A Blissful Life 1/30/24: The Importance Of Rest
How important is rest to you? How do you rest? After you rest do you feel rejuvenated?
Most of the people I know live very busy lives. There is always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to care for– and the overload of information from our phones and devices makes it so that even when we are incredibly organized, our minds can quickly become oversaturated and overwhelmed. When this happens, it can be pretty difficult to persuade the scared and hurried mind that what we are actually needing most isn’t another cup of coffee and to put our heads down and grind, but in fact the exact opposite: rest.
The best way to bring balance to a life that feels hectic or out of control is to take regular moments to retreat from all of the distractions. These moments create space in your body and mind. They bring you home onto subject, from wherever you were scattered about. They give you perspective, allowing you the opportunity to step outside of the life you’ve been living and notice your habits, patterns, and tendencies. They give you awareness of the stories that have been playing out in your mind and driving your life, and the possibility to change the narrative to one that is more aligned with who you truly are.
In my own life, I have definitely experienced periods of intense burnout and through those times learned the profound importance of rest. Rest is an essential ingredient for a healthy and inspired life, and if we do not make time to rest in our daily lives, we will end up being forced into it eventually when something in the body and/or mind falls out of balance.
Technology has made so many things a lot quicker and easier for us. While this is definitely convenient in some ways, I observe that it has also messed with our natural rhythm. The mind speeds up to keep up with technology, however the physical body is slower moving and gets left behind. This leads to a separation between mind and body, or a disembodiment. When this happens, the mind is driven by outside factors and we become out of touch with what is going on inside of us. This is dangerous, because our body is constantly trying to give our minds signals as to what it needs and what we should do next– not just for ourselves, but for the greater good. There is so much wisdom in the body, but if the mind is accelerated it misses the body’s intuitions, gut feelings, and other communications. If you are not taking regular moments of rest to slow down the mind and bring it back onto subject (subject being spirit in the body), you are allowing other people, circumstances, and agendas to drive your existence.
To me rest is not only a necessity, it is sacred. However you choose to rest, it should be something that rejuvenates you, improving your physical and mental health including your energy, clarity and focus, vibrance, and creativity. Real rest makes you a better person and, even though what I am about to say could be the unpopular opinion, taking the time to rest actually makes you more successful in reaching your goals. Some examples of what I do to rest include shutting off all devices and being in quiet, silently sitting in and contemplating nature, restorative and other slow moving yoga practices, daily meditations, taking pauses to notice the space in between thoughts, focusing my attention on my breath as I intentionally slow it down, sound baths, massage, facials, and getting a good night’s sleep.
There is a saying in Italian, “dolce far niente”, which translates to, “the sweetness of doing nothing.” If you are feeling overwhelmed, out of sorts, or burnt out I invite you to take this as your signal to start scheduling rest into your week. Ocean Bliss Yoga provides many opportunities to rest and revitalize your body, mind, and spirit in weekly classes, workshops, and mini retreats. View and book via our website: oceanblissyoga.net. Call me at 917-318-1168 if you have any questions.