Are you running on empty? Do you feel caught in an endless cycle of busyness that has become the norm for so many people today? You wake up already behind, spend your days juggling endless responsibilities, and collapse into bed feeling like you’ve never quite caught up. The overwhelm feels constant, the burnout real, and that nagging voice in your head whispers that you desperately need a break—but taking one feels impossible or indulgent.

You're not alone, and you're not broken. You are simply living out of sync with a fundamental truth about how life is meant to work.

In our “always-on world”, rest has become revolutionary—especially for women. We've been conditioned to believe our worth is measured by productivity and constant availability. But what if the solution is not in doing more, but in consciously choosing to do less?

The Wisdom of Natural Rhythms

A few years ago, as I was decompressing from a long career running my own business, I read a book by Wayne Muller called Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in Our Busy Lives. As Muller observes in Sabbath:

"There comes a moment in our striving when more effort actually becomes counterproductive, when our frantic busyness only muddies the waters of our wisdom and understanding. When we become still and allow our life to rest, we feel a renewal of energy and gradual clarity of perception."

I highlighted a page where Muller reminds us that life operates on a fundamental rhythm of "inhale and exhale." In Muller's description, the "inhale" represents life-quickening action—our engagement, productivity, and active participation in the world. The Sabbath, however, is the exhale—the sacred pause, the deliberate rest, the time of restoration. Just as we cannot survive by only breathing in, we cannot thrive only by spending our energy. Rest—the exhale—isn't optional. It's essential.

All creation moves with this rhythm of inhale and exhale. Without the exhale of rest, the life-giving inhale is not possible. We cannot sustain endless action without the counterbalance of stillness. This rhythm appears everywhere: seasons cycle between growth and dormancy, tides ebb and flow, hearts rest between beats. Yet we've convinced ourselves we're exempt from this universal law of balance.

Many people struggle with this truth because we've been conditioned to see rest as less valuable than action. But just as our bodies would die without the exhale, our spirits exhaust without sacred rest. The resting exhale doesn't diminish our capacity for life-quickening action—it makes it possible.

Rest is a Challenge for Women

Women face particular pressures around rest. We're often emotional caretakers, social organizers, and the ones who notice what needs attention. This mental load can be exhausting, even during “down” time.

Many women feel guilty taking time for themselves, as if rest is selfish. This guilt is cultural conditioning, not truth. Rest isn't earned through exhaustion—it's a fundamental human need. The rest or sabbath concept isn't tied to religion—it's about creating sacred time where we step away from productivity demands and simply exist. This allows the soul to catch up with the body.

For women, this might mean setting boundaries, turning off devices, engaging in nourishing activities, spending time in nature, or practicing brief moments of silence and solitude.

Finding Your Rhythm

Creating your personal rhythm of rest and action is individual. Some need daily micro-retreats, others weekly breaks, still others seasonal retreats. You can start small in the following ways:

Notice when you feel depleted and what truly restores you
Practice saying no to create space for rest
Observe your natural energy rhythms
Experiment with different types of rest

The Revolutionary Act of Rest

Choosing rest in a culture that profits from our exhaustion becomes a quiet revolution. When we model balance, we give others permission to value their wellbeing.

Rest isn't the absence of purpose—it's the presence of peace. As Muller observes, both inhale and exhale are necessary for life. In honoring this rhythm, we find not only restoration but a sustainable way to offer our unique gifts to the world.

The question is not whether you deserve rest—you do. The question is: what might become possible if you truly believed this and acted upon it?

**Hammocks at Equinox Botanical Sanctuary**

An Invitation to Experience This Rhythm

If these words resonate with you, if you're ready to move beyond the guilt and embrace the sacred necessity of rest, I invite you to join me for a transformative experience designed specifically around these principles.

Turning Inward: Nourish and Rest Retreat for Women
October 18–19, 2025 | Equinox Botanical Sanctuary, Rutland, OH

Click Here for the Retreat Offering

Just as autumn deepens and nature begins her slow descent into rest, we are invited to do the same—turn inward, find stillness, and reconnect with what truly nourishes us. In Japan, there's a beautiful word for this: Yutori—the spaciousness that arises when we intentionally slow down and savor life.

This two-day women's retreat offers that very spaciousness. Held on the sacred grounds of Equinox Botanical Sanctuary during peak fall color, you'll be immersed in nature's wisdom about rest and renewal. Through gentle yoga, breathwork, herbal tea ceremonies, forest bathing, and restorative practices, we'll create space to practice the art of the "exhale" - a sacred pause, restoration and renewal.

What to Expect:

Gentle yoga, movement, and meditation to attune with the season
Restorative yoga nests and guided yoga nidra for deep healing rest
Herbal tea ceremonies with plant meditations using local, ethically harvested herbs
Guided forest walks and sunset/sunrise rituals
A chance to blend your own herbal tea for continued nourishment at home
Organic, nourishing meals and snacks prepared with care
Soaking in a hot tub over a forest cave, with herbal oils and flower waters
Stargazing, storytelling, poetry, and music around the fire
Plenty of unstructured time for rest, journaling, hammocking, and rewilding
On-site camping under the stars with forest sounds as your lullaby

Together we'll slow down, unplug from modern life's noise, and remember what it feels like to be deeply connected—to ourselves, each other, and the natural world. You'll leave feeling rested, clarified, and rooted in your own vitality, with practical tools for maintaining this sacred rhythm in daily life.

This is your permission slip to prioritize rest and your invitation to experience the profound nourishment that comes when we honor our need for the exhale. For more information and to register, click here:

Retreat Registration

Our Sacred Rhythm Includes Rest