Journal Entry ~ Cape Town ~ 20th June 2025
Living in Cape Town at the tip of Africa, we’re about to journey into our longest, darkest days. Before moving here, I didn’t fully realise how deeply seasonal this place was - or how seasonal I might become. I imagined something milder. A kind of endless summer, with warm bones and light-drenched days.
But what I’ve come to love is the intensity. The full expression of nature. The way we’re folded into its cycles and invited to feel it all. We’re lucky to live under the mountains, with a garden that borders on the wild. In winter, we let it go - no mowing, no trimming, no neatness. The rains come, and we feel the garden drink and soak. The cold arrives, we layer up, light the fire, and it stays lit for months. We feed on warmth and nourishment. My kids come in with peacock feathers, porcupine quills, shedded snake skins and all kinds of winged things - there’s a sense of transition in the making.
In my first few years here, I often found myself wanting to get out - reminiscing about Mediterranean summers, craving escape. I still love to travel, but I don’t ache for it in the same way. I feel more grounded to the moment I’m living in however less extraordinary. I’ve also come to appreciate that it's in these moments of pause and reflection that I reconnect with my creativity and how important that is to me these days.
This is how COCOON came into being - a scent made for times of introspection and slow ritual. Rooted yet expansive, COCOON captures the essence of fresh air, old wood, and timeless terrain - like walking through a citrus grove after the rains. I especially love burning COCOON in the company of protective stones such as obsidian and black tourmaline, which bring safety in moments of reflection and transition.
To those of us in winter, may the quiet be kind. To those in summer: may the light stretch long. Enjoy where you are.
Love Kat xx
Founder of The Wild Story
Winter Solstice Rituals
A Quiet Ritual
As the longest night settles in, create a space of warmth in which to cocoon. Light a few candles, and let their glow soften the room. This simple act of fire in the darkness connects us to something ancient. For generations, people have gathered around flames to mark this time, to honour survival and the turning of the year. Place a few of your favourite stones nearby or hold them to you. Take a few moments to reflect on the year so far. Notice what held meaning: the joys, the growth, the challenges that shaped you. Let yourself acknowledge it all, the beauty and the imperfect. Just that.
The Stones and The Magic
We love obsidian and black tourmaline for their grounding strength and protective energy. Rose quartz opens a gentle path to self-love and inner harmony, while amethyst offers healing and soft, intuitive clarity.
A Wild Ritual
This Winter Solstice, step outside and strip away a layer of comfort. Take off your shoes, your socks and let your bare feet meet the cold ground: earth, sand, stone, wet grass, mud. Feel the rawness wake something in you
Don’t wait for perfect weather. If it’s raining, relish the chance to step out of your everyday and into your senses. Take a short walk through a nearby park, along the beach, up a quiet path. Let the winter air sting your skin and toes a little. If you're near water and feel called to it, don’t hesitate. That sharp, bracing rush of a cold dip no matter how brief will bring you to the exact moment. Alive. Awake. Whole.
As you walk, collect small things that catch your eye - a pine cone, a jagged stone or a beautiful shell perhaps. Bring them home and let them mark the journey. Light some candles and place your gathered treasures near you with your favourite crystals. Let yourself settle, feel the temperature change in your body and see what rises to the surface. You don’t need to force anything - just be with whatever comes. Then, if it feels right, write. A few words, a feeling or perhaps a beginning.
The Stones and The Magic
We love smoky quartz for its steadying presence and quiet strength. Malachite holds the pulse of transformation - deep, green, and ever-shifting. And tiger’s eye, golden and bold, stirs courage and clear intention, guiding each step with purpose.
