens, earthy lentils, and sweet, astringent tree fruits. Rich soups, stews and warming spices soothe our senses, encourage us to pause and savor the tastes, scents and sights of beautiful autumn. What looks, smells and tastes like autumn to you? Roasting squashes, apples, plums; rich lentil soups; the perfume of pumpkin bread just out of the oven, redolent with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger…Join the Feast! Recipes will be shared, and we will look in depth at our best practices for soothing this transition into Vata-dominant season.

About Cathryn Pethick

Cathryn Pethick, AA, AYS, C-IAYT is a certified yoga therapist and teacher, Ayurveda specialist, and professional chef- whole foods cooking and nutrition instructor. She shares those skills with private clients through her own Well-Being, founded in 2012, and is on staff with Maryland University of Integrative Health’s Masters in Nutrition degree program. At Smith Center, Cathryn teaches cooking and nutrition classes, gentle yoga, and contributes to Smith Center’s wonderful  integrative cancer support retreats as chef and yoga therapist. She has decades of experience in diverse culinary settings, practicing/teaching yoga from a therapeutic perspective, meditation, and the study of Ayurveda, diverse spiritual  and philosophical traditions, and Oriental healing/martial arts. Cathryn shares the intention of nourishing well-being for us individually and as a collective with yoga, meditation and food-as-medicine, by cultivating the healing power of balance, optimal nutrition that supports our vitality, and compassionate presence that nurtures us all.