Sacred Self-Care: Being Resourced Enough to Stay Switched On
Did you miss our Community Call? Watch here.
Sacred self-care doesn’t begin with a big plan. It begins with arriving—long enough to notice what’s true in us.
In our recent Community Call, Robert offered a crucial reframe: care isn’t only personal. It’s collective. It’s how we resource ourselves so we can keep showing up with steadiness, clarity, and compassion—especially when life feels uncertain.
Self-care isn’t an escape from the world.
It’s preparation to meet the world.
A simple practice: NEST
Robert introduced NEST, a brief check-in that turns vague overwhelm into clear awareness:
N — Number: How centered do you feel (1–10)?
E — Emotions: What feelings are present?
S — Sensations: What’s happening in your body?
T — Thoughts: What’s dominating your mind right now?
When we name our inner state, we become less reactive and more human with each other. We stop taking everything personally—and start caring more accurately.
After NEST comes a second invitation:
The deeper question: What do you need?
Not what you should need. What your body actually needs—rest, touch, warmth, prayer, nature, quiet, movement, comfort.
And when support feels scarce, Robert reminded us that care doesn’t only come from people. The more-than-human world—trees, stones, sky, moonlight—can also steady us. So can inner practices that reconnect us to courage and calm.
Why it matters
Robert named it simply: care isn’t just about switching off.
Care is being resourced enough to stay switched on—for our communities, our leadership, our families, and the hard conversations we can’t avoid.
A simple practice you can try this week
If you take nothing else from this call, take these two questions:
NEST:
What’s my number, emotions, sensations, and thoughts—right now?Need:
What does my body need—and what small version of that is available today?
And if you want a third:
3. Support:
Who—or what—can help me honor this need? (My people, my kin, the more-than-human world, the quiet inner fire I can return to.)
Sacred self-care isn’t self-indulgence. It’s leadership. It’s love with stamina. It’s the way we keep our hearts open without burning out.
So maybe today, take ten minutes you “weren’t booked on your calendar.” Step outside if you can. Put a hand on your heart. Take one breath you can actually feel.
And remember: the fire is still there. Waiting. Ready for your participation.
