Feeling Well: An Interview with Madelyne Beckles
Daily routines, nature, life as art, relaxing, feminism and building community
Hi! Welcome back to Feeling Well, an interview series with people I admire. I met Madelyne through a group we did with Sierra Lash where we met weekly last winter for three months. Madelyne is a Canadian nutritionist, yoga teacher and creative. She writes a weekly substack, The Kitchen Table, where she shares recipes, her garden diaries, interviews with interesting people, seasonal guidance, and recommendations. I am continually impressed with Madelyne’s thoughtful approach to nourishing the body, living with the seasons, honouring nature and tapping into our deepest selves. She also has an amazing sense of style in all aspects from her outfits, to her house, to her beautifully designed website. I was so grateful to speak with her for this interview series, and get a deeper peek into her life in her hometown in Canada.
What are the things that make you feel well?
I always come back to the basics: getting out into nature, daily meditation and movement, 7-9 hours of sleep, staying well hydrated and three balanced meals at around the same time each day.
These are both the pillars of my personal practice and in my work with clients. It sounds simple, but to integrate each of these components into an already full life is a process of trial and error, and a commitment that requires as much self compassion as stamina.
I love acupuncture, sauna, massage, herbs, skincare, and self development work too, but those are bonuses. I’ve found through my work and self study that once you create a solid foundation to feel physically well, your capacity opens up, your mind becomes more clear, your energy builds, you become more receptive to the subtleties of more nuanced ways of attuning the body, and you have more tolerance to take on the emotional and spiritual work.
Tell me about your creative practice – what does it look like for you? How do you feel your creativity has changed since you started focusing on being a nutritionist?
My creative practice has changed dramatically since changing career paths. I’ve always been a creative person and a performative person, but it looked more literal in my childhood and teen years training as a dancer and singer, and dabbling in theatre and visual arts. In my twenties, I eventually formed my artistic practice that blends performance with installation, and video; and I ended up working at one the biggest art museums in Canada as a curatorial assistant.
I decided to pivot and go back to school to study nutrition during the pandemic when I became disillusioned with the institution and the 9-5. I had done my yoga teacher training on a gap year during university and circled back around to that lifestyle during lockdown. I have to say, it felt like an identity crisis for a few years there. My whole life was built around a party girl persona who was deep in the world of arts and culture. I felt like I was losing my edge and my intrigue by following this new path.
I feel more integrated now and recognize that these multifaceted parts are what make me who I am, but it’s taken time, and it hasn’t been easy. It felt like a death, and I held a lot of grief (some of which is apparently still lingering according to my TCM practitioner lol).
My creative practice now feels more holistic and less rigidly defined. I truly believe that living an intentional life is *the* biggest creative act of all. Through that lens, I see everything I do as creative. My morning routine, making meals and experimenting in the kitchen, growing my garden, making my home, working with clients, teaching my yoga classes, writing my newsletter and monthly columns, sharing on social media, deciding what to wear each day–it’s all creative, and the output is just as valid as the work I’ve installed in galleries.
I listened to a podcast interview with you where you talked about your definition of feminism - can you give us this definition and how it influences your work?
I always refer to bell hooks’ definition of feminism “a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” which implies the importance of intersectionality–that gender-based oppression intersects with race, class, and sexuality. True liberation requires dismantling the entire system of patriarchy inclusive of capitalism and white supremacy. I have a minor in women’s studies, and was raised within very close proximity to my aunt who is a gender studies professor and feminist artist so this is inherently part of my epistemology. It has been a driving force in my art practice, and in my work as a holistic health practitioner.
What we experience on a micro level in our bodies and day-to-day reflect macro systems of power, access, and narrative. What happens within us directly connects us to the larger structures around us, and vice versa. I believe in honouring the full complexity of the human experience by dismantling the all-encompassing renderings that are all too prevalent in the world of “wellness”. We are often presented broad, sweeping representations of what it means to be well, what it looks like, and how to achieve health. It’s totally reductive and lacking context and nuance. My practice connects nutrition to movement, creativity, spirituality, and personal growth, which I see through an inclusive lens that recognizes where gender, race, class, culture, and lifestyle all intersect with health.
What are your favourite places, on and offline, to find community?
The yoga world has been an entry point for me both on and offline. I started practicing kundalini yoga online in the height of the pandemic with Krista Schilter of Golden Chain. I signed up for a 40 day container, and never looked back. I have met so many people through her community who have gone on to become friends and collaborators. When I moved back to the small town I grew up in two years ago, teaching yoga became a way for me to re-integrate into the community, meet people, and build my network. I also love taking class when I travel because yoga studios and the communities that are built around it always feel like home.
The farmers' market is another incredible place to ingrain yourself in your local community. I’ve built relationships with local food growers and producers in this way wherever I’ve lived. I’m a huge advocate for eating (and living) seasonally and supporting sustainable food systems. Shopping at your local farmers' market each week is a lovely way to do both. If you’re not already in the routine of it, I can’t think of a better time of year to start!
Of course as a herbalist I have to ask…are there any particular herbs that you take regularly?
I always take digestive bitters before dinner, either in some homemade kombucha or mineral water with lime for a supportive mocktail moment. My current overnight infusion consists of: nettle, spearmint, milky oats, red clover, calendula, and rose. A couple times a week I’ll switch it up and do hibiscus, sumac, and schisandra berry for a tart summer blend that is both hydrating and energizing. I’m also loving an iced roasted dandelion root tea with cinnamon, cashew milk, and maple syrup for a caffeine-free afternoon pick me up.
How do you unwind or treat yourself?
I’m basically addicted to taking baths. A little less so in the summer, where I might have 3-4 a week, but in the depths of winter, it’s everyday, sometimes even twice! I love adding in fresh herbs from my garden like tulsi, skullcap, lavender, rosemary, chamomile, and calendula along with epsom salt, baking soda, and/or oats depending on the mood ;) I also love reality television to turn my brain off and have a good laugh.
Best art/book/film you experienced in the last year?
I read Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom by Christiane Northrup last fall/winter and was completely taken with it. It’s a big undertaking but an incredible resource for practitioners and honestly anyone with a body. She expertly frames women’s health through the lens of physiology, energetics, personal narrative, and spirituality along with practical nutrition, lifestyle, and medical guidance. A true work of art!
I loved the last season of My Brilliant Friend, the series based on the books by Elena Ferrante. The books are peak summer reading, and the show does it justice which is rare. Perfect styling, art direction, acting, writing.
We also started Pee-Wee as Himself, the Paul Reubens Documentary that came out earlier this year. It’s captivating, inspiring, and wildly entertaining.
I really appreciate your rounded approach to nutrition and being well. Is there any recipe, creative practice or wellbeing practice you feel that readers would benefit from trying?
Thank you <3 Two things that are really filling my cup this season are: getting outside first thing in the morning. I walk barefoot down to our dock to practice my meditation and I feel so centered and grounded afterwards. I’ve also been deleting social media from my phone every Friday at 5pm until Monday at 9 am for about 7 months. I feel properly rested after a weekend off the screen without so much external input. It’s done wonders for my wellbeing and consuming less has got me creating more.
See Ya Next Week!
I hope you loved this peek into Madelyne’s work and life. You can check out her website which has loads of useful recipes and information here. Some of my favourite posts from her Substack The Kitchen Table are below.
Pantry stocking tips and ideas on great things to have on hand:
Everything you need to know to start a veg garden!
Madelyne’s interview series with inspiring people which I highly recommend checking out.
Is there anyone you’d like to see interviewed? Send me an email or post a comment, I’d love to hear!
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