When contemplating the topic for my article this week, I had difficulty tapping into the source of my creativity.  Then I heard the words of one of my business mentors, echoing in my ears… “I want you to rest and take a bubble bath as your assignment this week.”  “Yea, right”, I responded in my thoughts… “Not with what I have to do!”

How often, as women and spiritual leaders do we run out of gas?  A common reaction when we feel overwhelmed with responsibilities is to “gear up”; to do whatever it takes to complete what we have to accomplish.

As we have experienced, what usually happens is the “springs pop out”, the project is done to less than our standards, and we often wind up pulling our hair out!!  We all know there is a better way.  Perhaps simple, yet not easy to follow, if we are entrenched in the automatic, often unconscious patterns that we employ to deal with demands.

Every spiritual tradition of which I am aware is replete with stories around rest and retreat.  The Jews honor the Sabbath, the peoples of the indigenous religions engage in vision quests and other rituals which facilitate their “coming apart” from their day-to-day responsibilities.  Muslims and the sages of the ‘Eastern’ spiritual traditions, too, had their times of retreat.

“Come unto me all you who are weary and of heavy burden, and I will give you rest”…

What an irresistible invitation!!!  Come, weary ones, heavy with the responsibilities of serving a congregation, of ministering to the people who come to you for guidance and healing, of juggling the demands of running a home and nurturing a family, and I will give you rest…

How can we respond to the invitation to rest?

1.    Practicing awareness of our energy levels.  What are your individual warning signals that you may be getting low on ‘fuel’?

2.    Practicing saying ‘no’ more than you say ‘yes’.  So often our ‘yes’ responses to a request are automatic.  Once we regularly employ examining what we have been asked to do in light of what we’ve already committed to, it will become clear that a ‘no’ isn’t a bad word.

3.    Observing our thoughts.  Are they accelerating?  Are they into the future with ‘all that you have to do’?  If so, it’s a good sign that you are already approaching ‘circuit overload’.

4.    Take 10 minutes to sit with a notebook and identify a number of places (a quiet place in your home or yard), people (a trusted friend, your toddler), things (music, art, a pet, inspirational writings) that give you a sense of rest; of being ‘apart’, and commit to engaging with those when you feel yourself getting to that state of ‘overwhelment’.

5.    Identify a support system, flesh it out, and commit to calling on it when you experience your stress levels rising.

6.    Practice being in the present moment… moment to moment.

7.    How about your bed for a good night’s sleep?

This article was written by Ruth Reiner, Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Counselor, Coach and Co-founder of www.IAWSL.com

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, PUBLICATION, OR ON YOUR WEB-SITE?  You may, as long as you commit to leaving the entire article intact, do not alter it in any way, and include the following: “THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN SPIRITUAL LEADERS” was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions.  We invite you to download – as a gift to you- THE 5 SECRETS TO CREATING ABUNDANCE THROUGH YOUR CALLING.
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We join our Jewish friends from all over the world on December 11th when the “Festival of Lights” commemorating the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, begins at sundown.  For those who need refreshing, this holiday was born in the century just  “BCE” or “BC” when a renegade band of Jews led by Judah Maccabee pursued their goal of regaining the holy temple in Jerusalem.

According to history, the Temple had been desecrated; its revered artifacts and icons, including a Menorah (a candelabra) made of gold; broken and ruined.  The reigns of Pompey and then Antiochus IV, Epiphanes were responsible for the allowing the Temple to fall into disrepair.

When the Maccabees succeeded in regaining the Temple, they set about, and I imagine lovingly; dusting, scrubbing, and polishing the entire Temple including the artifacts.  One of the more important of these was the golden menorah just waiting to be rekindled to its former glory of lighting the alter.

The Maccabees focused on celebrating with a rededication of the Temple, and they ran into what I am sure may have been one of many problems putting together a commemoration of that size.  They found only enough oil to light the menorah for one day, and they had planned a lengthy celebration.

To the wonder of all of the celebrants, the menorah continued to shed its light for eight days and nights.  The center candle, or “shamash” meaning “servant” or “guard”, is used to light the other candles, one for each night of Hanukkah.  Traditionally, a blessing is said as the candle for that particular night is lit.

Hanukkah is a time of joyous celebration and rededication, commemorating an important series of events in the history of Judaism.

THE 8 WAYS THAT WOMEN SPIRITUAL LEADERS MAY REDEDICATE AND CELEBRATE…

1.    Identify what needs rededicating in your life

2.    Strategize

3.    Set out to pursue your goal

4.    Surround yourself with support (perhaps a renegade band of troops who will help you ‘recapture the Temple’)

5.    Dust, scrub and polish in order to:

6.    Lovingly restore what that is to its Brilliance

7.    Light a Candle to commemorate what you have rededicated and offer a blessing

8.    Celebrate!

This article was written by Rev. Ruth Reiner, who is an ordained Interfaith Minister, spiritual counselor, coach, nurse, former wife, mother, grandmother, and entrepreneur.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, PUBLICATION, OR ON YOUR WEB-SITE?  You may, as long as you commit to leaving the entire article intact, do not alter it in any way, and include the following: “THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN SPIRITUAL LEADERS” was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions.  We invite you to download – as a gift to you- THE 5 SECRETS TO CREATING ABUDANCE THROUGH YOUR CALLING.
You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of tips and information for supporting you in your mission or quest.