By I’m reading an intriguing and beautifully written book by Shannon K. Evans who applies the concept of rewilding–returning land to its natural state in hopes of reclaiming its essence–to motherhood.
“What if, instead of confining women to some narrow social standard, motherhood could be the very thing to return us back to our original state as image bearers of an untamed God?…into a healing, nourishing place to dwell? Dare I hope that if freed from outside hands, my soul could be its own self-sustaining ecosystem?” Evans, mother of five, writes in the contemplative Catholic tradition (which I don’t know much about but find myself drawn to).
In Holding Tension (Ch. 3) Evans leads the reader through the tension of a Yoga pose, held too long, but links holding this tension over time to rewiring the brain, and rewiring our brains “rewires our souls,” creating “space for curiosity and hope.”
Since reading this, my mind has been reaching for this concept, seeking a transformation in my experience of tension, not as something to resist or push against, but to allow, seeing how I might hold two different desires without reacting right away (to eat more chocolate and slim my middle space, or to work on my novel and go have fun). Accepting an invitation to hold tension between what we think we want and what is currently being asked of us helps us forfeit resistance, allowing us to put the energy “toward communing with God, growing in freedom, and coming to greater self-awareness.”
What are you reading this Mother’s Day that inspires or affirms your life quest?
(originally posted on Mamomemo.com)