Rest comes in a lot of forms. We think of ‘rest’ as meaning a true vacation, but it doesn’t have to. Whatever it is you are digging deeply into, rest simply means to dig deeply into something else for a period of time. It requires you to put your primary occupation on the shelf while you pour yourself into a different pursuit.
For me, teaching yoga is a brilliant job because I simply can’t parent when I’m teaching. When I’m writing emails, taking phone calls, or doing bookkeeping for the business, I can stop and start many times, always keeping one ear on the baby monitor or one eye on the load of laundry. When I’m teaching, that’s it. I’m in.
This is even more true when I’m practicing yoga. These days, a yoga practice is the sweetest indulgence I can imagine, refreshing my entire mindset even if it’s only 30 minutes once a week. I put full energy into it, as mind, body, and breath, and the tension of balancing my other roles melts away.
(I’m looking forward to our sound bath this Friday as a special opportunity to give full energy to a self care practice.)