Celebrate Spring with Self-Care ~ Together!

Happy Spring Equinox - there are so many signs of renewal! In the last few days we’ve experienced the Sun and Moon shifting from Pisces into Aries as the annual Zodiac cycle begins again. Mercury goes direct today as well, and even amidst awareness of the tragedies and travesties unfolding in the world, I’m already feeling the energy lightening. How about you? Let’s not rush things, however. Spring can take her own sweet time in emerging, so I urge you to be gentle with yourself.

Our Self-Care Spa Day Virtual Retreat will be here soon, and you can start to prepare right now. In last week’s post I explored what a Self-Care Spa Day is (a relaxing, rejuvenating stay-cation), who it’s for (you!), and how to take a day off (in case you could use some suggestions).

Today, we’ll explore self-care more deeply, including optimal wellness, self-image and self-worth.

What does self-care mean for you in this moment?

Self-care can mean learning Reiki or getting your nails done, eating more or less of certain foods, finding a provider with whom you have a good relationship, getting enough sleep, practicing affirmations and many more things we can do. 

Self-care is also a way of living, an attitude of valuing your own worth, making choices that center your wellbeing. It's more than a list of healthy things to do, though lists can help us focus on some ideas and generate creative flow. Just be prepared for the lists to change over time.

The important thing is that you discover what self-care is for you at this time. It’s whatever serves your optimal wellness.

What is your optimal wellness?

Your optimal wellness in this moment is unique for you, and unique to this time. It's the best you can feel and function in the reality of your current situation and condition. This can help you focus on what’s real and what’s possible, without denial and without comparing yourself unrealistically to somebody else or some other time. 

It may be going for that first walk and feeling proud. It may be getting back into a workout and waking up with sore muscles tomorrow. It may be enjoying a little more joint flexibility than when you started yoga class a month ago. It may be finding the right medication and dosage to reduce side effects. It may be getting in the best shape of your life, or it may just be the best shape for now. That’s all that matters.

What does self-care have to do with self-worth and self-image?

This is key to enjoying self-care instead of creating yet another obligation to fall short of accomplishing perfectly. To me, self-care is empowering at its core - the opposite of perfectionism, which is a sneaky term for criticism. Perfectionism isn’t about being perfect, it’s obsessing with what’s not good enough, viewing pretty much everything as not good enough. It’s a practice, and practices can be chosen or ignored.

One Reiki Precept is about cultivating compassion for ourselves and all others. In fact, Reiki practice always begins with ourselves, as I mentioned in last week’s post. Reiki never asks us to harm or neglect ourselves to serve others. There’s plenty of healing, love, compassion and inspiration to go around - it’s a limitless, infinite flow from Source.

Self-care isn’t selfish - just the opposite! It is the foundation for our service to others as well as our own fulfillment. 

Without thinking about it too much, just let the following words roll around in your mind, sink into your heart and resonate in your body: self-appreciation, self-love, self-celebration, self-enhancement, self-optimization, self-fulfillment.

Just notice how this feels. Is it weird, delicious, new, familiar? Whatever arises, you can practice acknowledging it as part of the story of your experience, and then see it float away on a little cloud if you don’t want to amplify it, or see it grow and glow with brilliant light, illuminating your center.

You’re practicing self-care! You can keep getting friendly with these words, coming back to them daily or throughout the day.

Self-care practice affirms our self-worth and helps us to value ourselves, creating a positive self-image. Self-care is giving ourselves permission to be well. It’s the antidote to unhealthy and disempowering conditioning. It unleashes our brilliance, purpose, power, and helps us achieve our optimal wellness in this moment.

Yes, it’s that powerful! And you don’t have to do it alone.

Join the Self-Care Spa Day Virtual Retreat now, and enjoy knowing you have a whole day to look forward to that’s dedicated to your gentle enjoyment and wellbeing, in the company of friends, and with plenty of support. I’m Dawn Hancy, Reiki Master Teacher, and I’m excited to be joined by Lindsey Warren and Diane Alves to lead this unique event.

If you’re new to Reiki, or would like to enhance your energy with another Attunement, you can bundle a Quickening Reiki Starter Kit with the Self-Care Spa Day Virtual Retreat and save 25% over 2 payments. Pay in full with one payment and save an extra 10%.

It’s time to blossom! At least crawl out of hibernation, or even slog through the mud where I live in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

In the next post, we’ll learn how our self-care actually does help others. We are just one of the beautiful blooms in the gardens of our lives, and they all need nurturing, starting with ourselves.

Register for the Quickening Reiki Starter Kit, Self-Care Spa Day Virtual Retreat or both at essentialarts.net. 

Welcome Spring! 🌞🌷🌿🌸🌱🙌