Peace in the Wild
I know that there is an endless library of incredible books that I have waiting on my shelf, in my Kindle app, and in my Amazon wish list, but lately, I have been learning more and more from podcasts. Most recently, I listened to Tricia Hersey, who founded the Nap Ministry, on We Can Do Hard Things, a Podcast hosted by author Glennon Doyle. I have seen memes and quotes and even articles about Ms. Hersey’s work, but I definitely hadn’t grasped the radical resistance nature of it, I thought of it more as a movement giving people, women especially, permission to slow down, relax, and break free of the hustle culture we are living in. I had NO IDEA that this ministry is actually a calling for people to detach from and reject a white supremist, capitalistic culture using rest as a means of imagining a new way of being that flies in the face of how many of us actually exist. The timing of this podcast struck me as serendipitous, and once again I imagine the Universe winking at me and saying, I’m glad you’re paying attention Bettina, that’s half the battle.
This afternoon, after presenting a 2-hour session on stress relief and coping, I will be driving across the Bay Bridge to attend a nature retreat until Sunday afternoon, something I have never done before. A friend replied on Facebook to my inquiry about retreats, including one called Peace in the Wild that is run by the Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative and I immediately signed up. While this might sound like something that’s right up my alley, there are a couple of things that actually had me hesitating. First, I never know how I’ll be feeling after my chemo treatment so the physical aspects of the weather, the sleeping situation, having a schedule that I’m not in control of… all of that was a little worrisome, but thankfully I feel great today. The second factor is that it’s an unplugged weekend, both because there’s very spotty cell signal there but also by design- we are connecting with nature, not documenting it all to share on Instagram! To say I am constantly wired and connected would be an understatement, and while 2.5 days unplugged may not seem like a lot (and to some might sound wonderfully refreshing), I know that not having this little pocket sized distraction means I will actually have to sit with my feelings and thoughts.
To go back to Hersey’s work, and to be honest, I JUST learned more about her yesterday so I have a lot of research to do, I truly do feel that the timing could not be more perfect. She talked about rest being the means to imagining, connecting concepts and ideas, and delving into our desires, motivations, values, and beliefs. She believes that our ancestors can impart their wisdom through dreams and that by slowing down, we are actively resisting the patriarchal, capitalist culture that demands labor, especially from Black men and women, with no regard to our humanity. So the fact that one of my goals for this contemplative weekend is to imagine how I can use my diagnosis to intentionally serve and support others in my work and life is PRETTY on point. But what she challenges is how we can do this without again falling into the patterns of giving away our time, our power, and our creativity to those who only seek to exploit it. So much to consider.
I want to carry her ideas into this weekend, making time to slow my brain down and not distract it with FB, Instagram, texting, and the endless scrolling I tend to do in my downtime (I’m looking at you Candy Crush). Rather, I hope I will remember to stay present, to daydream, and to seek wisdom and guidance from any of the soul sources I can draw from. This might sound a little “woowoo” to some, and a little of it does to me as well, but perhaps that is also what this is about: opening up to the possibilities that I have yet to imagine, so that I can grow more fully into the person I hope to become.
