BALANCE_OCTOBER_2019 - 37

BODY & SOUL
THE REST IS...
SILENCE

what we see when our attention has nowhere
to go other than to ourselves - an aching back,
a deep weariness, a multitude of thoughts
and memories in our heads - and so we start
looking outwards again for distraction.
The first thing to remember as you set about
a few moments of rest is that it's unlikely to
feel restful at the start. You'll notice things, and
it may be uncomfortable, but this is not a
barrier to you slipping into the restful space.
Progressing beyond these irritants will allow
your nervous system to begin its natural process
of unravelling toward relaxation.

The quiet within

Silence the stimuli
We're all capable of resting. It doesn't require
any skill or kit and you can do it anywhere. True
rest (stopping, and not taking in any stimulus)
is simple. You can slip into rest by staring out
the window, sitting and closing your eyes,
lying on the bed... nothing remarkable so far.
However, you've probably noticed that you can
embark on any one of these "non-activities" and
still feel far from restful. You might even feel
a sense of frustration, or of being less relaxed
than before you took a moment to stop.
The first problem we face with rest is that
it doesn't come without a number of irritating
friends: boredom, restlessness and a whirring
mind may appear at first to be rest's enemies,
but they can in fact be signposts that the state
of rest is just around the corner. Boredom is
a natural and essential part of our experience.
Restlessness comes to an end, and the
awareness of a whirring mind is symptomatic of
what happens when we allow ourselves to stop
- we notice what's happening within ourselves.
Indeed, this is often where the urge to
seek further stimulus comes. We might not like

TO RETREAT
INTO THIS
ASPECT OF
OURSELVES
IS A BALM TO
SUFFERING

The greatest gift that comes from simply
stopping is that it reveals more of our underlying
consciousness. This consciousness differs from
the mind's constant habit of churning, thinking
and trying to figure everything out. It is the
quietness in which the mind and all its
experiences appears.
The pain in the back, the noises around us,
these all exist within this quiet stillness - and to
experience ourselves as being this quiet stillness
can feel like coming home to one's real self.
Try the following, but remember, try not to be
hard on yourself, and the ease will come:
* When faced with a natural pause (at the bus
stop, waiting for a friend) don't pick up your
phone. Relish the challenge of doing nothing
for a few moments, even if it feels awkward.
* Set a timer for five minutes. Sit or lie down
and set yourself the task of doing nothing. If
your mind is busy, do nothing about it. If your
legs are twitchy, allow them to be just that.
Watch, allow, accept. In time, increase to 15
minutes, then 20, and eventually 30 minutes.
* Notice how many times in your day you're
reaching for stimulus when you could instead
do nothing. Notice if you have a tendency to
avoid natural pauses and empty moments.
Instead, see if you can invite them in.
* Take a walk with the intention of getting
nothing out of it and sharing it with no one
(leave the fitness tracker at home, don't take any
pictures and see if you can resist recounting the
experience to anyone after).
Your most restful nature is already right here.
You don't need to do anything to realise it (other
than nothing...).

The Book of Rest by
James Reeves and
Gabrielle Brown is out
now (£12.99, HQ)

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BALANCE_OCTOBER_2019

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