Finding REST
by Cheryl Groce-Wright
Rest! I’ve always thought of rest as “sleeping” or at the very least lying down for some amount of time in order to refresh oneself. In November 2020, I had the distinct pleasure and honor to learn a whole lot more about REST in a half-day retreat led by Philip Davidson and Alison Shapiro called “Finding a Place to REST in the Middle of Things.” My goal for attending that retreat was to “SLOW DOWN”, and at the end of the four-hour retreat, my overwhelming experience with them and the group that attended (on Zoom mind you) was “that was the slowest four hours I can ever remember spending in my entire life!” And let me tell you, I was changed forever!
In this retreat, Philip and Allison led us through a series of meditations, some guided, some silent, some with movement, and they also shared some wonderful reflections on the topic of rest that had a lasting impression on me. My greatest takeaway from that experience was, and thankfully still is that I can find a place to rest at any point in my day, week, month, or year that I choose to stop and pay attention to allowing my mind, body, soul, and spirit to take a rest, a timeout, a respite--- right in the middle of whatever I’m doing.
Here is what two experts say about rest:
“Making time for rest can recharge your ability to deal with commitments, relationships and impact your overall health. This is because your mind and body are intrinsically connected. When you take the time to sit and rest even for a few minutes a day, you are allowing your body's cells to recharge (this is why meditation is so powerful). Having a simple bath or shower with a few controlled breaths can be enough to re-infuse your inner light.” Jessica Sepel, Mindbodygreen.
Tony Schwartz, a journalist and CEO of The Energy Project, has made a career out of teaching people to be more productive by changing the way they think about downtime. "Many things we are suggesting are very simple and, are things people already knew, but they are moving at such extraordinary speed that they have convinced themselves they are not capable of those behaviors," Schwartz says.
After attending the “resting in the middle of things” retreat in November, I am now one of the more educated about how to take time out and rest on a more regular schedule, and I do. I use meditation and journaling as two ways on a regular and even daily basis. I love to walk (especially by water) and with a puppy in my household, I use our daily two-mile jaunts as time out for her and for me to let go, as I enjoy seeing all of nature that is around me, enjoy some play with her, and always return to work rejuvenated and refreshed.
For shorter and more spontaneous opportunities to rest, I make a cup of tea and deliberately hold the warm cup in my hands as I sip and taste the flavors and smell the enticing aromas. I also light candles and incense and sit in silence for a few minutes, reflecting on a poem or reading of some type. Even an opportunity to take in nourishment can become a time for rest as I savor the flavors, textures, and smells of the food I’m enjoying. And when all else fails, my apple watch has a “Breathe” app, and I can use it to just sit in my chair and take as many breaths as I need to rest for a minute or two; or five! And don’t neglect active forms of rest such as yoga and other gentle movement activities.
On a deeper level, opportunities to rest have allowed me to literally “slow down” the madness that comes with my daily routine, and for so many of us managing work, home, children, caregiving, pets, volunteering, helping others around us--- I mean the list is endless of what fills our daily lives with worthwhile yet very draining things. You, too, should find the ways that allow you to stop, slow the roll, take some time out, and deliberately allow yourself to rest.
Research and studies have proven over many, many years that increased productivity, improved physical and mental well-being, and overall happiness and wellness are improved with increased rest in your daily activities. Certainly, sleep is essential, and that 20-minute power nap has gotten me through many a sleepy afternoon, so don’t skimp on that. But take it from a recent convert to resting in more active ways, your life will improve from the moment that you decide how you will take some time to rest--- right in the middle of things!