spiritual maintenance
Illustration by @laugh_ of the _ moon
Our mind, body, spirit, and soul need a little tender loving care to stay in alignment with the demands of this world. Our energy can easily start to feel heavy when we lose track of ourselves. Then stagnation increases and our bodies become drained as we operate on autopilot.
Maybe you can relate, but I have days of extreme productivity and goal planning. Then I will fall into these long phases of feeling overwhelmed as I overthink my way through the days and weeks. Those phases can bring many emotions to the surface and debilitate me from moving forward with my goals. Which in return adds more stress to my days because I beat myself up saying “I need to be doing more”.
I started switching my thoughts to “doing less”. It is really important to recognize when our body needs to slow down and so we can love on ourselves differently. I extend grace and compassion to myself when its time to rest and reset my mind and body. I step away from the everyday norm as much as possible and self - soothe the parts of me that need love.
During these phases I dive deeper into all the tools that will allow me to feel uplifted and to achieve growth in all aspects of my life. For me this requires a higher level of solitude and stillness. Its very challenging to shift into that energy while keeping up with life. We owe it to ourselves to intentionally set boundaries and care for ourselves as much as we need to. So when you get that feeling in your spirit telling you to practice self-care please listen.
One of the major routines for me is deep meditation several times a day starting the moment I open my eyes. Meditation is always followed by a gratitude prayer and setting good intentions over my life. I make a homemade bath salt and essential oil mixture to energetically cleanse my body. You can do this while soaking in the bathtub or taking a shower. Calendula is a great herb to use as its known for protection and inner transformation mainly focusing on your personal power.
I love to wash away and heal any energy that is related to tension, fear, and negativity. This self-soothing act also nourishes my skin and calms my senses. Journaling assists with mental release and clarity. It also allows me to write out all the goals I set for myself. We all know how priceless having peace of mind feels. If you are like me you desire that more than anything. Writing our thoughts and feelings helps us achieve that level of peace over time.
As we head into the cooler months take time to nourish your body and soul. Connect with all the things and people who will hold space for you and support your routine. Remember you are doing all of this for you, which ultimately gives you energy to do for other. Take Care!