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Friday, June 15, 2007

What Is True Rest For You?

Yesterday on Jennifer Louden's blog she asked:

What is True Rest for You?

How do you unplug your body and really rest (think eye bag and ear plugs)?
How much rest do you need, even if you've never gotten it?

Great questions! Here's my reply which I posted as a comment:

Mmmmmm, for me true rest is:

* Lying in bed wrapped in warm covers imagining myself held by Spirit. I call it snuggle time with God.

* Remembering I am not in charge. I am not the manager of the Universe. Thy will, not mine, be done. Turning my life and my will over to the care of God on a daily basis. THIS, for me, is the most profound relief there is. Doesn't relieve me of action -- on the contrary, doing the next right indicated thing is paramount -- but it does absolve me of worry and outcome.

* Quiet and silence -- extended breaks from the company of others and sound of my own voice. Just today I took a Day of Sacred Solitude at home (learned from you!).

* Kicking back on the couch reading blogs, looking at Flickr, with Entourage or The Tudors playing on TV in the background :)

* When nothing is expected of me -- or, when I lower my expectations of myself -- such as when I'm on retreat, or when I'm with good friends, or when I'm out in nature.

* Hearing the magical words "I'll take care of it for you." Boy do I love those words!

* Floating down Swan River in an innertube.

* Lying in a hammock, anywhere, with or without a book.

* Choosing the path of no-drama.

* Living honestly, trusting God, doing right, telling the truth, respecting my limits, practicing acceptance, saying NO when I need to say no and YES when I need to say yes.

I could go on but it'll all be in my book. :) Thanks for linking to my Women at Rest blog!

How about you? What is true rest for YOU? I'd love to hear your answers. Feel free to share either here or over on Jen's blog (which I encourage everyone to read).

Moment of Zen

  • "I believe I'm here to speak my truth and that's all I have to do. I don't have to make people understand it... I just have to speak the truth." ~Anne Wilson Schaef

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Ideas

  • Light candles. Unplug the phone after 6pm. Practice saying no. Take a walk alone. Limit your news intake. Pray. Swing on a swingset! Listen to mellow music. Meditate. Take a mini-retreat. Watch PBS. Color in a coloring book. Mimic your cat. Read brainfluff novels. Read Rumi. Read in a library. Read in a cafĂ©. Read in bed. Ask for help. Nap in a sunbeam. Snuggle. Soak your feet. Doodle. Indulge in guilty pleasure TV. Get a massage. Stroll through a garden you don't have to weed. Make love. Burn your shoulds. Lower your standards. Accept help. Write a gratitude list. Breathe.

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