Tending To Our Nervous System with Restorative Community Spirit
Burn out tells me I’m not vitalizing myself with the fulfillment of satisfaction and enjoyment
After a stressful period of mediation this morning, I took a simple bath to relax my nervous system and to have space to hold my entire self. As I laid in the tub with the warm water filling up, I visioned myself laying in a big ocean held by the Waters. I saw my body floating in the ocean and wondered about all the ways the Waters in my body was communicating with the Waters around me. As the Waters supported my back, my nervous system started to calm down, feel less inflamed and alarmed. I was communing with my elemental Ancestor asking them to hold the space I needed.
Soon after, I joined my virtual masjid for the ending of our weekly community-led Jumma. I listened in as my community members gathered and shared kind words of love and appreciation for each other and the belonging they experienced. Being here, I experienced a space grounded in love and safety. I was welcomed, valued and appreciated and learned great values of community leadership.
But this community’s central nervous system too is experiencing burn out and fatigue. Many folks here shared they are experiencing great uncertainty and loss. With the beautiful experiences we’ve shared in Jumma, the space couldn’t be sustained and is going through its own structural changes to stabilize. As I was listening to my fellow siblings, I noticed we were all going through big experiences right now. Even with these big experiences in our life, we decided to show up and be in the grace of Allah. It was the simple message of faith and gratitude shared by my siblings that gave me the strength to know this hellish period is just for now and to hold the vision of my tomorrow dear to me.
It’s the beautiful surah shared in just the right moment that reminds me all returns to Allah. My community brings me Dhikr and Dua, Surah and contemplation. They help me find place and belonging in the experiences I’m having and expand my capacity to receive everything Allah gives me to walk with. This restorative community spirit is one way I have been able to find my way through my difficult path. I had a space I could show up as I am and be there to be with Allah. It was the contemplative sharing and discussions that expanded my experiences with Allah and gave me perspectives to continue walking my path.
Our restorative community spirit was curated by the weaving of everyone’s kindness and sharing. We found what we needed in each other and we were all enough for each other just the way we were. This is restorative, when we can deeply be revived by each others presence and Spirit without needing to change. Today I showed up at the masjid dysregulated and feeling empty. I was holding deep space for my inflamed nervous system and I knew my community would have everything I would need in that moment.
With the amount of crisis responses this week, I’m waking up tired and drained. I’ve burned out before. But I’m not where I use to be. I use to experience depression and burn out in ways that had me isolated and alone for weeks. Part of burn out for me came in the form of needing a prolong period of deep restorative rest and a hard pivot in my activities. Burn out tells me I’m not vitalizing myself with the fulfillment of satisfaction and enjoyment.
My nervous system is burning out responding to crisis. Many parts of my shadow surface with feelings of unsafety and alarm located in my nervous system. There is re-traumatization, violence and loss. The center of my body is inflamed. But through this period of destruction loss and ending, it’s the restorative community spirit that took me under its wing and nurtured my Spirit. It’s every single sibling who participated and contributed to the community that gave me an experience of communal safety. It’s the authenticity I share that has filled many in ways I can’t explain, but they tell me I have served them.
As I hold my community in my central nervous system, I’m on my way to creating safety around me. As I remember the surah from today and the vitality my community poured into me, I’m asking myself, what does it mean to me to create a safe space around me.
As we navigate changes in our communities, what is the vision of safety that is emerging?
Are you experiencing a restorative community spirit that can give you experiences of safety to soothed your nervous system?
Weaving Community Care is a small gathering for leaders and community creators to lean on relationships, connection, bonding and belonging to prevent burn out and fatigue. This Community Leadership Circle uses the Native American Council framework to focus on healing with our stories to weave a restorative community spirit that nourishes each other on our journeys to creating safer communities.
Weaving Community Care runs for 9 months commencing in the new spring. Join the waitlist here.