The Importance of Rest
In our fast-paced world filled with endless to-do lists and constant demands, we often overlook the importance of rest.
Exhaustion and fatigue are lurking just past the next item on our to-do lists, and it isn’t just the body that takes a hit.
More importantly (and often overlooked) is the hit to our inner self, our soul.
When you make your grocery list or a to-do list, is it all about mushrooms and the laundry?
I was looking at my list the other day of everything I ‘needed’ to do, and nowhere on the list had I listed “pick up soul food for this evening.”
By soul food, I am referring to those things that feed my inner being because my soul gets hungry right along with the rest of me.
I used to leave out the care and feeding of my soul until after the ‘important’ projects were done. No more. But here are some things I have learned in the process.
I hate to confess how often I try to get off the hook with a hungry soul by stuffing myself with things from my grocery list (i.e., chocolate or cookies) and calling it good.
Some days I am so full of Oreos, I don’t hear the lonely lament from deep within.
This is easy to do, and I know I am not alone. I look around me and see a growing epidemic of obesity for which there are many causes, not necessarily of our own making (Our packaged food industry plays a big part!)
But when I stare down at the numbers on my own scale, I have to ask the question, “What is happening here?” Either Oreos or a hungry soul, weigh a lot more than I thought.
It is so easy to forget how hungry our inner being gets when we make out a daily to-do list.
When was the last time you put ‘daydreaming’ on your list? Or ‘Sabbath rest?’ Or “No-Thing” as a necessary component of your health?
The kind of rest I am talking about isn’t just taking a break for a nap; it’s a spiritual practice that replenishes and nourishes the mind, body, and soul.
It creates space for inner reflection, creativity, insights, and problem-solving—things we can’t just command to appear when needed.
When I collapse from fatigue into a deep afternoon nap, I replenish my body, and at one level, my soul sighs in relief.
But let’s face it—the primary purpose of this kind of nap is to restore my body. When I switch from reading a book to listening to a tape, the same holds true. My weary eyes are getting a rest.
In both scenarios, my soul may get some rest by default, but it craves more. It is crying out for me to give time for inner reflection, insights, creativity, and spiritual growth.
Research tells us that our minds are busy sorting and processing as we sleep. I recognize that this is one type of nourishment for the soul, but when intentional about soul rest, setting aside time and space for doing ‘no thing’, we give ourselves a big extra helping of ‘soul food.’
Resting is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for maintaining overall well-being and finding harmony in life.
We know this when we are adults, but in our production-oriented culture, it is easy to feel guilty about doing ‘no thing’.
To be caught daydreaming in school and later in the workplace is to risk incurring judgment or wrath—and then we feel guilty.
Here are several steps to restore the practice of resting your spirit:
- Let go of guilt: Along with being a vital part of self-care, resting is what allows space for Mystery, or the Divine, or your Muse to speak to you.
- Recognize different forms of resting: Resting doesn’t always mean being inactive. It can take various forms, such as meditation, nature walks, hobbies, or spending quality time with loved ones.
- Prioritize self-care: Explore how self-care rituals and activities rejuvenate your spirit and enhance your overall well-being.
- Create sacred spaces: design a tranquil, peaceful environment that promotes relaxation and inner calm.
- Disconnect from technology to reduce stress and create mental space for resting.
- Incorporate intentional rest breaks into your daily routine, even amidst a busy schedule.
- Embrace stillness, and discover how this allows insights, creativity, and spiritual growth to flourish.
- Explore how resting can cultivate trust in the Divine as you release control and surrender to flow.
- Feel yourself tapping into your intuition and inner wisdom, guiding you towards a more fulfilling life.
Remember, by honoring not just your body’s need for rest but also your soul’s, you are creating a life of balance, joy, and spiritual growth.
I have observed a ‘Sabbath Rest’ for many years, but seldom on Sundays, primarily because of other obligations. When I was pastor of a church, Sunday was one of my busiest work days. Now I am involved in the music every Sunday.
It is a joy…and an obligation…and it calls me to observe an intentional rest time afterward.
There is a principle in the biblical commandment to ‘rest on the Sabbath,’ based on the creation story in which ‘God rested’ on the 7th day—a principle of resting 1/7 of the time.
Sometimes I take off a day a week; other times, I am intentional about a couple of hours every day.
They are marked in the calendar “Sabbath Rest,” and I do very little that I could put into a work report for a boss. But more is done at a deep level than I can explain easily.
When I skip this kind of rest, my entire week is out of rhythm, and when I ask myself what is going wrong, I realize I have missed this deep regenerative rest.
Most likely, I need a walk in nature, a good book (a fun read-not ‘business’), a conversation with a loved one, a game of cribbage, or journaling.
This last restful journaling activity brings me the most insight and sparks my creativity to move forward in my week.
I challenge you to ask your soul, “What do YOU need?” And then listen.
Really listen.
Have you been feeding your soul too much ‘body’ food? Do you take time to reflect or create or even daydream? Is this a regular practice, or hit or miss?
May your answers draw you deeper into a practice of rest that draws you closer to your Source, filling you in ways that Oreo cookies never can.
Don’t miss TheReflectivePen each Sunday morning!
