The Significance of Self-Care
“We must learn to perfect the art of balance and self care each day.” – Monica Taylor
A few weeks ago, a part of my spirit got stuck outside of my body.
That sounds totally weird, I know.
So, let me tell you about it…
Once a week I go to a group class, led by my psychic mentor.
She guides us through several different meditative states where we are able to practice our own psychic and intuitive abilities.
About halfway through this particular class, my vision shifted.
All of a sudden everything felt very, very close.
Think of how it feels to stand right up next to a wall. So close, in fact that the tip of your nose touches it.
Now, imagine that the wall is invisible.
When you open your eyes you can see through it, and you can also feel its presence right there in front you.
The best part yet, (or maybe the worst part…) any time that you move, the invisible wall follows you, still pressed right up against your body.
As you can imagine, this is a very uncomfortable reality.
I have had this happen a few times before, always following a deep meditation. The sensation usually leaves within a minute or two.
No big deal.
Except that it wasn’t leaving this time.
I explained what I was experiencing to my mentor, who told me that a part of my spirit had left my body.
Ever heard of astral projection?
It’s essentially when you have an out of body experience on purpose.
That’s kind of what happened to me, except I didn’t do it intentionally.
Now, the whole point of going to these classes is for intuitive growth.
This experience had been presented to me as a challenge that I needed to work through.
There was a lesson here that I needed to learn.
I’ll be honest, I went home that afternoon and went about my day without really thinking too much about it further.
The sensation was uncomfortable, but I have two small children and when I’m with them, they are in constant need of my attention.
So, it wasn’t too hard to ignore the feeling.
I sort of thought that a good night’s sleep would work as a reboot to my body/spirit connection.
But, the next morning when I awoke, it was still there.
The day went along in a similar fashion as the one prior. And, as I went to bed on the second night, I set an intention that my spirit would fully come back into my body while I slept.
Well, guess what?
On the morning of the third day, I didn’t even need to open my eyes to know that it had not worked.
Instead of trying to ignore the discomfort, like I had done for the previous two days, I decided to sit with it, to truly acknowledge what I was experiencing.
Early afternoon came and I had this tugging thought in the back of my mind saying, “Yoga”.
I had not practiced yoga in weeks…bordering on months, if I’m honest.
I felt like I had a million things to do that day, but that nagging thought would not go away.
So, I rolled out my yoga mat on the grass outside and I did an easy restorative flow.
The sensation of moving my body in that way, feeling the sun and the breeze on my skin, felt really good.
Afterwards, I just sat there for a while enjoying the lingering sensation.
All of a sudden I felt, what can only be described as an energetic gust of wind that pushed my spirit fully back into my body.
I inhaled deeply and as I opened my eyes, my vision was clear.
I was whole again.
That’s when it occurred to me.
I had been neglecting myself, in a serious way.
I had been so focused on mental and spiritual growth that I had been ignoring my physical body.
My spirit being stuck outside of my body for three days, had given me an entirely new understanding of self-care.
When we care for ourselves, we need to remember to care for all of ourselves.
When we think about a self-care routine and work to actively build one, there are three main areas to focus on:
Mental Body
Emotional Body
Physical Body
Here are some examples of what that may look like for each area.
Mental Body
Read for Pleasure: Find a book that interests you, it could be for entertainment or education. Set aside 30 minutes a day to sit quietly and read.
Listen to Inspirational Podcasts: This has been my favorite thing to do lately. Have your favorite podcast playing while you do menial tasks.
Meditate: Let your mind rest. You don’t have to meditate for a very long period of time to receive the positive benefits. Set aside 5-10 minutes a day.
Have a Tidy Space: Keep your home and workspace clean. Your space is a reflection of your mind. Keep your space clutter free and it helps to keep your mind clutter free too.
Emotional Body
Take Alone Time: Sometimes people can feel uncomfortable being alone, but spending 30 minutes or so by yourself each day can be an enlightening and healing habit.
Journal: Writing can be very therapeutic. The act of putting your thoughts onto paper is extremely powerful in bringing clarity and release.
Express Yourself: Have an outlet to let your emotions flow freely. It could be expression through art, song, or really anything that makes you feel good.
Physical Body
Exercise: Our bodies are made to move and feel the best when we work with them. I like to do yoga, run and swim. Maybe for you its weightlifting, sports or martial arts.
Dance: Take a dance break! Put some music on and dance around your kitchen, office or living room for a few minutes. Dancing boosts your serotonin levels and instantly makes you feel good. It can feel really amazing to just totally let go and let your body move anyway it wants to at that moment. Give it a try!
Wear Comfortable Clothing: Help your body feel good by wearing clothes that are not restricting. Wear fabrics with textures that you like and colors or prints that make you feel happy.
I had been so focused on the mental and emotional pieces that I neglected the physical piece, and that caused a pretty major disconnect.
Take a few minutes and assess your own self-care routine.
Are you covering all three areas?
If you don’t have a self-care routine in place yet, here are some things that you can do, to find what works for you:
First, make yourself a priority. This can be hard in our fast paced world, especially with businesses to run and families to care for, but remember…you can’t do any of those things well, if you aren’t taken care of first.
Find an activity that you enjoy.
Notice what activities make you feel drained afterward.
Notice what activities help to reset you.
Think about how you can make the most out of your morning and evening time.
Create a schedule. Our days can get busy really quickly. It’s easier to stick with a self-care routine if it’s just that…a routine. Make it a part of your day.
The most important thing to remember is that we are all different.
The self-care routine that works for me is going to be different than what works for you.
And that’s ok!
It’s up to you to define your own version of happiness.
Once you do, you’ll begin to notice how your mental, emotional and physical bodies start to feel a little bit better each day.
When you feel good, your energy will start to expand outwards. It will start filling up the things around you.
Self-care has a remarkable ripple effect.
It is caring for yourself, but it doesn’t only effect you.
You’ll feel happier and that will be contagious to your family and friends.
It will be easier to build new relationships and to anticipate life changes with optimism.
You’ll have a deeper sense of gratitude and you’ll find it becomes easier to share kindness with others.
As you care for yourself, you’ll become more aligned with your higher self and your true path.
Ultimately, you’ll be able to truly enjoy and savor all of life’s moments.
And that’s a pretty amazing thing.