One Must Know When & How to Rest!

If you do not take appropriate rest, when you need it…your attitude, health, relationships, communication, behavior, performance etc. may be impacted. In fact one or more of these areas may be shouting out loud already, to let you know that something is not right. Are you listening?

All you need to do is:

1. Re-connect and listen to your inner voice
2. Know when to pause and relax. i.e. take rest when you know you need it and
3. Most importantly, take ‘good quality’ rest, frequently

To take ‘Good Quality’ rest you must know what kind of rest suits you and when. e.g. Going on a great holiday or a spa is a good option at times and at other times it may not cater to our need. Haven’t we at times, felt awful and reluctant to get back to work after a great holiday? Similarly a good night’s sleep is known to be an awesome stress and fatigue buster but sometimes we may still wake up tired.

So how can we get a rest that is surely rejuvenating? Well, we all know that rest is not entirely about physical relaxation; a deeper unwinding is more about “mental relaxation”. Also mind can be at peace only when we have a healthy body. It’s all interconnected.

A wholesome, complete and deep revitalization comes essentially from a state of Calm-Mind, Energetic-Body and Joyful-Spirit….

1. Calm-Mind: Stress is more often than not, a result of clouded thinking and confusion. A calm-mind produces ‘clarity of thought’. A clear mind in turn helps us curtail our unnecessary thinking and leads to quicker and better decisions, saving precious time and energy. Thus, a calm mind is also an essential ingredient for a more restful and energetic life.
2. Energetic-Body: As mentioned above – calm, clear and unburdened mind leads to a more energetic body and it’s also vise-versa i.e. regular exercise and a healthy regulated diet will definitely boost our energy levels, which helps us manage our mind better.
3. Joyful-Spirit: If we have a calm mind and an energetic body, we surely can be more joyful. It is also the other way round – our joyful and enthusiastic attitude towards life may also support us in managing a calm mind and an energetic body.

At the end of the day, no success, prosperity and growth is of any benefit, if it does not result in happiness and good health. Therefore the purpose of the self-development initiative called ‘ABrighterLife’, which I founded some time ago, is also focussed on inspiring and supporting people to live with a Calm-Mind, Energetic-Body and a Joyful-Spirit…so that they not only become more successful and happier but can also ‘enjoy’ their success and wealth in a much better way.

Anyway for now I will only talk about ‘managing the mind’, which is anyway of the greatest significance, as it creates and controls everything else.

Knowing what kind of rest suits us at a particular time can be really tricky! Therefore in this world of hectic-work, infinite-priorities and instant-everything we must have a trick down our sleeve to be able to relax and rejuvenate at ‘any-time’.

I addition to reading, travelling and being in the company of light and fun loving people here’s my personal favorite, for a quicker good-quality rest, anytime, anywhere: (It is also the most effective for me)

Meditation Meditation, is scientifically proven to not only get us a much needed rest… it also brings clarity of thought, surety in decision making, rejuvenates our cells, makes us emotionally strong, generates positivity, reduces pain, increases immunity, increases blood flow, keeps us youthful, re-energizes us, relaxes our organs, keeps us healthy….the list is unending.

The duration or method is not important. It is really about the ‘regularity & frequency’ of practicing a particular technique, which is the key! Just 10 mins of your time in the morning and/or evening is enough to get results.

Thanks to the rising awareness worldwide and to the internet that there are many guided meditation techniques available. But the challenge is not of ‘knowing’; It is of ‘doing’! If you know a technique, don’t wait for a better technique. Start practicing it today. Alternatively you can contact me or book a free session Here for a guided meditation and more.

In the meanwhile here’s a quick and simple technique for you to practice on your own: (Please follow the steps carefully)

1. Choose a noise-free zone and sit cross legged with your spine erect but body relaxed. Keep your palms relaxed and facing upwords. Rest them on your thighs or knees. (You can also sit on a chair but don’t rest your back. Keep your feet flat on the floor and knees at 90 degrees)
2. Close your eyes. Start with 15 deep breaths through your nose. Divide them into 3 parts – 5 slow long breaths, then 5 a little faster and 5 very fast. (It is important to be alert in meditation and breathing is a great way to wake you up)
3. As a next step – With your eyes closed, relax for just 5-7 secs till your breath becomes normal
4. Take one more slow deep breath and with your eyes closed, get your attention between your eyebrows. (as if you are watching an early morning sunrise with your eyes closed) Don’t exert any pressure on your eyes…just keep your vision focussed up there, between the eyebrows.
5. With your back straight, body relaxed, eyes still closed and your breath natural – “when you breathe-in imagine that you are breathing through the gap between the eyebrows and when you breathe-out imagine that you are breathing out through the same spot. Keep your gaze fixed and your eyes closed at all times. Do it for a minimum of 5-10 mins.
6. Last step – take a deep breath and rub the palm of your hands vigorously 20-30 times and then put one palm on your forehead and one on your heart for 15 secs. You will be surprised with the energy you have in your palms.
7. Gently open your eyes and feel the difference.

Note: – During the meditation, don’t worry about your thoughts. Thoughts will come. Let them come and go. Don’t judge, don’t bother.. just get your attention back on your breath each time you catch yourself thinking something else.

You could try a ’30 secs mindfulness break’ during the day as well. Just stop doing whatever you are doing when it is possible to, close your eyes and practice only the point number 5 above.

Meditation is a proven and highly recommended way to relax and rejuvenate at “any time”. Inner-excellence can bring about assured success in your outer world. I recommend 10 mins in the morning and once before sleeping if you can. You could also do it when you need that much needed pause and rest during the day.

I have personally practiced meditation for many years and I can vouch for its amazing impact. It’s not at all difficult and it’s just about 10 mins of your life everyday!! May be you can cut out 10 mins of your ‘TV or browsing time’… and there you are. You will surely find the above technique very effective. Try it!

“You may control a mad bull, you may jump from a cliff, you may climb the tallest mountain, you may swim across the ocean, you may drive your car, ‘fast and furious’.. but ‘control of the mind’ is better and more beneficial !” – Ashwini

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