Radical Soul Care with Amy Jackson, founder of The Perch Place
We don't have to tell you the world is on fire, as folks of faith committed to making a difference, many of us find it hard to stop, and care for ourselves. It often feels like a luxury, but in the radical tradition of writer, speaker and thinker Audre Lorde, Amy Jackson, founder of The Perch Place (a soul care org. based in downtown Aurora) is calling us to water ourselves, and make space for rest so we can rise another day, working for a world where justice, mercy, and Christ's love reigns. The Perch Place has in-person and online offerings: yoga, art classes, guided meditations, workshops, retreats and more!
"Learning about soul care helped me begin stepping into the healthy, flourishing life of purpose God created me for. It helped me become a healthier person spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and even physically, and it helped me see and work on my blind spots so that I could be in healthier relationships as well," she says. Amy is soul care adovcate, entreprenuer, speaker, yoga teacher and meditation facilitator. You can read more about her story here.
Here are some key takeaways from this epiosde:
Soul care moves beyond the superficial and focuses on living the healthy, thriving, and sustaining life God intends for each of us.
Some core practices we can lean into are short meditations (5 min or less) like the ones Amy has on her podcast, Just Press Pause, breath prayer, yoga, and welcome prayer.
Establishing a daily self check-in ritual can help ground you, beging asking: How am I feeling? What do I need? How might I gave that to myself?
There are certain types of meditation (like a body scan) which are helpful for activists and change makers. Amy has two meditation offerings on her podcast which center expansive love and de-stressing: Loving Kindness and Release Anxiety.
When we practice self kindness, we are better able to show up in community with compassion, love and grace.
Check out Amy's book, 31 Days of Self Kindness which includes all kinds of practical and accessible support for prioirtizing your wellbeing daily. And one of Amy's favorite books, Soulful Spirituality: Becoming Fully Alive and Human by David G. Benner.
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Special thank you to my husand Keston De Coteau, for podcast production; he is an award-winning videographer and photographer.