Essential rest
Over the last couple of weeks the universe has continued to remind me that rest is an essential part of caring for myself. After three years of dodging it, I came down with Covid. Fortunately, it has been relatively mild and I am slowly regaining my energy and stamina through listening to my body’s messages, caring for myself, asking for help, and resting.
It is not lost on me that a book I was waiting for from the library was ready for me to borrow this week - Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey. Just when I was returning to work and likely to slip into to doing too much too quickly, Tricia reminded me “I am enough now.” I don’t need to prove myself through doing or wearing myself out. I have more to offer the world when I am rested and rejuvenated.
As if this reminder was not enough and because the universe is well aware that I often need multiple message to get the hint, I had the pleasure of a beautiful conversation with a dear friend today about the ways she is practicing slowing down, stepping off the hamster wheel, and allowing life to unfold. She shared how much better she felt when she shifted the expectations she had for herself and listened to her body. She also talked about how easily she slipped back into the excessive doing one slippery step at a time, but then noticed how bad she was feeling, offered herself compassion, and stepped off the wheel again. Habits built over a lifetime are difficult to change. Committing to starting over each time we notice we’ve slipped back into our old routine, offering ourselves kindness and understanding, and seeking connection and support of others allows us to strengthen those new neural pathways we are building and improve our chances of success.
Last night was a new moon in Aries and a Solar Eclipse bringing opportunities for transformation and new possibilities. Listening to our intuition will help us utilize this energy to guide our next steps, especially those of caring for ourselves. The Power Path and Forever Conscious share more insights into these energies. Additionally, tomorrow Mercury goes retrograde in Taurus, which is yet another reminder to slow down and expect some challenges in communication. Tanaaz from Forever Conscious offers some journal prompts to explore during this time.
Please join me this weekend for our Saturday Morning Yoga practice to pause, listen to your body, and care for it with lovingkindness. Previous recordings of Saturday Morning Classes as well as Evening Chair Yoga are available on my Youtube channel. Due to family events there will be no class April 29 and May 6.
If you are an educator, the Mindfulness Retreat for Educators at Drala Mountain Center is open for registration. The wonderful Kristin McKeown and Andra Brill will be leading the retreat and I will be leading the yoga practices. Dates and registration information is available here.
If you would like a Remote or In Person Reiki treatment to support your healing journey, please Contact me to schedule a time. If you are interested in giving a gift of Reiki or Yoga, please contact me at lisa@findingthebalancewithin.com.
May you be safe, may you be happy, may you be healthy, may you live with ease. ~ Lisa