How to embrace slow living and live a beautiful life! Enter... Sabbath!
You may have heard me harping on recently about Sabbath and my beautiful re-discovery of it. Before I unravel my heart and share my thoughts, it’s important to know that I don’t believe anyone (even people of faith) are under any obligation to ‘observe’ this day, or obligated to anything actually. We are humans, made —beautifully free. Under obligation to nothing. Our choice is a stunning power.
Let me start with some context, I was raised in church and wrapped in a lot of rules. I liked the person of Jesus, but not the way most people who used his name lived. A lot of them didn’t seem to have much peace on their insides or even be delighting in the beauty of life that much (not all of them may I add. My path crossed with a few who lived beautifully!). But in a season of intense solitude and pain, my heart was opened to a different Jesus. I was alone and I was quiet, and as my heart writhed at having to face the depths of my own soul, I saw and felt a Creator who embodied Love. Greater than anything I’d ever known. I’ve been fascinated and in love ever since.
Photograph by www.tamarhopewillo.com
Now into this wonderful gift— Sabbath. So, the history of it (in simple terms because I like simple) goes, that the Creator of all Life gave his lovely humans some guidelines to live well (you may know them as the 10 commandments, which sounds a little religious, but let us goes on) and one of these guides to live well was Sabbath; to keep one day a week sacred (a beautiful word), as a gift to humans. A gift to refresh our souls, connect with ourselves, others and the Beautiful Creator and REST (I’m breathing deeper and slower just writing that). Most people in Israel, where this tradition was birthed, took this very seriously and no one worked on this Day. They feasted, laughed, refreshed their souls, did things they enjoyed like take a walk, eat, talk, sing. But not work.
Now, work is a stunning thing— it gives us purpose, and direction and way of serving our communities and our world. But doing something (even something good like working) every day, day in, day out, makes me tired just thinking about it. It becomes monotonous, loses its wonder and MAN... that’s just not something I want!
Notice how nature has rhythm. Nothing blooms all year round. The weather patterns change. We harvest different crops at different times. The soil needs rest to rejuvenate her minerals. All animals sleep. Some even liberate (you should see how much Simba sleeps in the Winter!). Our seasons change. It snows. It rains. The sun shines bright. Cycles. Rhythms.
Our culture not too long ago actually kept one day to rest (ish). The shops would be closed on a Sunday. Phew, a day to erm... well not be able to shop. But eventually, shops stayed open an extra day (there’s no shame here, just cultural observation) and Sundays somehow merged into the rest of the week. And add in the fact that our culture has become so fast paced, with such high expectations to juggle multiple social media and messaging apps all at once, see our friends, family, meet new people and have an incredible social life, live out our dream jobs, travel the whole world in our tiny 80 years on this planet (if we’re lucky!) and be at everyone’s beckon call ALL. THE. TIME! Aren’t you exhausted?!
I was and still am recovering from being exhausted. I basically burnt out at 23 and got severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For years. Not my favourite season of life at all. But I was forced into learning rest. And now I’m mostly recovered (but boy is that a journey in itself), I’m finding a temptation for the pace of life to revert right back to 1000 miles per hour.
Enter... SABBATH.
One of the most beautiful gifts I’ve been given. Permission to rest, chill, play, laugh, relax, read, walk, soak up nature, delight in the beauty of life, connect with my beautiful people, get inspired— a day (every week) to replenish my soul and breathe. A seventh of your life with full permission to do everything you love— everything that replenishes you!
There are no ‘rules’ but my guidelines are: once a week (usually I keep it to a Sunday) I delete the Instagram app and email app off my phone, put my laptop away (apart from for Disney plus hehe), and only do restful, fun things (which will be different for everyone). I’m finding that on this day, as I settle into a slower pace, and slowly pry the phone from my hands, I’m craving addictive notifications less and less (they are so addictive right) and my breathing slows and my mind slows and my muscles relax. And I LOVE it! It’s becoming my favourite day of the week, the day I feel most myself, the day I remember what life is really about. I delight in the stillness, in the beauty of being crafted out of the wild dreams of the loving Creator and IT. IS. BLISS. It’s worth going against the resistance of my addicted-to-fast-pace-hurried-life soul.
I love that a lot of Jews still take this practise so seriously (rebelling against our hurried culture) and for a lot of them, it’s their favourite day of the week too—now I know why!! I want to rebel too.
Let me know if you decided to join me in turning your back against the million-mile-an-hour-pace-that’s-killing-us. There’s so much richness in stillness and rest.
So. much. beauty.
And I’m not missing it!
Below are some tips (not rules) for enjoying a Sabbath…
“A sun-kissed heart sees beauty hidden in all things. ”
TIPS FOR ENJOYING A SABBATH
Turn your phone off, delete apps, turn off notifications, leave it at home while you go to the beach or for a walk. You’ll be surprised by how distancing yourself from ‘always having to be available’, constant advertising and manipulative marketing, (and those addictive notifications of course) will lead you to breathe deep.
Find something you love that isn’t work. Something totally separate. If you’re a musician, don’t play your instrument, maybe try painting or wild swimming (don’t get me started on the joys of wild swimming). Or if you are an artist, maybe leave the paint brushes and read. Anything that you love, that gives your soul a break from the beauty of your work. You’ll find yourself returning on Monday, fully inspired.
Be with family, friends, your people who you can relax with. You know, the ones that are easy to be around and you can be yourself with!
Spend some time alone. Solitude is beautiful (every parent is nodding their heads right now). Sat still meditating, a long walk to clear your mind, a quiet bath and space to feel and cry (it is oh so beautifully healthy to let healing rivers flow regularly. It’s basically prayer).
Eat beautiful food. Set the table beautifully (like it’s Christmas, you know!). Light candles. Drink wine. Linger in the true beauty of life.
Read. Reading on a regular basis is proven to improve mental health. It is just great for your brain! And so relaxing. I’m currently loving reading poetry because I can’t rush it. Poetry has to be enjoyed slooooow. Another brilliant read that has inspired me recently is ‘The Ruthless Elimination Of Hurry’ by John Mark Comer. A faith based book on slowing down and finding peace. Would highly recommend it!
And breathe. We often forget we breathe. And if that’s all you did one day a week, it would be more than enough— because YOU. ARE. ENOUGH!
