Rest Is Freedom: A Path to Liberation and Healing

The Hidden Cost of a Life Without Rest

I’ve been reflecting on freedom and rest lately, especially after a recent conversation with my mother. She admitted something that struck me deeply—she doesn’t know how to rest.

That moment saddened me because, even though she never explicitly taught it, that same belief—that rest is a luxury, not a necessity—was passed down through generations.

In our community, the idea of rest often feels far-fetched. We have fought so hard for liberty that the struggle itself has become our identity. And in that fight, many of us have forgotten that true freedom includes the ability to rest—without guilt, without fear, without proving our worthiness first.

But here’s the truth:

Rest is not a reward. Rest is a right. Rest is freedom.

The Science and Spirituality of Rest

God, in His wisdom, designed our brains to reset every night when we sleep, literally washing away the mental and emotional weight of the day. Science backs this up—when we enter deep rest, our brain detoxifies itself, clearing away stress and restoring balance.

The Bible confirms this process:

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  – Romans 12:2

This renewal is both literal and figurative.  When we rest, we heal—not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

Even weight loss is tied to rest. The stress hormone cortisol convinces your brain that you're in danger, triggering cravings, storing fat, and keeping you in a state of internal chaos. No matter how much you exercise or eat “right,” if you don’t allow your body to rest, it will hold on to stress and stagnation.

Rest Doesn’t Have to Be an “Event”

Somewhere along the way, we started treating healing, wellness, and even rest like grand events that require time, effort, and preparation.

But what if rest could be woven into the fabric of your day—naturally, seamlessly, effortlessly?

• Rest is the deep breath you take before responding to a stressful email.

• Rest is setting an alarm that reminds you to pause and stretch.

• Rest is lifting your hands in praise, surrendering what you can’t control.

• Rest is taking five minutes to simply be—without guilt, without rushing, without “earning” it.

Rest is the freedom we didn’t know we needed. Rest is the freedom we deserve.

What Does Freedom Feel Like to You?

As an embodied dance coach, I’ve always seen freedom as movement—but not just any movement.  Movement that liberates. Movement that expresses the deepest parts of our soul.

So, I ask you…

• What color is your freedom?

• What does it look like?

• Does it have texture?

• Is it the wind carrying away your cares?

• Is it water, cascading over you, cleansing you, bringing new life?

• Is it fire, sharp, and triumphant, refusing resistance?

• Is it the earth beneath your feet, steady and strong, reminding you that you are held?

Freedom is the ability to move through the world knowing your needs are taken care of—because God is seeing about you.

A Legacy of Liberation

I often wonder if Harriet Tubman fully grasped the magnitude of what she was doing or if she simply followed the pull in her spirit that somebody had to set the people free.

And once you’ve experienced freedom—real, soul-deep freedom—you never want to return to bondage of any kind.

So today, my prayer for you is this:

“Above all else, beloved, I pray that you abound in love, that you know the freedom of a liberated heart, and that you find rest in the abundance of your inheritance.”

You don’t have to do anything else to be worthy of rest. You don’t have to earn rest. You don’t have to apologize for rest.

Rest is the freedom you deserve.

Glory to God. Hallelujah.

Your Next Step: Step Into Your Rest

If you’re ready to break free from exhaustion, stress, and the weight of always doing, I invite you to:

🔥 Join The Body Flow Method Community—where rest meets movement and healing begins.

🌿 Book a 1-on-1 session—and learn how to release tension, reclaim rest, and move with ease.

Click here if you're ready to take the next step → Yes, I'm ready!

Because rest is freedom. And freedom is yours. Rest Is Freedom: A Path to Liberation and Healing

Find your flow. Live freely.

Shauna Monique