Yesterday I wrote about Food and Nourishment.
Today another basic of life: Rest and Renewal.
Everyone experiences rest and renewal in their own way, just as we are all nourished differently.
Rest and renewal may come from sleep, meditation, reading, spiritual study, singing, creating, playing…
For each person the form may vary with different amounts.
Some find renewal and energization in being with people.
Some find the same experience exhausting and weakening.
Some people find alone time and silence rejuvenating and others find it depressing and de-energizing.
Some people need to sleep alone to get a good night’s sleep and others need to snuggle.
Some people need white noise or sound on and others need total silence.
Some people need lots of sleep and some need very little.
Differences are to be respected in order to honor oneself and others.
Some Loving Reminders re: Rest:
Rest in God and Rest in Goodness creates the best rest.
To go to sleep with happy, positive and appreciative thoughts gives peace and calm to mind and body.
To relax in an environment which is beautiful, peaceful and inspires relaxation serves to remind us to rest.
To give yourself exactly what you really need is key to a good renewal of energy.
Sleep when tired. Best rest from 10PM to 6AM.
Wakeup when rested. (NO alarm clocks.)
Go to bed early enough so you will wake up naturally for work or school.
Since most of our society is sleep deprived, you may need to spend a week or two catching up on sleep.
Being overly tired causes the release of cortisol, which is a stimulant and stays in the body 24 hrs??
It makes kids and adults hyper and cranky and will have trouble going to sleep.
Must go to bed before exhausted and without meds or alcohol to sleep soundly and well.
Sleep in a room preferably without TV, computer desk, workout equip or stacks of stuff undone.
Your bedroom should be a sanctuary of simplicity, beauty and welcoming Love with comfortable bed.
Needs to be “quiet time” before bed with soft music, meditation, inspired reading, peaceful activity.
Interrupted sleep is not insomnia until you label it such.
It simply means the mind or body or spirit needs something else.
We may be awakened in the night to use the bathroom, get a drink, clear a dream, or just breathe.
If I am awake, I simply read inspirational material or inner listen, since my Higher Self may need to talk.
It is important NOT to feel guilty or scared or try to figure out what is wrong.
This engages the mind in the endless loop in the search for answers, yielding a sleepless night.
Know that naps during the day usually need to be short (less than 40 minutes) to be refreshing.
Laying down for 15-20 minutes of belly breathing is a quick renewal of energy.
Taking a brisk walk for 15-20 can also be reenergizing before the evening hours with family.
Experiment and discover what gives you energy, what relaxes you, what renews your Spirit.
Loving you, as I rest in God and rest in the Love We Are,
Betty Lue
One way to renew your Spirit:
Eliminate the thoughts and activities deplete your energy.
"I choose only activities that feed my Spirit."