Rest

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy

I don’t know about you, but I can be so melodramatic when I’m tired. When I grow weary of something my mind almost immediately goes to: this is it, this is the end, I just can’t anymore! And then usually either my husband or some more reasonable part of myself is like: Whoa, Krystal, maybe you just need a nap… or a bath… or a day off.

Without fail, when I finally concede and do this whole resting thing, I come out the other end rejuvenated, re-energized, and re-focused. It is amazing what happens when we grant ourselves rest and allow for a little time and space — perspective is restored, or even better yet, totally turned on its head, answers seemingly just appear out of thin air, and inspiration flows effortlessly.

So, I think we would do well to decipher for ourselves what makes us grow tired and how to rest. A couple things I have found that make me grow tired are doing too much and going at it too hard… or maybe its more like going at it inefficiently, out of alignment, and stubbornly “muscling” my way through — physically, mentally, and spiritually.

We can, of course, draw parallels and apply this theory of doing too much, inefficiently, while misaligned to our yoga asana practice. For example, in a given pose you can ask yourself: Where do I need to be firm, and where can I soften? Which muscles need to contract right now, and which ones can relax and lengthen? Am I creating more work or tension for myself by being structurally out of alignment? What do I truly need right now — movement or stillness? And then when it comes time to rest (child’s pose or savansana, for example), surrender and really rest; commit fully to it.

Rest is not an option, but rather a necessity, a natural part of life. Every single living thing in nature rests (and doesn’t question or apologize for its resting). If you have a Type A-ish personality (like I do), rest assured that resting does not harm productivity. In fact, it enhances it overall, as well as contributes to longevity and a favorable quality of life.