Hi Love,

When was the last time you let yourself rest?

Like, truly, deeply rest?

What does that word - rest - bring up for you?

Longing? Shame? Exhale? Resistance?

The Masculine over-culture we've been raised in prizes DO-ING. Everything is deadlines, checklists, timetables, finish lines, hustle, bustle, get it done, go go go, do do do do do...

We get indoctrinated into this system early. For women, it can start so young that we don't even remember what it's like to slow down and enjoy being in our bodies.

We learn to power through our busy days on caffeine and sugar, to reject idleness, to ignore the slow wax and wane of the moon, the subtle shifts of the seasons. We learn to stifle that little voice inside us that knows. We learn to move fast - so fast that slowing down feels uncomfortable, even impossible, to the point that we don't know what it would even be like to feel deeply rested. Nourished.

Does this ring true for you?

Incorporating deep rest into my life was a challenge at first. I struggled with the shame of feeling idle, my restlessness betrayed an uncomfortability with being present with myself. But I knew I had to do it. Because how else was I going to interrupt the pattern of burnout that kept me from really knowing myself?

Now, the day before and the first two days of my bleed are hard stops. I drop everything. I schedule ahead, ensuring myself adequate rest during my moontime. These days my bleed falls on the New Moon (which doesn't always happen and isn't necessarily a sign of 'normal', so don't worry if that doesn't happen for you!) so it's easy to have some foresight. I call it my New Moon Moment.

New Moon energy is about going within, deep listening, sea changes, entering the mystery. A New Moon Moment might be:

• Your bleeding time
• A newly established pregnancy
• Dreaming up a new, creative project
• Entering the mystery of Menopause (our "Second Spring")

Why is this important?

Because it allows us time to rest. To be. To breathe. To indulge!
Because it gives us time to go within, journal, dream, and get clear about how to use our precious energy this cycle.

Because it is sacred ME-time, after a full cycle of tending to others.

Because it interrupts a harmful pattern of burnout that our bodies, our culture, our planet is crying out to be free from.

Time to rest can be one of the most challenging essentials to schedule for ourselves! I invite you to indulge yourself, and carve out some time each cycle to honor your needs. These are the kinds of things I often help people with in their charting practice.

Can you allow yourself a time of repose, without agenda? Can you give yourself a New Moon Moment?

Love,

Hadley