Resting time is crucial for body-mind-spirit restoration
Fifth step of our WAY OF HEALTH Model ™
Resting is a turning point in our daily routine, a moment of stillness and silence before becoming active again. By surrendering, we return to the source of our inner alchemy. Like winter and spring, when Nature rests, conserves energy, then slowly starts to re-grow again, being healthily active depends on our capacity to resource ourselves. Resting is a natural and important process whereby our body undertakes a physiological maintenance, our emotions and thoughts are digested and transformed into experience, and our soul goes back to the purpose of our existence, like a reference point.
Ignoring the importance of resting is a way of letting yourself down and undermining your self-worth. Essentially your whole-body clock mirrors the circadian cycle of Nature. Gradually slowing down intellectual work and physical activities from late afternoon and having a light dinner early evening while engaging with your loved ones, is interpreted by your body-mind as self-care and a preparation for a restorative night sleep.
Going through an active day can be stressful without you being always conscious of it; your body uses hormonal stimuli to help you cope with difficult situations and before you know it, chronic restlessness and repetitive traumas can consume your vital force to the point of adrenal exhaustion. Recovering from it or avoiding it requires restorative sleep at night and activities that triggers the relaxation mode of your nervous system such as mindful abdominal breathing.
Coping with hormonal changes for both women and men throughout life can be disempowering. Like watching the formation, dynamics and evolution of the Universe, hormonal transformation is an energetic chaos we learn to embrace but we can’t ever escape. Ancient civilisations had long understood the importance of retreating, resting, resourcing, refocusing or channelling during these periods. It is about leveraging the Yin energy to balance the excess of Yang energy produced by this chaos.
Accepting the natural course of aging has become a no-go zone in today’s societal reference sadly. Whether you like it or not, aging is an inexorable process whereby various functions of your body decline and your vital energy gradually lessens. A fast, frenetic lifestyle will actually drain your resources more quickly; conversely, when you sit back and reflect on how to do things differently, you can regenerate your energy, your drive, your passion, with sustainability in mind as oppose to performance.
Resting is not a waste of time; resting is a gain of time! We learn to use our resources wisely, to take advantage of self-healing opportunities, to surrender and accept Life has power over us and to develop sustainable strategies to stand steady as we move throughout the universal chaos of transformation.
Resting allows us to continue moving throughout our day and the cycle of our life. Resting is the ultimate step in our journey to a healthier and happier life; a journey that has neither beginning nor end as the steps interact with each other indefinitely towards harmony, this constantly evolving state of balance and cohesion of our body-mind-spirit, the force of life.
Step 1 - Body movement is more than physical exercise
Step 2 - The key role of nourishment in long-lasting health and well-being
Step 3 - Self-reflection is a natural and pivotal tool for personal growth
Step 4 - Connection with the outside world ignites the power of the inner flame
