Sabbath

The ancient Gnostics didn’t just theorize about rest. They practiced it. But their approach looked nothing like “taking a day off.” They transformed the Jewish Sabbath commandment into something radical: a discipline of inner awakening that could be practiced by anyone, whether or not they belonged to a formal religious community. Here’s how to adapt their practices for a life that includes smartphones, work emails, and Netflix algorithms designed to keep you from ever stopping. ...

You’ve taken the day off. You’ve silenced notifications. You’ve told everyone you’re unavailable. So why do you still feel exhausted? Most of us have discovered an uncomfortable truth: physical rest doesn’t automatically produce inner rest. You can lie on a beach and still have your mind churning through tomorrow’s problems. You can sleep for ten hours and wake up with your jaw clenched. The ancient Gnostic teachers understood this paradox. And they discovered something that might change how you think about rest entirely. ...