THE PRACTICE OF TAKING REST
We have reached the time of year when summer has left us for good. Unfortunately, both on the calendar and off. The shorter days, cooler mornings, and often long patches of rain are upon us. But it is also a time of new beginnings, the beginning of Autumn, the beginning of the school year, the return to work after our holidays. In the perfect world we should all be well-rested after our holidays, and return with new passion and energy to our daily life. But is this always the truth? Do we still know how to truly take rest? Today, I wanted to have a closer look at the practice of taking rest.
A few weeks ago I returned from my holiday, almost two weeks off from daily life. It was a well-deserved break, after a long period of very intense work. In the past years, we would often choose beautiful European cities as our holiday destination. I always loved the busy city life and having time to really explore it. But, this year I felt I needed a change, something different. As our home is now in London, a truly vibrant city, you can imagine that after a few years we needed some peace and quiet. We chose a holiday in the middle of nowhere, in Cornwall and later- Wales. Long, lazy days filled with lovely walks, time on the beach, hikes and lots of time to read books. The first thing we noticed after arriving was the total and absolute quiet, we felt it so strongly that everything stood still. The time spent in nature, surrounded by beautiful views and just the sound of the wind and waves worked wonders for me. This year, I can really say that I have come back well-rested and ready for new challenges. It’s important that when deciding on where to spend our holiday we choose what our body and mind really needs; for me it was a step back in a different direction. A way to quiet the mind, rest the body, breathe fresh air.
But now the holiday season is coming to an end, the last few friends are coming back from their vacation and we are in the beginning of a new season. How can we keep our mental balance during these gloomier months and not let the September blues keep us down? I believe we should learn a mindful way of taking rest.
As a yoga practitioner and teacher, I approach many things by first looking at the practice. In Yoga, we step on the mat daily to practice intense asanas, but it is always followed by taking rest in Savasana. Resting in yoga is just as important as the physical asana practice. We learn to connect with our body letting it actively relax and just let go. For some students this part of the practice is the most challenging, as being still is not always easy. Finding stillness in daily life can also be a challenge. We are used to being busy, we live in a world where being constantly active is a lifestyle. Most of us have very intense days and come back exhausted, some manage to stop by the gym or favourite fitness class on the way back from work, and return home to rest on the sofa and watch Netflix. This might be nice sometimes, but other times a deeper relaxation might be needed.
Each day ends with an evening to take rest and a night to get your 8 hours of zzz’s - in the perfect world. The truth is that it is not always so, we can’t always get the right amount of sleep or be able to have the evening off. So, we need to learn to use the time we’ve got to really take rest, even if it’s short. For each one of us this might be something different, but most importantly we need to relax the mind, calm our thoughts, connect with the breath, feel our body. Often we can rest by doing an activity we enjoy, so you don’t always need to be sitting or lying down to really rest. Below I am listing a few ways in which I find a regular way of relaxation:
STEP ON THE MAT
Yoga practice is the best way to rest my mind. By practicing postures in connection with the breath, keeping the concentration and senses drawn inwards, it is possible to calm the thoughts and rest your mind. The practice can become a moving meditation which allows you to feel an internal stillness while the body is in motion. Each practice ends in Savasana, lying down on the mat, keeping the breath steady, staying in the peaceful state of mind which was achieved through practice. This is the way I start each day, it’s a bit like pressing a restart button each morning. Regular yoga practice is great for a healthy and strong body, but most importantly it works wonders for your mind. It will help you feel balanced and keep you thinking positive.
YOGA NIDRA
Yoga Nidra is the practice on the verge of consciousness, the yoga of sleep. It can be a guided relaxation or you can learn to do it yourself. I try to practice it 2-3 times a week, or when I’ve got time. If you don’t have a teacher you can use a recorded Yoga Nidra practice. This is a great way to really tune off for a little bit and feel in connection with yourself. It is said that 30 minutes of Yoga Nidra is like a couple of hours of sleep.
MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS
In my daily yoga routine I include a sitting practice. I do this before and after my asana practice and often in the evening before going to bed. A sitting practice can be very simple, just observing your breath for a few minutes. My practice includes also Pranayama breathing techniques, Chanting and a Loving Kindness meditation. I will explore these with more detail in a separate blog post. But all of these practices help me find a meditative state of mind.
If you would like to try a sitting mediation, start simple. Find the time during your day to just be in the present moment and listen to your body. Sit down on a mat or carpet in a crossed legged position and close your eyes, focusing on your breath, feeling as you inhale and exhale through the nose. Try to find a little time every day just to be with yourself.
GO OUTSIDE
As most of us spend our days locked in the office, it is a great break to spend some time in the fresh air. You can ride your bike, go running, take a walk or just sit on the bench. I find I can completely calm my mind during a run in the park, listening to my favourite music, watching the trees, the ducks in the pond, the flowers, the leaves. It is a meditation in its own way. I also love long walks with a friend.
TRY SWIMMING
Swimming, similar to running is a way to really focus the mind on movement instead of your constant thoughts. I keep my focus on the inhale and exhale, connected with movement. Add counting laps in the pool and it is almost like a counted vinyasa class! Also, the muscles feel relaxed after a session at the pool.
FIND THE PERFECT BOOK
There is no explaining here, just find a book you love and there you go…
SIMPLE MOMENTS
Everyone has their own simple little moments when they feel safe and calm. I love sitting in my armchair with a cup of tea and my cat on my lap, watching the world out the window. The cat purring, the world moving outside, the tea nice and warm.
FALL IN LOVE WITH COOKING
For me cooking is something I really love, it brings me great joy both preparing end enjoying a delicious and healthy meal. Even more so if you’ve got someone to share it with over a nice conversation and a glass of wine.
SLEEPING RITUALS
In order for sleep to really have the right effect it has to be done with preparation. Just dozing off on the sofa in front of your computer will not leave you well-rested the next morning. Try to find your own evening rituals before going to bed to make it special. Maybe a long bath with candles, or a sitting meditation, or just a good book in bed? Or maybe your favourite pyjamas and comforter will be enough. Also, you might try to cut down on screen time before bed, it really changes how we rest.
WEEKEND TIME OFF
Doing something different on your day off, a trip to the museum, cinema, park or just enjoying your friends’ company over brunch. Or maybe sometimes all you need is a long morning in bed? Taking your mind off from what you do daily is the most important.
DAY AWAY
Plan something fun, a trip or weekend getaway. It’s always something to look forward to and feel positive about. Maybe a trip to a big city? Or even better- to the forest or countryside. It’s great to have something to look forward to when you feel tired and overwhelmed with your busy schedule.
These are just some of the ways that I find I can take rest, I am sure each one of you has something different. But take a moment to think about this and plan some sessions of true relaxation to stay in good mental form this season. Let me know in the comments if you have some ways that work best for you!