Noble Babe Rituals : Kaitlyn Tru

I remember craving chocolate & matcha tea in my first few months as a mother. Was it just the sugar I wanted or was I craving something more? What I came to realize was that I did need more. I needed a moment every now and then to look forward to. I needed rituals.

Today, rituals and routines have decreased my anxiety and helped me to live in the moment more. In my journey to find healthy rituals, I became inspired by Kaitlyn Tru, fellow sustainable shop owner, and ritual loving mama. Kaitlyn lives her life around rituals and lucky for us she was gracious enough to share her rituals with us today with actual recipes so that you can implement them into your life. I suggest starting with just one, I promise it will change your life. 

Name / # of Kids (names & ages) / Job(s) 

So my name is Kaitlyn Tru. Hometown people call me Kaitlyn but Tru is much more me. My two sons are Revel (6) and River (13 months). I sell vintage at @seasonedfolk which is mostly mini plant-dyed collections, where I dye according to season & moon cycle. It’s very influenced by the ancient European practices of spiritual and healing power in weaving and dying cloth.

Do you have any morning rituals or routines to set the tone for the day? 

I try to wake before the kids (sometimes that doesn’t happen.) But always starts with a big mason jar of warm water with apple cider vinegar, turmeric, and cinnamon. Once I finish that and move around a bit, I have ceremonial grade cacao & sit with the boys for books and play.

As mothers, we have such little time to tend to ourselves. What rituals and routines do you make a priority no matter what and why?

My rituals revolve around beverages for some reason. So other than my morning ritual mentioned, I’ll also have a herbal latte/potion around 4 when I need some boost to last the day. 

Here is the recipe I’m drawn to at the moment:

Mug full of (Seed Cycling Mylk)

Dash of reishi (calming, immunity, stress ease)

Dash of ashwagandha (stress adaption)

1 heaping tbsp cacao 

Tinctures of:

He Shou Wu (for all the beauty things)

Rhodiola (for energy to last the rest of the day)

Chaga (for DNA support and overall health)

Rose Elixir (for heart-opening & helps with patience)

Dash of salt

Maple syrup to taste 

Top with a dash of cardamom 

And our nightly ritual is also unfaltering. We start with chamomile - reishi tea that we all share and have a St. John’s wort oil-infused salt bath. The kids are immediately chilled after that. 

And after the kids are in bed, I prep my infusion of dried herbs, that I’ll sip on throughout the next day. 

Do you share your potions with your babes? Any daily tinctures or herbs that you give to them daily? 

I share my potions with Rev anytime he wants. They all taste like chai lattes or chocolate milk. I’ll fill a little mug of his halfway and dilute the rest with water. River I will give a sip but nothing really more. I use catnip often when teething. And rose elixir I always have on hand for general fussiness. Revel has elderberry gummies and a probiotic every day. And during school, he has a supergreen drink for breakfast where I add something for immunity, usually reishi or the daily immunity mushroom tincture.

Did you choose Texas as your home? How does your environment influence how you are raising your kids? 

My husband and I are both from this area. I grew up on a ranch and he, on a farm. A year in the city quickly made us realize how much nature meant to us. Living in the country allows the freedom that isn’t really available to kids anymore. Freedom of curiosity, freedom to keep their wild... it's our responsibility as parents to bring the culture and mindfulness, that is lacking in small towns. 

Current favorite podcasts/books?

I'm always listening to podcasts! Love the Expanded Podcast, Medicine Stories, That’s So Retrograde, Almost 30, So You Wanna Be a Witch... and I’ll search specific people or topics until I’m tired of it.

As for reading, highly recommended Braiding Sweetgrass, Women Code, & The Conscious Parent

Do you have a beauty ritual? Please share what you are using.

I wash my face with Tata Harper and follow with Living Libations oils. Brushing my hair is quite a chore so I try to turn that into a special moment, likened to Navajo practices and I’ll usually burn mugwort in a smudge bowl during.

Do you have a daily exercise practice? How did you transition back into fitness postpartum?

I didn’t really get back into fitness until 5 months postpartum until then I did a lot of walking while babywearing. I worked out really religiously for a while but have recently felt unmotivated with this heat. I honestly let the seasons dictate my relationship with fitness. So fall time I will probably get back to a routine of HIIT and light weights. But for now, my movement corresponds to my children and chasing them outside. 

Your food always looks so yummy. Can you share one of your favorite summer recipes with us?

We have tacos, burritos, Buddha bowls... all throughout the week with the same ingredients. But the main addition is always the sauce! Here is my favorite:

1c Vegenaise

2 bundles of Cilantro (add more herbs like parsley, oregano, basil for a fun twist)

4 cloves of garlic

Tsp of sea salt

2 juiced limes

4 jalapeños (more depending on the heat you want)

Dash of coconut sugar to bring out the flavors

Add all ingredients to a food processor until smooth.  

How do you incorporate some of your daily rituals or tinctures when you travel? What comes with you, if anything? 

I try to have something warm in the mornings, but traveling is total freedom for me, so often I go for a decaf coconut milk dirty chai. I always travel with the daily immunity mushroom tincture and add that. I also always keep catnip, rose elixir, and Kava on hand. Kava especially for occasions where people are drinking and I don’t want alcohol, I’ll add a tincture to kombucha. 

Any advice for a mom who is overwhelmed with this season of motherhood? If they just implement one ritual or change in their life today, what would you recommend? What do you think would be the most life-changing?

For me, it was/is all about prioritizing what pieces of myself MUST remain. In one season that was exercise for me. Recently it’s been more of a creative/work outlet. I allow it to shift with the seasons and just check into what I need to nurture. Constantly learning by podcasts and audiobooks and online courses also seem to help this season feel less static. 

Favorite items from the shop right now and why? 

The Noble Carriage Utility Suits are just so cute, I want one for myself. The colors have a vintage feel and that’s what I’m most drawn to in kids clothes. Also loving all the Kiboro kimonos from repurposed denim. When my style and ethics align, I’m most happy! Kids in vibrationally high wardrobes just make the most sense. 

- Tru's Favorites -