This week, we will take a break, step back and take care of ourselves.

I need to take breaks regularly from the whirlpool that life can be. I can take a few hours only, or full days, just being by myself, energetically reloading, and enjoying solitude. It’s a cleansing habit of mine. When I start to be overwhelmed by my emotions, or that I feel I lose touch with what truly matters to me, I know it’s time for me to step back. I usually can feel the first signs and just meditate for a while, listening to music or drawing. But sometimes, it gets me like a wave and I know I will need more time to come back to peace.

So I do groceries and make sure I have everything I need, I tell my friends and family I need some time for myself, so they don’t need to worry if I don’t answer my phone or messages, and I enter my bubble. I usually start with a warm shower, or even a bath in which I put lavender and Himalayan salt. I spread floral oil on my body to sooth it, and bring it comfort, I then wrap myself in the softest clothes and/or blankets I have, and make a warm tea (depending on what I feel, I can go with different herbal mixes). I put my headphones on and cut myself from the outer world. The time has come to ground myself. I can meditate, or craft, write, draw, paint, do whatever I feel like, and what I feel drawn to listen. It’s not a time to attract anything. It a time to put some order within, and to anchor ourselves.

I can oversleep, getting the rest I need, and stay in bed while listening to the bird songs in the morning, feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin. I can go outside and spend some time on a blanket by the lake. I do whatever I feel like doing in order to relax, to harmonize myself within and out. It’s just a time out of time, when I can get back in touch with my soul, when I give my body what it needs to rejuvenate.

Then when I feel in peace again, I go back to my everyday routine, being in tune again with my true self. I also make sure I got some ‘capsules’ ready in case I need them. This are small things I can do in minutes or really short amount of time to relax. It can be a specific meditation, a breathing practice, a drawing project, a creative activity… I gather all I need (playlist, audio guidance, material) and put it in a specific box at home. When I need to relax but don’t have a lot of time to do so, I just go and pick something from the box and enjoy. The fact that I took care of my future self care is also really efficient to get into the activity and to relax.

So this week, take time to rest, and build yourself some self care capsules. If you want to, I can give you ideas and examples. But do it, because you deserve it.

The card

If I had a garden, this is what you would find in it hahaha. When I meditate to relax, this is the kind of thing I would visualize and interact with. I wanted it to feel as aerial as I could draw it, as nothing is heavy during our retreat. I wanted it to be open, as we release all the stress we have accumulated. I wanted it to be comfortable because.. well, it’s the whole point! And colorful because colors are life. I wanted it to be lit by several candles, for their soft light is what we need.. Dealing with multiple light sources wasn’t that easy, and I am pretty happy with what I did at this point of my digital painting journey. And yes, even if we rest and relax, we are still protected by Life’s magic… i hope you like it as much as I do!

My journey

Our journal

I wish you a sweet and resting week.