THE SHADOW SIDE OF SELF-CARE… АКА ТОХІС ENTITLEMENT we all know the importance of self-care, especially in our dominant culture that tends to push us towards constant productivity + external rewards, often leaving us feeling guilty to slow down, rest, feel pleasure and take time for ourselves… BUT IS THERE A FLIP SIDE TO THIS? when we see ourselves as Separate, it can be natural to feel threatened by “others” and to focus on only “me and my healing” which can sometimes move from helpful, towards the shadow side of hyper-individualism, ego inflation, and toxic entitlement. This isn’t something “bad” or evil, it’s how we adapted and once LEARNED to protect ourselves. it makes so much sense. and at the same time, if want to truly feel safe, connecting to our body, nature, other humans, and feeling that we BELONG here is necessary. as mammals we are wired for survival through connection. So once we start to feel safe enough in our body, it could be supportive to start to remember our INTERCONNECTEDNESS with all life or like Pando which is the worlds largest living organism with an estimated 47,000 stems that appear as individual trees, but are connected by a root system that spans 106 acres. each of its stems has the same genes and it’s huge interconnected root system coordinates energy production, defense and regeneration. Collectively we have forgotten what our ancestors have always known, we are not seperate but part of this larger ecosystem web of life. Feeling seperate is the source of our pain, fears, and urge to dominate and control as a species, realizing our interconnectedness with all of life can be a path towards collective healing and a hope for a brighter future for ALL. If forest ecosystems can thrive based on cooperation and support, why can’t we humans do the same?