I just found a phrase I scribbled on a piece of paper years ago: self-indulgence or self-care? When I was practicing as a massage therapist, I treated all manner of humans: huge, thin, hard-working, never-having-to-work, curious and bored. I treated a Princess from the Middle East once, who told me, "I feel so heavy!" during the session. Yes, I told her, that is called relaxed. That is what it feels like when your body relaxes. She had never felt it before.
What happens when we don't ever relax and reset our meters is really bad for the body, the mind, the spirit. We drink our coffee (I do) and go, go, go. I don't have to enumerate for you all the ways we speed around, and the things we get anxious about, and the absolute nonsense we often entertain about what other people are thinking and feeling.
How do we counteract that and reset our meters? Here are my favorite go-to's, and then some others that I wish I would get back to:
Reiki self-treatment. If you have Reiki training, great. If you don't, even spending 20 minutes a day putting your hands over your heart or wherever you want with the intention of healing and/or soothing your system is a great way to support yourself.
Journaling, writing down your thoughts with no editing or intention except to write until you're done.
Getting a massage is a great way to reset, and I plan to start that practice again soon after this year away from it.
Meditation. Sit for 20 minutes and watch your breath. Or repeat your mantra. The idea is to give your being a break from your mind, and as you do, you will enter your heart, or a great stillness. I find it takes 20 minutes to disconnect from thinking and sink into that quiet space.
Anything can become a meditation. It's a matter of a quiet mind, steady breathing, a loving heart. Cooking works for me, and writing. Some people garden, exercise or chop wood. Hatha yoga, the stretchy form of yoga, is especially good for stilling the mind, as its original purpose was to prepare the body for long meditations.
Treat yourself. Whatever form you choose to bring peace to your being and to your day, it is self care that ripples out to everyone in your life. This is how we change the world, just as John Lennon said.
What happens when we don't ever relax and reset our meters is really bad for the body, the mind, the spirit. We drink our coffee (I do) and go, go, go. I don't have to enumerate for you all the ways we speed around, and the things we get anxious about, and the absolute nonsense we often entertain about what other people are thinking and feeling.
How do we counteract that and reset our meters? Here are my favorite go-to's, and then some others that I wish I would get back to:
Reiki self-treatment. If you have Reiki training, great. If you don't, even spending 20 minutes a day putting your hands over your heart or wherever you want with the intention of healing and/or soothing your system is a great way to support yourself.
Journaling, writing down your thoughts with no editing or intention except to write until you're done.
Getting a massage is a great way to reset, and I plan to start that practice again soon after this year away from it.
Meditation. Sit for 20 minutes and watch your breath. Or repeat your mantra. The idea is to give your being a break from your mind, and as you do, you will enter your heart, or a great stillness. I find it takes 20 minutes to disconnect from thinking and sink into that quiet space.
Anything can become a meditation. It's a matter of a quiet mind, steady breathing, a loving heart. Cooking works for me, and writing. Some people garden, exercise or chop wood. Hatha yoga, the stretchy form of yoga, is especially good for stilling the mind, as its original purpose was to prepare the body for long meditations.
Treat yourself. Whatever form you choose to bring peace to your being and to your day, it is self care that ripples out to everyone in your life. This is how we change the world, just as John Lennon said.
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