Last week I took a mini-retreat to reset my system in the woods at Hanging Rock State Park. While I hiked the trail to the park's scenic overlook, two bottles of water sloshed in my backpack. The trail is mostly rocky slopes and unsure footing, so it wasn't long before I was sweating. As I hiked, I kept telling myself I would stop for water and rest at the next ridge, only to push on. Until finally it hit me: "Christa, there's no reward for reaching the top with full water bottles." In fact, I was carrying the unnecessary weight of something meant to sustain me and make the hike more enjoyable. Duh!

This is how conditioned we can become to keep moving. Since the invention of machines that could do the jobs of humans, we have been taught to hustle and grind for our worth. Even as a yoga teacher (on an intentional retreat to rest!), I fell back into the ingrained pattern of push, push, push.

This is the yoga, my friends. This is why we need periods of rest and retreat. We can start to untangle ourselves from cultural conditioning and negative patterns like these, often based in capitalism, sexism, racism, and patriarchy. Through practices like yoga and expressive art, we can reflect on where we've been, how we've gotten to where we are, and discover a better way to move forward.

This week, take some time to reflect on your relationship with rest. Practice gentle movement then journal around these questions:

1. ) Fill in the blank: "When I'm rested, I . . ."
2. ) Fill in the blank: "When I'm not rested, I . . ."
3. ) What resistance to rest do I experience? Where does the resistance come from?
4. ) Can I connect with one other person who understands my need for rest?

Sometimes our resistance to rest lies in fear of what others might think of us. What if they think we're weak or lazy? But too often we are our own task masters, never letting up. The change needs to start from within. Rest should not be a reward or privilege, and it doesn't have to be earned. Every human being deserves rest. It is as natural and as necessary as breathing, as drinking water. This week, let's commit to rest!