Join Me On Sabbatical

I'm in the midst of a four-month sabbatical to rejuvenate and relax in a way I have never done before. The root word of sabbatical is sabbath. Although "sabbath" has several meanings, Wayne Muller, author of, Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight In Our Everyday Lives, describes it as intentional rest and stillness and how we "open our hearts to the possibility of new beginnings.” He also states the "sabbath honors the necessary wisdom of dormancy."My intentional "dormancy" is time for me to simply "be" without a need to produce, strategize or "do" much of anything. I don't have any big travel plans (outside of a couple of long weekends), so my "plan" is to have no plan and to be at choice about how I use my time and energy as often as I can. This is time for me to truly rest and allow the quietest voices of inspiration and guidance to be heard.Not everyone can take time away for four months or even four days! So how can we evoke the spirit of a sabbatical or sabbath in our daily lives? This was the topic of the latest Whole Leader podcast show with Chris Murchison and he wrote a great blog called, "Everyday Sabbatical" with tips on how to incorporate the spirit of sabbath into your daily life. In addition, here is a simple exercise from Muller's book called "The Sabbath Walk". He describes it as "a walk without any purpose, no need for insight or revelation. Simply let the soul catch up with you." Muller suggests taking 30-minutes to be outside, in silence to walk slowly without "trying" to get anywhere. What does it feel like to simply walk and meander? And at the end of your time, notice how your whole system feels - your body, mind and even sense of time.As I'm away meandering this summer, I hope you too can create many moments where you feel the essence of a sabbatical and that you too receive the rest and renewal you deserve. I look forward to connecting with you all in the fall!