I heard someone the other day say something like “August is the Sunday of summer”. I feel that also. It’s somewhat how I have been feeling the past few weeks as I have enjoyed a slower pace of things. It’s a kind of “quieter time”, the calm before the back to school frenzy of fall blowing in, people are away with summer travels still and relaxing excursions into the woods or the beach help me with all things.
July was extraordinary (and intense!) in so so many ways…AND…also left me very ready for something I (snobbishly?) call “sacred rest” (more on that in a minute). For as much as we all nowadays talk so much about the profound impact of STRESS -- we sometimes leave out the impact of the “good kinds of stress” also which often require just as much recovery time!! July was packed to the max. I backpacked at high elevation for 4 days- (which I hadn’t done in I think around 20 years??) Fully off-grid, complete with lightning/hail storms and extreme weather changes, heavy backpack, minimal sleep and fabulous flops onto ginormous slabs of rock! It was stunningly beautiful, fun, challenging and…stressful. I was fortunate to experience lots of robust activities and fulfilling family time. And unexpectedly again--sitting with a dying friend. This has happened many times in my life and was a huge blessing. And also very hard. All of this was a kind of stress (especially for someone who is quite sensitive to feeling and absorbing energy). After weeks away I was/am grateful to be home where I more easefully settle back into my grounding rhythms and helpful routines more conducive to a kind of rest I had really needed much more of.
Sacred rest to me is more than simply taking a break from the daily grind; it is a deliberate and mindful act of replenishing one's body, mind, and spirit. It goes beyond physical rest and encompasses a deep connection with oneself and the world around us. Sacred rest is about carving out sacred spaces and moments where we can tune in to our innermost needs and desires, nurturing ourselves on a profound level. It is in these moments that we truly honor our bodies, honor our minds, and honor the inherent wisdom within us. Sacred rest invites us to slow down, be fully present, and surrender to the beauty of simply being.
And while this can ALSO happen in the above mentioned experiences with family, backpacking and presence with a dying friend, there’s something about it also as separate from all else. It is an invitation to replenish, rejuvenate, and restore ourselves to a state of harmony. Not as perfection, not as a monk in a cave meditating for days and days, but in a real deal, real life way woven into all the other parts that make for a full life.
RESOURCES
Blog post / Youtube Videos from Jessica: Food For Thought, 40 Things I Know To Be True
Recipe: Pesto Salmon
Affiliate: BIOPTIMIZERS, CENTERPOINTE
