The heat is on! Here in New Hampshire we have already experienced several heat waves and, with August upon us, we can be sure there are more to come.
From a health and wellness standpoint, hydration is key in these hot temperatures. An adequate, daily intake of water in normal weather is important in assisting the body to maximize its functions, supporting detoxification, and keeping us clear and alert.
Every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies needs water to work properly. For example, your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints.
General recommendations are to drink 6 to 8, 8-ounce glasses of water each day. This may require adjustment based on a person’s exercise level, amount of time spent outdoors in heat, body weight, and health status.
Most people can probably agree on the importance of hydration on a daily basis, with an increased focus during hot weather.
But, do we spend enough time thinking about how we might also need to “hydrate” our spirit? As we continue to grapple with many global struggles, including the climate change that is precipitating unprecedented heat events, are we as cognizant of the needs of our spirit as we are of our bodies?
We understand the need to hydrate throughout the day rather than trying to do it all at once. We don’t skip days in a row of hydration and expect to feel and be well. Yet, it is so often easy for us to forget to take time each day, and throughout the day, to “hydrate” our souls.
Maybe we fit in a few minutes of breathing, a yoga class, or a meditation now and then. It’s often last on our list, behind so many other “shoulds.”
It’s no wonder that our spirits become parched, sluggish, and out of shape.
It’s important to not beat ourselves up during the times when life gets in the way of our best intentions and we can’t always stick to a prescribed regimen for spiritual care.
However, just as water is a life-giving essential, prioritizing moments to hydrate our spirit is also essential. When you can’t get to your daily spirit care, can you still take two minutes to pause and breathe deeply? Can you lay in bed at the end of a busy day and take three minutes to ponder gratitude? Can you get out of bed in the morning and stretch your body for five minutes in any way that feels good?
It’s important to ask yourself these questions and to determine how we might each get our 6 to 8 “glasses” of spiritual hydration each day to nourish and nurture our souls.
Just as we need to be even more mindful of hydrating our bodies in warmer weather, we also need to be mindful of our soul’s increased need to be quenched in these emotionally heated times.
When you can’t make it to yoga class or find time on your meditation cushion, what will your sips of spirit quenching look like throughout the day? I challenge each to explore this and to prioritize and customize our spirit hydration plans, letting our bodies and souls know that, even when it feels like the world is on fire, they are loved!