Resting Into Chaos

Maybe you're feeling it in the way you've wrestled your air conditioning unit out of your window and dropped at least two of the screws into another dimension, never to be seen again. Or perhaps your animal-sharp senses are feeling a bit groggier in the mornings as your alarm yaps at you and the sun somehow seems sleepier than you are. However you're picking up on it—it's time for a change. In the Northern Hemisphere, the world is beginning to turn down its sheets and none of us can wait to pull out our slippers. Okay, you're right, I can't speak for anyone else—I'm excited to pull out my slippers. We successfully ran our first-ever RIVER CAMP for Freeflow Institute, and it was honestly so much sweeter and lovelier than I could have imagined. I knew that this offering would hit a tender place for me, but I couldn't have anticipated the extraordinary nature of the cohort of people who joined us on our inaugural stretch. We re-learned some lessons about our dense curriculum, got to partner with a new outfitter I've always been curious about, and the amount of giggles that were shared was absolutely spectacular. I've been savoring the gratitude of what our first round of RIVER CAMP looked like, and am so grateful to say that we'll be hosting another Women's Specific version of RIVER CAMP again next summer. If you're interested in being notified when the final dates are released and registration is fully open take 30 seconds to fill out this form In addition to RIVER CAMP, I also found myself on the Middlefork of the Salmon for the final time this season. It was supposed to be my third trip, but because of some unforseen challenges this spring, River Newe's two trips were cancelled earlier in the year. There is a special kind of savoring when you know something is going to be your first, and your last of a year. Especially when it has the same emotional quality as spending time with a loved one. A grandparent, mentor, teacher, lover. Everything that could have gone wrong on that trip, went wrong….andyet….it was still one of the most beautiful weeks of my year. I wouldn't have traded a single, tiny moment of it. In a time of my life when I don't get to be out on the water as much as I am used to being, I'm always listening to what the river is trying to teach me when I get my precious moments with her. This year she and I found some deep joy—even and especially amongst the chaos. Which brings me to some updates. I know this sentence has come up at least 50 times this year in The Art of Rest newsletters, but this year has been complete and utter, unpredictable chaos. Honestly, all of it has been great things, but I think there is a distinct wisdom in hunkering down for a busy season and getting shit done, and then there is also noticing when that pattern seems to continue and when the seasons of our lives are asking us for a bit of a shift. I teach about this all of the time in my nervous system classes. Life has so many variables. Our nervous system's capacity to hold all things equal all of the time is a ridiculous notion. Instead, I teach people how to respond with consciousness, agency, and thoughtfulness. I've been searching for a way to be more honest in my approach. Sometimes I get quite existential about teaching people about rest when I'm running around like a plastic bag getting blown across a parking lot. Yes, I can technically still hold things, but no, I'm not in the right circumstances to be holding any of my important grocery-store wares upright in this moment. 'Am I really embodying what I'm trying to teach people?' As with all human things— sometimes yes, and sometimes no. Lately, my content has not done the best job of reflecting my authentic human experience in pursuing The Art of Rest, and I'd like to right-size that. I don't forsee the world around us getting any less chaotic anytime soon. So many of us have full lives, we tend to others, we have small people in our lives who we're trying to be good adults for. We have jobs and emails and I know that most of us long for more slow mornings with a good cup of coffee and carefree laughter. I know, at least for myself this year, I have struggled to find the balance in all of that. So as the seasons change this fall, I find that I'm getting slightly less busy, but that I also need to hold myself a bit more responsible for finding more of that laughter, that ease, and that the bridge across Tarabythia to get there requires a bit of griefwork I personally am feeling called to take stock.Deep reflection.Non-logical tending.Taking good care of the body.Shrinking my social life so I can give quality attention to the people I love the very most. My work here at The Art of Rest is going to need to reflect that for it to carry any sense of purpose. The Art of Rest was built off of iterative learning. We are not here to commodify the nervous system, or force it to do what we want it to do. I deeply believe that the nervous system, our sleep, our dreams, our creative life, and our quality of attention are all vital signs thatshow us what is already happening in the body. Once we understand those patterns, we are given the choice to maintain or call for an audible. Healthy nervous systems don't only tolerate change, they require it. And expanding our sense of awe, wonder, curiousity, and connection does not come from having realizing we need a change and then obsessively trying to figure out what's next before we take our next leap. A healthy, robust nervous system realizes we need a shift and then takes the leap before the next step is fully formed (within reason, obviously). So when I tell you that something is changing over here at The Art of Rest, there's a linear and logical part of me that deeply wants to set you up with easy to follow expectations and then give you the decision if you'd like to follow along or not. But the truth is, I can't do that right now, and I think in the sake of nervous system expansion—to do so would actually be a disservice. I trust myself and the things I like to share. I trust my sense of curiosity and joy of teaching whatever my attention is drawn to. And most importantly, I trust each one of you. You all get to decide if diving into a contemplative chapter over here at The Art of Rest serves you, or if it's something that takes away from you life. I respect whatever you choose. What I can tell you is this— I'm so deeply committed to writing and updating here. I also have so much good momentum around certain things that it actually feels easy and great to not pivot too far. Each Month we will still have a monthly update in a more-or-less similar format. This means if your settings are to only get a newsletter from me once a month, this piece wont really change that much and you'll still get a birds-eye-view at all of the shenanigans I am up to each week and you can choose your own adventure about what to poke around with. I will still probably sprinkle in all of my old formats (Art Practices, Community Wisdom, Long-form Science Education Pieces, etc) —but I'm giving myself permission to loosen my grip on the structure. In the past 18 months I've tried to keep each week of the month as predictable as possible for folks. We're going to let this fall away so something new can show its face. I will be diving back into my contemplative practices, storytelling work, and creative practices more rigorously. While we can have some very exciting and nuanced conversations about the science of what is going on behind the curtain on these practices—I will likely turn down the volume on making the science the centerpiece for a bit. Please feel free to still comment on my work, email me with your questions, and send me requests for other deep dives. It's not gone! It's just sitting in the passenger seat this time around. I will still be hosting in-person and virtual workshops quite regularly this fall and winter. Keep your eyes out for those It's likely I'll be sending more short-form updates about these so people don't miss them. If you're not currently subscribed to LOCALS ONLY or Events & Updates, make sure you change your subscription settings so you don't miss these. Sweet Darkness will still be active for all paying members (September's is coming soon!) Thanks again to those of you who are already paying subscribers. Your contributions keep my work accessible and I am so grateful for the ways you help me reach a broader community. If you're not a paying member yet, please consider it<3 I'm looking forward to cozying up with you by the coffee, the fire, and the guitar this winter to let everything decompose and freeze over until spring. I trust that whatever shows it's face in half a year from now will be deeply nourished by resting into the chaos rather than trying to conquer or overcome it. I hope you come with me <3 Lovingly (and chaotically),Dagny Rose Our Community Announcements: September Equinox Yoga Retreat || September 18 - September 20—My incredibly talented friend Hanna Harrigan is hosting another yoga retreat, and similar to our one-day Winter Solstice retreat we hosted—I will be co-facilitating with her!We recently had two last-minute spots open upbut we can accommodate up to 3 more people if you all want to bunk together! Pre-register for Winter 2027 Wild Woman Archetype —An Experiential Bookclub with Women Who Run With The Wolves. An 18-week, winter-long series to travel to the depths and back again with a wonderful group of women. In-person, hybrid, and virtual options all available. $50 off for pre-registering Freeflow Institute's RIVER CAMP — Women-Specific—Late July 2027 This year went so well, we're setting dates for late July in 2027!! If you're interested in being notified when the final dates are released and registration is fully open take 30 seconds to fill out this form Here theArt of Restwe believe there is nothing more precious than the agency to choose where ourloving-attentiongoes.We want to celebrate folks who are trying to keep their inboxes clean, their minds clear, and the energy of their lives headings towards the things they care about the most. ThisMonthly Newslettersection is only the high-level updates of what's going on here at The Art of Rest. It recaps all of our important stuff so you don't miss a thing, but also so you can keep your own life in attuned to what you really want to do. Less virtual clutter, more time for creative rest.If you want to shift your subscription preferences, a step-by-step guide can be found here