Rest.
Just take that in.
Rest.
When is the last time you rested?
Rest is different than sleep. Rest is stopping. Pausing. Feeling. With awareness, not sleep.
If you haven’t rested in a while, you’re not alone. Rest, in our culture is equated with failure and death. So no wonder we avoid it.
A couple of years ago I wandered into a Restorative Yoga class. That experience opened my eyes, my body and my heart to our human need to rest. While Restorative is one of my favorite ways to rest, I also love to swing in a hammock, be near water, listen to music or sit in the sun (not for too long).
A favorite book about the power of rest is The Way of the Hammock by Marga Odahowski
One of the Essential Nutrients of Movement is REST. The invitation this week is to consider how you do (or do not) rest and how you might incorporate even a few minutes of rest into your day. Make a list of the ways you enjoy resting or imagine you might enjoy and specifically when you could do them.
If it feels awkward or even uncomfortable to rest, think of it like finding ways to get more vegetables into your diet. Like sneaking some greens into your smoothie or carrots into your pasta sauce, see how you might sneak some rest time in a way that feels RESTorative.
Here is a simple practice to give yourself the Essential Nutrient of Rest using one thick bath towel for support
Lie on your back on a soft and firm surface like a carpeted floor, a yoga mat or blanket, or a firm sofa.
Fold the towel into a square and put it under your head so your neck is long and your chin is just slightly tucked.
Breathe deeply. Notice your body. Relax whatever you can. Stay here a minute or two or longer if it feels good.
Fold the towel so it is a little thicker and put it right under your heart and rib cage so your chest opens and there is no strain in your neck.
Breathe deeply. Notice your body. Feel the support under your heart and let it soften as much as you can. Stay here a minute or two or longer if it feels good.
Move the folded towel under your sacrum at the base of your spine. Avoid your low back and instead let the big flat bones of your sacrum relax into the support of the towel.
Breathe deeply. Notice your body. Unclench anything that you notice is gripping. Stay here a minute or two or longer if it feels good.
Move the folded towel to under your knees. Let your feet relax out to the sides and the backs of your knees give in to the support of the towel.
Breathe deeply. Notice your body. Relax whatever you can. Stay here as long as you like.
When you are ready to end the practice, roll to one side slowly. Pause there for a moment, then gently push up into sitting. Pause there for a moment and then gently transition into whatever is next.
This week, the mindful movement practice I’ve posted on Insight Timer is the first in a restorative rest series: Full On Goddess/Goddex/God. It’s a Restorative Rest practice that offers some stretch and movement and then one of my favorite supported poses using pillows and towels. You can find the practice here. I hope it inspires you to take more time to rest.