"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike."
— John Muir
Rest is a biological necessity for women's lifelong health. Women are not designed for constant output; our hormonal, neurological, and reproductive systems require regular periods of restoration. Key life phases-such as menstruation, postpartum, and menopause-demand recalibration to support immune function, hormone balance, and nervous system regulation. Chronic overexertion disrupts the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to inflammation, burnout, and long-term health risks. In a society that constantly urges more, be the one who leads a revolution of rest. Your whole being and the world around you will thank you.
There are a few simple essential needs we as women and humans have, and a vital essential need is REST. Rest is good medicine for the mind, body and soul.
Pause in this moment, take a big and life giving inhale and a long audible exhale. Follow this two more times and feel your body soften with each breath. Pause again and just feel. From this space rotate your head a few times in both directions, roll your shoulders, and then shake throughout your whole body. As you do this continue to breath, root into your seat or feet and allow your body to relax into this moment. Let it all go, shake it all out, take a final deep breath and then pause, be with what is and notice a subtle shift in your being.
In a world that moves at an increasingly rapid pace, where high-intensity workouts, demanding jobs, and extreme health trends are glamorized, many low and middle-income women and families are left with no choice but to keep hustling. This fast-paced culture disregards a woman’s need for rest, especially during menstruation and postpartum, and completely ignores the cyclical, fluid nature of the natural world. In this environment, it's crucial that we reclaim our right to slow down, rest, take up space, and prioritize our own wellbeing—and that of our families
Rest is sacred. It comes in many shapes and forms, each with the power to transform lives. Rest can be a good night's sleep, a leisurely day off, or honoring a rest day during your menstrual cycle. It could be carving out time to connect with nature in the mornings or evenings, enjoying midday naps, or taking a mental health day when needed. Rest can be found in camping trips, calming activities, watching a movie, or gathering with loved ones. It might also be indulging in a moment of self-pleasure or intimacy with a partner. Rest looks like savoring your coffee slowly, taking a lunch break, swimming in the sea, or relaxing in a long, soothing bath.
How do you carve out space for rest in your daily life and in the various stages of womanhood?
I invite you to sit with this and reflect on the moments when you truly invite rest into your life. Is this an area where you put intention? Does rest feel elusive, limited to just sleep? Or, on the contrary, do you overindulge in rest? Simply take a moment to ponder this and notice how you relate to rest.
Now, imagine feeling deeply well-rested. You have a balanced work schedule, you can fully enjoy restful spaces, and you actively carve out time for them. Mentally and physically, you feel stable, at ease, and your heart is at peace.
As you envision this, can you feel how your body responds to even the thought of true rest?
Rest isn’t just for the dead or the wealthy—it is for everyone, and for the health and well-being of all that is.
So if I could encourage you to do one thing it would be to rest, in whatever ways you need rest most in this immediate season of your life.
Rest also comes from building a community you can rely on—and turning to that community in times of need.
While I absolutely provide services and spaces that promote rest, I don’t always have every skill or resource my clients may need. That’s why I want to highlight a few truly phenomenal women in my own community who do. These are women I deeply trust and wholeheartedly recommend. Discover their work below.
My Recommended Practitioners for Rest and Rejuvenation
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Aisha of Sunshine & Alchemy
Aisha is an herbalist and functional hormone health specialist whose heart is in helping folks understand, nourish and reconnect to their bodies. She crafts herbal tinctures that tend to the nervous system and support functional hormone health. She also provides education and private coaching sessions for those who want to dive deeper into their unique hormone and womb wellness journey. In her private sessions, she will walk with you hand in hand with tools, education and care, as you: explore the root causes of your hormonal imbalance(s), reconnect with the wisdom of your body and develop realistic rituals that will support you throughout the different seasons of your life. She believes that by reconnecting to YOUR rhythm through the support of herbs, nutrition and life nourishing daily practices you can live a life that feels juicy and aligned.
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Katie Leach of Tend To Your Center
Katie offers womb and heart-centered bodywork, specializing in abdominal therapy for women in every phase of womanhood. This touch-therapy is a blend of massage, stretching, lymphatic activation, herbal-infused botanical support and spiritual healing. In your session, we are working towards a balanced womb (if present), reduction of scar tissue and adhesions, the optimization of digestion, decreased inflammation, and an unrestricted flow of blood, lymph, oxygen, and energy, or ch'ulel (Maya) throughout not only the core, but the entire body. With a rich background in nursing, birthwork, traditional medicine, and motherhood, her approach is deeply nourishing, relaxing, and transformative. Not only is she deeply knowledgeable in everything she does, but she is also incredibly integral. Sessions with Katie leave you feeling held, empowered and deeply connected to your center.
