The Cost of Rest

On today’s podcast, Dan continues his reflection on his year-long academic sabbatical from teaching at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, which began on January 1. He discusses our propensity toward activity, the whole person toll of stress, and the cost of choosing to rest. Dan shares candidly about his own resistance to sabbath, admitting “[…] often a person like me will rest only when I am forced to do so.” He asks, “Why is there this sense that if we stop things are going to get worse?”

“We need to say that resting is not lounging. It is not vegging out. It is not tuning out. It is an engagement with what the heart desires that deeply leads into a kind of exploration that brings a taste of wonder and goodness.”

“Can we bear that slowing down creates its own chaos?”

During today’s episode Dan recommends the following resources:
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, by Robert M. Sapolskly
The Cortisol Connection: Why Stress Makes You Fat and Ruins Your Health — And What You Can Do About It, by Shawn Talbott