Practicing Radical Self-Care

by Corinna Wood

Life is very full these days — preparing for the Southeast Women’s Herbal Conference, harvesting, home schooling my son — just to name a few.  Like most women, I wear many hats. To sustain the energy levels that my life requires, without the use of caffeine or other stimulants, I have learned that I need to practice radical self-care.

Radical self-care includes proper nourishment for the body — good water; local, organic produce; fermented foods (like yogurt and kimchi); and healthy fats (like organic butter and coconut oil).  Another important daily practice is herbal infusions — strong, beneficial teas brewed with herbs such as nettles and oatstraw that help nourish the body with needed minerals and vitamins.

Radical self-care means loving ourselves at our roots — body and soul. I’ve found activities that both relax and enliven me, and weave them into my weekly flow as much as possible — yoga, naps, baths, hiking, dancing, journaling, time with close friends, body work, and connecting with nature.

One of the most radical parts of radical self-care requires us to take the initiative to structure our lives to correspond more closely with the rhythms of nature — the rhythm of the day, the week, the month and the year. Women have more energy when we get up with the sun (instead of an alarm clock), take a moonday around the onset of moontime, and slow down during the winter months. It may seem impossible to create a life like this, yet we can all take small steps that move us in that direction  — toward a level of self-care that can feed the energy for our life.

When I engage in radical self-care, my energy levels are high. I sleep well and I wake eager to work, contribute to the world and be in service to the goddess. May we all be so well nourished.