In the world of holistic grazing the aim is to move livestock daily, rest the swards and allow the herbs and grasses to put down deep roots. Movement by hooves help break up gapped soils, muck and seeds, movement is key to a healthy sward. Rest is critical to allow the sward to recover, to allow it grow tall, to break the worm cycle, allow dung beetles, insects, birds and pollinators to come in a thrive in this diversity, and finally, rest will enable the roots to penetrate deeply into the soil, creating strength, water infiltration, nutrient uptake and mycorrhizal communities, a whole network is created.
Movement, rest and roots isn’t just for swards, it’s for humans to.
Daily movement is SO important to our body, mind and soul. Keeping our bodies moving, keeps it strong and in good condition, it helps our mind, keeping depression and mental health issues and it helps regulate our gut, or first brain, helping us feel strong in body, mind and soul.
Rest. Not just getting 8 hours of sleep a night, but taking a rest day, or a nap for even ½ an hour can be life changing. I recently listened to a ‘We can do hard things’ podcast with Tricia Hersey of The Nap Ministry. She speaks of the importance of rest, how it heals us, lets us dream and become creative. Modern life has made us hustle and grind, to become just another number on a pay-roll, to forget our dreams and desires, to keep us in a place of exhaustion. If we do not take ourselves off the wheel of exhaustion and must do and must keep up and must do more…. We will never make the changes we so desperately wish for. Think of when you are on holiday, all the dreams you have, the ‘what ifs’, the desires to change your life, are because you have rested, you have given yourself the ‘gift’ of time, time to take it easy, to lounge, to rest your eyes, to stare and the sea, to just be.
When did you last rest? Take a listen to the podcast and let me know what you think.
Roots, family, community are the core to what makes us human. Humans need humans, and yet, in this modern time of all the technology to link us together, we have never been lonelier. When did you last feel rooted to your land to your community? Deep roots allow us to feel strength, better health, diversity, greater communication, the sharing of ideas, understanding of how we are all different but yet work together for community good.
Modern society has pushed us down individualism, be independent, self-reliant, go go go! And yet, we have a mental health crisis, we have youngsters who don’t know how to talk to people, we have elderly people who can go weeks without seeing or speaking to another. We have fracture the very essence of what makes us human.
When did you last move your body?
When did you last take a rest?
When did you last create community of tribe?
Put some music on and move to the beat….
Turn off your phone, TV, radio, all the distractions, sit and close your eyes and rest….
Go outside, find some grass, take off your shoes and socks and walk slowly, barefoot, and be rooted to the ground beneath your feet…. Thank me later
Thoughts and words written by Sian Mercer – www.myruraltribe – Inspired by nature, books, podcasts and conversation.
Recent Comments