Do You Rest?
According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, rest is defined as follows:
1. A bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities
2. Freedom from activity or labor
3. A state of motionlessness or inactivity
4. A rhythmic silence in music
5. A brief pause in reading
6. Free of anxieties
If you view the body as I do, an exquisite symphony of sounds and harmonious movement or your life as a fabulous saga with many chapters and pages yet to be written, when do you arrange for ‘rhythmic silence in the music of your body’ or a ‘brief pause in the reading of your life?’
Rest vs. Relaxation
Relaxation often includes an activity, such as listening to music, reading a book, watching TV, meditating or for some yoga. Rest using the musical and literary definitions above would be total inactivity. It may be done while sitting or lounging in a quiet room with no external stimulation. How often do you experience silence?
Rest vs. Sleep
Sleep unlike rest is total unconsciousness and lack of awareness of one’s surroundings and the passage of time. With the advent of so many technologies, it is often difficult to escape some sort of sound. Rest is allowing yourself to experience silence meaning no background chatter from the TV or radio, not even allowing the phone to interrupt your consciousness. Yes, put the cell on silent rather than vibrate. According to Dr. Jimmy Scott, founder of Health Kinesiology, 15 minutes of rest reduces your body’s need for sleep by about an hour. Imagine gaining an hour back into your busy day and being more productive by giving your body/mind/brain a rest, an interval of silence. Your ideal rest schedule may be determined through muscle testing by an HK therapist.
Sara Naomi, HK™ Practitioner