R.E.S.T

Recouperating Energies Slowly, Thoughtfully

Hi my name is Sam. I am a Healer - a Gardener and Storyteller of the Soul.
Soft. Simple. Still, is my publication -
a place where, like gentle butterflies that land upon your hand,
soft words will land in your heart for profound healing, stillness and simplicity.

Thank you for joining me.

Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash

Welcome to January my dear friend.

This January, like most January’s is a combination of both holiday energy (Summer holidays here in Australia) and organisational energies.

I am self employed. January is a good month to put a “plan together” for the rest of the year.

I am a homeschool Mumma. January is a good month to put a “plan together” for the first term and thereafter.

We are about to go away. January has been a good month to “plan” the finer details of that trip.

January, it seems is a good month to

PLAN…

Because,
well,
isn’t that what you do in January?!?!


This year I am also acknowledging the following things:

i) January is summer holiday time, a time to enjoy the sunshine and beaches, the ebb and flow of time off and a time of being with my family in a more relaxed way.

In that sense, Planning is only invited to join me at certain times, and, not for very long.

ii) That March has always felt like the beginning of my work year…maybe because I was born in March, maybe, and also very probably, I feel that the start of my calendar year begins on and around the Autumn Equinox (which is in March for me here in the Southern Hemisphere.)

I actually feel more connected with the Pagan Wheel of the Year than the Gregorian Calendar.

iii) I am tired.

In an ideal world I would have loved to have outlined workshops and courses,
inviting you to step into a wondrous world of gatherings and healing circles,
nature based philosophy and wonderment,

Instead I am inviting you to R.E.S.T and deeply HEAL with me.

This is what this January is really about for me.

R.E.S.T Sam,
R.E.S.T.

R.E.S.T because you are tired.
R.E.S.T because your body is craving it.
R.E.S.T because you know that you can give more when you do.

My tiredness…

• is the tiredness that comes from filling up only half way,
  and thinking,
  and wishing,
  that it was all the way.

• It is the tiredness that comes from a big emotional and mental year last year and knowing that I didn’t have time to pause and integrate all that occurred. So now, my body through resting, is inviting me to integrate, heal and grieve.
  

• It is the tiredness that comes from holding it all together and trying to do everything all at once.
  

• It is the tiredness that comes from over extending myself a wee bit too much (or, some would say - a lot!).

• It is the tiredness that comes from expecting too much of myself when my body, mind and soul have different needs.

• It is the tiredness that comes from wanting to have all my ducks in a row and knowing right now they are scattered happily in the paddock doing whatever ducks do best. see point above.

• It is the tiredness that comes from not sleeping well, and then sleeping very well, and then thinking that I have filled the sleep tank up, and in reality, I’m still lacking sleep.

• It is the tiredness that comes from planetary changes and moon changes.

• It is the tiredness that comes from extreme weather patterns -
  one minute there are fire hazard warnings
  the next minute it is so cold I am wearing a woolen jumper!

• It is the tiredness that comes from being a post menopausal woman who is new to this way her body wishes to be in the world and is learning and leaning into this amazing and wondrous way of being. Thank you to Red School founders -Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer - for your latest amazing book - Wise Power. If you are perimenopausal, menopausal or post menopausal this book is a MUST. It views this powerful time as a sacred initiation, to be honoured, felt into, held closely. It explains why we are tired, why we may have brain fog, why we may need our own time more, why we may experience our emotions in a more heightened way, plus more…
  Do read it. It will probably change your outlook on life!

• And finally, it is the tiredness that comes from not giving myself enough Me time.

  So right now instead of feeling motivated to DO
  I am feeling motivated to Rest.
  
  R.E.S.T
  

Are you tired too?
If you could list, like I did, the reasons why you are tired, what would you write?

I laid down for an afternoon nap recently when the word REST came into my mind. I wondered,

What does REST really mean for me?

and the words

R ecouperating
E nergies
S lowly,
T houghtfully

came through…

Mmmm…those 4 words are certainly powerful for me right now.

Recouperating Energies - Yep…I am depleted! I am in the gathering stages of finding my energies, of finding myself, and then filling myself up.

Slowly, Thoughtfully - mmmm!!!

SLOWLY.
THOUGHTFULLY.

Yes, how can I rest unless it is Slow and Thoughtful.
How can I rest if I feel that I have to be doing and doing, and doing some more?
How can I really recouperate and get stronger, if I push myself beyond what my body, heart and soul is craving, asking, seeking?
How can I hear the little voices that wish to speak to me unless I am still enough, thoughtful enough and present enough?

Do you ever do that - push yourself beyond your limits and expect yourself to be alright with that?
Do you ever think you are OK when actually you are not and the little voice inside gets pushed aside for “societies expectations” of what you SHOULD be doing at this moment in time?
Do you ever ignore your own needs for the needs of others…until there is nothing left in the tank?

I am putting my hand up to all of these…what about you?

I went to my naturopath before Christmas. Brenda is amazing. She has been my naturopath for many years now. I really appreciate how she asks the right questions, seeking beyond the physical, to help the ALL OF ME.

One of the main things we spoke of was SELF CARE and what that looked like for me.

I have written a lot about Self Care,
however I feel as though I have a new piece to offer myself
and you.

I am now realising that SELF CARE is part of R.E.S.T.

It is the Recouperating Energies part,
It is the Slow and Thoughtful part,
it is the part that says I am doing these things because they are important to my well-being and my mental and physical, emotional and spiritual health,

it is the part that says unless I do these things I am sabotaging my healing process.

Here are 3 things I am doing to R.E.S.T

• getting as close as I can to the ocean

• having a daily nap - sometimes just 20 minutes is all I need

• having more protein in my diet. Brenda informed me that I need to eat the equivilent grams of protein to my kilo body weight. (eg/ 60 kg in body weight = 60 grams of protein each day). I realised I was low in protein! Since taking on this amazing advice I have begun to feel brighter. My energy levels are slowly increasing and my mental/emotional energies feel more balanced.

Taking time off over Christmas was wonderful.
My favourite times were between Christmas and New Year when everything seemed to shut down and life for me was quiet.
I pottered.
I slept in.
I took my time over breakfast.

I just flowed in
and out
of days.

Now though I feel I am “in life’s lane” again and to be really honest…

I am not ready.

REST Sam
Just Rest.

Be Thoughtful
Be Slow.
Take your time.
Let your energies come into balance in the time-frame that they need too.

Be kind to yourself.
Take time for yourself.

Be soft.
Make it simple.
Allow it to be still.

Be thoughtful.
Be open to the subtle.

Be open to the obvious.

Be kind to yourself.

These are my words to myself.
What about you?
What words to yourself would you add to encourage yourself to R.E.S.T.

Finally, I will be writing to you a bit more sparodically over January and February.

I will continue to post my weekly meditations to you,

and will still be offering 1-1 healing/mentoring sessions, so do reach out if you need support in your own R.E.S.T ing time.

Until we connect again,
Blessed be.

If receiving these letters and the meditations you receive on a Sunday night (Meditations with Sam) are meaningful to you,
please do upgrade your subscription for 2025,
this will help me lead a more sustainable life,
and will enable us together to create a softer simpler still world.