Spoonie Spirituality & Self-Care
A spoonie is someone living with a chronic illness.
It mostly refers to physical chronic illnesses, though it has been known to be a helpful term for those with chronic mental illness as well.
-from the Urban Dictionary
What is a Spoonie?
Are you a spoonie?
The term, and the corresponding Spoon Theory, originated with blogger Christine Miserandino, who used the term or theory to help a friend understand what life is like with a chronic illness.
The idea is that if you have a chronic illness, you wake up with a certain number of spoons, and you manage your energy carefully, so you don't run out of them before the day ends. But if you do run out, your best bet is to stop, instead of pushing yourself to keep going, the way someone might do who does not have a chronic illness.
Spoonies find activities challenging that might seem commonplace to someone who doesn't have a chronic illness.
-getting out of bed
-taking a shower
-getting dressed
-cooking a meal
-getting ready to go somewhere
For that last one, think of the entire montage of experiences involved in getting yourself ready to leave the house. If you are exhausted or in pain before the process is complete, you might be a spoonie.
Each activity requires any given amount of spoons which can only be replaced through rest. Once a person has run out of spoons they are unfortunately only able to rest until they have replenished their spoons. - The Spoonie Society
The body heals when the nervous system is calm and relaxed.
- The Wellness Explorer
Before looking at spiritual practices that will help you on the enlightenment path, your first task is to carve out time for yourself.
And to surrender to your illness by making sure your lifestyle isn't making your illness worse. Really think about how to live at a slower pace, and make time for yourself.
Then, we can take a look at how to fill it with self-care.
And to surrender to your illness by making sure your lifestyle isn't making your illness worse. Really think about how to live at a slower pace, and make time for yourself.
Then, we can take a look at how to fill it with self-care.
Self-Care Tips for Spoonies
According to Fred Bryant and Joseph Veroff, authors of Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience, savoring intensifies and lengthens positive emotions. Research suggests that those positive feelings elicited by savoring protect against the negative effects of poor health by reducing stress and increasing optimism. Practicing savoring also leads to more life satisfaction, stronger relationships and better performance. - TheHealthSessions.com
The best tip I could give you, from my own experience, would be to prioritize rest and self-care, and to pace yourself each day.
For years, my intuitive guidance practically yelled at me to slow down, rest more and take better care of myself, but I really struggled to put it into place. I was interested in all of those practices and would try them, only to revert back to my type-A, self-pressured busyness.
It wasn't until I began to understand that surrendering to my need for rest was meant to be central to my daily experience that I began to make changes and take the time I needed for myself. As I began to slow down and focus on self-care and rest, I realized that that struggle had really been about resistance, and what I needed was surrender and acceptance.
And I realized that my illness was meant to be an initiation into a spiritual awakening process. All my busy work had kept me from being aware of that, much less being open to it.
Finally, I caught on and became willing to surrender to the process and my spiritual practices became the best part of my day and my life.
Does my story resonate with you?
For years, my intuitive guidance practically yelled at me to slow down, rest more and take better care of myself, but I really struggled to put it into place. I was interested in all of those practices and would try them, only to revert back to my type-A, self-pressured busyness.
It wasn't until I began to understand that surrendering to my need for rest was meant to be central to my daily experience that I began to make changes and take the time I needed for myself. As I began to slow down and focus on self-care and rest, I realized that that struggle had really been about resistance, and what I needed was surrender and acceptance.
And I realized that my illness was meant to be an initiation into a spiritual awakening process. All my busy work had kept me from being aware of that, much less being open to it.
Finally, I caught on and became willing to surrender to the process and my spiritual practices became the best part of my day and my life.
Does my story resonate with you?
Spiritual Self-Care Practices
Seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself can result in increased positive emotions. Transcendent moments are filled with peace, awe, and contentment. Love yourself enough to attempt to find moments of transcendent emotions daily.
- Kelly Miller, PositivePsychology.com
Daily spiritual practices have been found to reduce stress, and to help regulate the nervous system. But they also can be a powerful support for the spiritual awakening process. Look at the chart below to find contemplative practices you may want to try.
Higher levels of psychological resilience, positive emotions, and improved immune response have all been linked with spirituality.
- PositivePsychology.com