Welcome to Wellness Wednesdays!
Welcome to Wellness Wednesdays! I (Abby) will be sharing some thoughts, musings, audio recordings and tips (a few Wednesdays a month) on how we might be able to incorporate more wellbeing into our daily lives. You may see some simple yoga posture breakdowns, meditation/mindfulness tips, healthy recipes, and ideas on how to care for ourselves in more intentional and fruitful ways.
One of the most important themes in my wellness journey has been
creating SPACE.
Creating intentional space in my life, in my home, and in my mind, to be still and listen. Sometimes I'll bring my favorite poetry book or a pen and paper. Sometimes I get on my yoga mat and move my body with my breath - in whatever way I feel like. Sometimes I'll just sit with my coffee, taking in the beauty of the nature around me.
"...All holiness is about learning to hear the voice of your own soul. It is always there and the more deeply you learn to listen, the greater surprises and discoveries that will unfold..."
In our busy lives, it's easy for us to let this intentional "quiet time" to take the back-burner. But I've learned from experience that when I neglect to incorporate this important value into my regular routine, I end up getting burned out. There's a reason we need down-time. Especially now with our social media culture and our constant dings, notifications, and overflowing inboxes, our minds (and our hearts) can become over-stimulated and weary of it all.
Taking time to create some space in your schedule, your life, and your brain, will have beautiful benefits. When you have down-time, you can listen to the stirrings in your soul. When you have quiet time, you can hear your own voice over the thousands of voices you hear across social media and every-day life each day. I read this portion from a favorite book of mine called Beauty to my students the other day. It fits well with this idea of creating space and listening to your soul.
“When you take the time to draw on your listening-imagination, you will begin to hear this gentle voice at the heart of your life. It is deeper and surer than all the other voices of disappointment, unease, self-criticism and bleakness. All holiness is about learning to hear the voice of your own soul. It is always there and the more deeply you learn to listen, the greater surprises and discoveries that will unfold. To enter into the gentleness of your own soul changes the tone and quality of your life. Your life is no longer consumed by hunger for the next event, experience or achievement. You learn to come down from the treadmill and walk on the earth. You gain a new respect for yourself and others and you learn to see how wonderfully precious this one life is. You begin to see through the enchanting veils of illusion that you had taken for reality. You no longer squander yourself on things and situations that deplete your essence. You know now that your true source is not outside you. Your soul is your true source and a new energy and passion awakens in you.
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What are some ways you intentionally take time for yourself? Can you incorporate at least one little thing that brings you life and restoration into your weekly routine? And maybe, eventually, work in is as part of your daily routine? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!