Rest Is Sacred: Why Village Rhythms Can Help End Burnout Culture
We weren’t made for burnout. But modern life keeps pushing us toward it—faster schedules, longer work hours, constant connectivity. We wear exhaustion like a badge, even as it slowly breaks us. But in the village, life moved differently. There were rhythms to honor: sunrise and sunset, planting and harvest, seasons of work and seasons of rest. Rest wasn’t something you had to earn—it was something you were given, because it was part of being alive. People understood that rest made the work more meaningful. That rest wasn’t laziness—it was wisdom. There was a time to gather wood, and a time to sit by the fire. We need that again. Because rest isn’t just about slowing down. It’s about reconnecting to the sacred cycle of being human. It’s about pausing long enough to breathe, reflect, and restore—not just for ourselves, but for those around us. In a village, no one burned out because no one was left to carry it all alone. If we want to live well, we need to rest well....