Day 284 of 365 - Finding Rest
A few different articles from a Buddhist newsletter provided inspiration for this theme. Rest, in its true sense, can be hard to come by. That is because struggling has become our usual habit. But, our minds will not truly settle if our bodies do not. Three different writers suggest interesting approaches to this dilemma.
Sister Chan Khong, a Buddhist nun, suggests a relaxation practice called mindfulness of the body in the body. It is a practice of visiting every part of the body with awareness, acceptance, care and non-judgment.
Begin first by becoming aware of your breath and your connection to the earth. This can be in whatever position is comfortable to you. Next, do a body scan with gratitude, bringing awareness and relaxation to each part of your body, from head to toes. You can make this more limited for just a short practice. Then, let go into deep relaxation. If you nod off, don't resist. The sleep experienced during deep relaxation is brief, but free from agitation and is nourishing and healing. Just a few minutes of deep relaxation can renew us and bring peace and vitality back.
I can speak from personal experience on this, in a couple of perspectives. As a practitioner, I have found leading someone through a guided relaxation through the body to be deeply restful to them. Also, I find the same as a recipient, as well as if I nod off into a brief, but deep sleep while listening to my recorded meditations. It is very restorative, though I've usually been asleep maybe only ten minutes.
Another Buddhist practitioner, Will Johnson, talks about the balanced body and relaxation. His perspective is, that if you want a mind that is balanced, then you need to create a balanced body to support it. He talks about principles of alignment, relaxation and resilience.
Often, we feel the need to tighten up and use muscle tension to hold ourselves up against gravity. Even being still can become a rigid activity. It's hard to still the mind when the body is rigid. Johnson suggests another way, and gives us this exercise to try it out.
Stand barefoot, feet flat on the floor. Think of the segments of your body, from the feet up, like building blocks. lining up on top of one another. Alignment has an ease and effortlessness about it, so don't force it. Envision your body segments gently stacking, one by one. Then, begin to sway, side to side, front and back, enough to lose and regain balance, going from larger to smaller and smaller movements. Once you are settled and aligned, relax, surrendering your weight to gravity. Feel the tension drop away segment by segment, starting with the head.
A body in balance is always slightly moving, so allow that. A famous Buddhist text teaches: 'Do nothing with the body but relax. Let the mind rest in its natural, unformed state. Become like a hollow bamboo.' The ultimate purpose of balance is to let the current of the life force to pass freely through the body, like wind through hollow bamboo.
Then, we finish with a beautiful teaching from Thich Nhat Hanh. He uses the analogy of a pebble tossed into the river. After it touches the surface, it sinks slowly, without effort. Once at the bottom, it rests and allows the water to pass by.
Our energy of restlessness makes us unhappy. An agitated body makes for an agitated mind. Both the body and the mind need rest in order to restore and heal. Be like the pebble at rest in the river. Give up all struggle. Allow yourself to be, to rest. Then, you are much more prepared to meditate or focus, moving like a prayer flag in a gentle breeze.
Sister Chan Khong, a Buddhist nun, suggests a relaxation practice called mindfulness of the body in the body. It is a practice of visiting every part of the body with awareness, acceptance, care and non-judgment.
Begin first by becoming aware of your breath and your connection to the earth. This can be in whatever position is comfortable to you. Next, do a body scan with gratitude, bringing awareness and relaxation to each part of your body, from head to toes. You can make this more limited for just a short practice. Then, let go into deep relaxation. If you nod off, don't resist. The sleep experienced during deep relaxation is brief, but free from agitation and is nourishing and healing. Just a few minutes of deep relaxation can renew us and bring peace and vitality back.
I can speak from personal experience on this, in a couple of perspectives. As a practitioner, I have found leading someone through a guided relaxation through the body to be deeply restful to them. Also, I find the same as a recipient, as well as if I nod off into a brief, but deep sleep while listening to my recorded meditations. It is very restorative, though I've usually been asleep maybe only ten minutes.
Another Buddhist practitioner, Will Johnson, talks about the balanced body and relaxation. His perspective is, that if you want a mind that is balanced, then you need to create a balanced body to support it. He talks about principles of alignment, relaxation and resilience.
Often, we feel the need to tighten up and use muscle tension to hold ourselves up against gravity. Even being still can become a rigid activity. It's hard to still the mind when the body is rigid. Johnson suggests another way, and gives us this exercise to try it out.
Stand barefoot, feet flat on the floor. Think of the segments of your body, from the feet up, like building blocks. lining up on top of one another. Alignment has an ease and effortlessness about it, so don't force it. Envision your body segments gently stacking, one by one. Then, begin to sway, side to side, front and back, enough to lose and regain balance, going from larger to smaller and smaller movements. Once you are settled and aligned, relax, surrendering your weight to gravity. Feel the tension drop away segment by segment, starting with the head.
A body in balance is always slightly moving, so allow that. A famous Buddhist text teaches: 'Do nothing with the body but relax. Let the mind rest in its natural, unformed state. Become like a hollow bamboo.' The ultimate purpose of balance is to let the current of the life force to pass freely through the body, like wind through hollow bamboo.
Then, we finish with a beautiful teaching from Thich Nhat Hanh. He uses the analogy of a pebble tossed into the river. After it touches the surface, it sinks slowly, without effort. Once at the bottom, it rests and allows the water to pass by.
Our energy of restlessness makes us unhappy. An agitated body makes for an agitated mind. Both the body and the mind need rest in order to restore and heal. Be like the pebble at rest in the river. Give up all struggle. Allow yourself to be, to rest. Then, you are much more prepared to meditate or focus, moving like a prayer flag in a gentle breeze.
Comments
Post a Comment