Category Archives: Day of Rest

Day of Rest

Growing up, I attended a Catholic church. At a certain point in the mass, the priest would direct the congregation to offer each other “the sign of peace.” This meant turning to the people near you, one by one, and depending on how well you knew them, giving them a hug or shaking their hand and saying “Peace be with you.”

At my Sunday morning yoga class, my teacher ends with this: “Om Shanti, Shanti Om. May there be peace in your hearts, peace in your lives, and peace in the world.”

All of us, every mortal being wants the same thing: to be safe and happy, to have peace. Today, on this day of rest, it is what I am wishing for all of us.

Peace be with you, kind and gentle reader.
May there be peace in your heart, peace in your life, and peace in the world.

Day of Rest

It’s not about letting go of worry or getting over fear.

It’s about letting go of the idea that you can control everything, or anything.

It’s about making space for uncertainty and doubt.

It’s about surrendering to impermanence and getting past resistance to change.

It’s about “having the life you want by being present to the life you have,” (the subtitle to Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening).

It’s about confidence, “the willingness to be as ridiculous, luminous, intelligent, and kind as you really are, without embarrassment,” (the brilliant Susan Piver said that).

It’s about paying attention, being mindful and present.

It’s about letting go of both hope and fear.

It’s about having faith in basic goodness, our innate and fundamental and natural wisdom and compassion, our essential and shared humanity.

It’s about risking heartbreak and failure, knowing that it’s so much better than being numb.

It’s about living a wholehearted life–“engaging in our lives from a place of worthiness. It means cultivating the courage, compassion, and connection to wake up in the morning and think, No matter what gets done and how much is left undone, I am enough. It’s going to bed at night thinking, Yes, I am imperfect and vulnerable and sometimes afraid, but that doesn’t change the truth that I am also brave and worthy of love and belonging,” (from Brene’ Brown’s new book, Daring Greatly).

It’s about refusing to smash yourself to bits, and not being afraid of yourself.

It’s about choosing vulnerability over safety and predictability, letting go of the longing for solid ground, for a life of nothing but happiness and security.

It’s about love.

It’s about having the courage to face your own life, show up, keep your heart open, and allow yourself to be seen.

It’s about being brave.

a winnebago parked in my neighborhood, the brave model

Who’s with me?