Rest as a Form of Radical Resistance
Why doing nothing, might be the most powerful thing we can do.
Of all the practices I’ve tried, rest might be the hardest.
Like many others, I seem hard wired To Do. To do as much as I can, all the time. I’ve often only rested when my body had no choice – when it shut down from exhaustion, illness or injury. That’s not rest. That’s collapse.
The importance of hard work was ingrained from an early age and I’m grateful for that. Beneath all the people-pleasing, busy doing, and goal chasing is often one aching belief: I’m not enough.
That’s not just human. It’s also inhuman and unsustainable.
Rest isn’t Just a Break from Doing.
It’s a refusal to be endlessly productive. Relentless striving (and buying) helps the commercial world turn, quite literally. And maybe we are the hamsters in the wheel running around to go nowhere.
So many people experience burn out and feel overwhelmed in their work. Even work we really enjoy, can lead us into exhaustion.
And all the technology we have, is not yet working in our favour. And despite knowing how apps are designed to hook us in, we’re still scrolling endlessly like compliant consumers!
I listened to an interesting and very hard hitting audiobook recently on Rest as a form of Resistance (see link below). And embracing deep rest to help us as a society to heal past wounds and consume less.
Tricia’s book encourages us to slow down, day dream, nap, read poetry, just be – so that our efforts can come from a place of deep listening and we can dream up new, fairer and more beautiful ways of being.
Try any of these 7 restful practices:
- Set a timer and sit. Just be. Breathe.
- Play like a child, with no purpose. Draw, paint, dance, spin. Just play.
- Take a moment to connect to your body. Find your breath. Or the ground beneath your feet. Even breathe into the space between your toes.
- Try not to consume anything for just an hour; ANY THING – no TV, information, social feeds, email, work, food, drink etc.
- Listen to your favourite relaxing music in a comfy chair and simply drift off. Or try something new like Yoga Nidra.
- Get yourself in a comfy position under a weighted blanket, or so many blankets it feels heavy and just rest there.
- Pick a yoga pose like Corpse or Reclined Butterfly or a Twisted Reclined position and enjoy.
These Restful Practices Seem Small
But over time, like everything we practice – they add up. Rest is not the reward, it’s a way back home to our true unhurried and beautiful nature.
Read More
Check out the book Rest is Resistance to reimagine rest for yourself!
