“I normally share way more, but I am out of words right now because I feel so much peace and rest.” Kasia’s words at the end of the retreat captured the essence of how all the women felt after an afternoon of rest and me-time. They started out curious and excited but ended all like Kasia. In peace. Rejuvenated, soft and relaxed.
Our journey began with a focus to calm the nervous system through breathing exercises and mindful movement, paving the way for a deeper connection with our bodies. Afterwards they received a restorative yoga session.
Restorative Yoga helps to deeply relax
The purpose of restorative yoga is to release all tension and surrender into a state of deep relaxation. This practice helps the body digest information and process emotions and past events. In restorative yoga, poses are held for quite some time. Sometimes even up to 20 minutes. Using a lot of props we carefully select poses that allow the body to completely relax without any stretch or edge. And all those poses are designed to help ground the mind back into the body.
It happens often that the mind becomes very loud and active, when the body is still and at rest. Therefore, restorative yoga is such a beautiful practice because it helps your system to relax and to create space for all that is alive. And instead of acting upon all those things, you allow them to be and to release them.
The struggle for rest in a busy world
It’s a familiar story for many: the desire for more moments of rest and relaxation. But those moments are often overshadowed by the demands of a busy life. We find ourselves caught in a cycle of constant appointments and deadlines, leaving little room for self-care.
When a moment occurs where you can take time for yourself, your system needs to transition towards this rest. And that transition takes time and commitment. “It took me quite some time to create rest in my head. I had a lot of thoughts at first”, Inge shared. The good news is that the more we incorporate those moments of rest, even short ones, the more we teach the body and nervous system to calm down more quickly and easily.
We are all on a journey for more rest
The experiences shared by these women resonate with many of us who yearn for moments of rest and me-time. “I really need to do this for myself more often.” Inge said. Despite our intentions to prioritize rest, the reality often sees us neglecting this essential aspect of well-being. The spinning heads and restless bodies at the end of a hectic day are all so familiar.
Sometimes all we need is someone who helps us or inspires us. Someone who gives us tools or shows us the journey towards rest. And the courage to go a bit against the grain and do absolutely nothing then rest for a moment.
Empower your own choice to take a break
What sets the women who attended the retreat apart is their conscious choice to break free from the fast pace of living in Amsterdam for an afternoon. Taking this break became an act of self-empowerment. In a world that mostly cheers on busyness, their decision to prioritize rest made me so proud and happy.
In a world that constantly asks our attention, taking intentional breaks for rest becomes almost a courageous act of self-love. The stories shared by our participants serve as a reminder of the power of embracing moments of rest. I hope reading this reminds and inspires you to prioritize your well-being and plan rest in your daily life.