divine self-care

I've taken so many writing hiatus' since I've created this platform, I began to question its purpose.

I celebrated one year of purchasing this domain earlier this month. By celebrated, I mean I skimmed the "we will automatically deduct this amount of dollars from your bank account to renew your account and keep your domain" email, sighed, and allowed the system to do its thing.

All the while I was simultaneously launching off a blog challenge for the month of April with my World Race squads that I'm currently advising. I promised I would actively participate and write one blog a week with them. Something I haven't done in a very. long. time.

(You can read last weeks blog here. I decided to write a letter to them. It only made sense to start off that way.)

But this week I've been at a loss for words. Hence the 10pm on a Sunday post.

The thing that sparked the initial dream for The Redwoods Collective was passion, dreams and discoveries. So, I'm going back to my roots (pun intended. Get it? Redwoods?), sticking with what I know, and writing about what I'm passionate about.

Right now, that's self-care. In so many forms.

A recent form I've taken up is yoga. And I've gotten a plethora of responses, but a common one whenever I bring up the topic of "self-care" is eye-rolls. Pursed lips. Stern faces. Many physical reactions of restraint.

Which I find to be so interesting.

I feel zero need in my heart to defend my recent passion for self-care, but my head automatically starts coming up with responses that send signals to my mouth to open and word-vomit something along the lines of "it's not what you think..."

3 years ago I went to the chiropractor for the first time, only to discover that a big result for my intense migraines was because my neck and lower back were completely out of alignment, we traced this tension and trauma back to a car accident I was in when I was 16. That's nearly a decade of disregard and mistreatment to my body after trauma.

In recent years I have discovered more traumatic experiences that my body has been through, all of which I have not taken proper care of.

Yoga is not only making me more aware of my body and its needs, but it is healing and reversing some of the mistreatment it's been through.

Through yoga, my anxiety is easing, my mind is clearing and my body is not reacting in stress and tension to certain situations where it had been before.

I've had conversations with some who dismiss the thought of self-care. I've read the comments that it's selfish and "new-age" maybe even going so far to say it's out of the question for a devout follower of The Christ.

I would strongly challenge that way of thinking. And to give biblical context for those with concern, our Creator wove rest right into creation itself. Rest and instruction for care of self is found all throughout both Testaments.

It was taught to the Israelites in the wilderness. (Exodus 16:22-26)

Jesus Himself practiced the divine care of self. (Luke 5:16)

And it was instructed to the disciples. (Mark 6:31-32)

Through my own healing that I've come to discover, I've had many conversations with others on the topic who are also on their own journey to care for their bodies and self.

I've found that, ironically, self-care is truly a divine experience, which never ends when I roll up the yoga mat, close up my journal, or open up my eyes from prayer and meditation.

It softens me, carries me through my day and plants seeds to harvest whether I'm feeling up to the challenge or not. I'm centered. I'm focused. And for the first time, without experiencing burnout, I'm reminded that by my active choice of divine rest and self-care, I'm producing fruit, almost subconsciously.

Loving my neighbor as myself is no longer a heavy, daunting, insurmountable task to check off. It's a journey of adventure, discovery and freedom that bubbles up and spills over.

You are to love the Lord Yahweh, your God, with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, with every thought that is within you, and with all your strength. This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself.’ You will never find a greater commandment than these.”

Mark 12:30-31