Relaxation is less a matter of technique . . .

. . . than of self-worth.

In my classes, I regularly ask participants how they relax.

Very few answer that they watch TV or read the newspaper for relaxation purposes. My usual response is that these pastimes are distraction and not relaxation.
Most participants, however, relax by spending an hour in the bathtub, by sitting in the garden, by having a massage, by drinking a cup of tea while watching the clouds, by spending fifteen minutes in their favorite restorative yoga pose, or by listening to Chopin.

Most of us do know how to relax deeply. A variety of methods and techniques is easily available; in-depth information on the health benefits is readily accessible.

Yet, do we take time for relaxation on a daily basis?

We brush our teeth, we check emails, we watch the news, we run errands, we do the dishes, and we scan the mail. But what about the time we wanted to take just for ourselves?

Has our life mutated into a to-do list and anything else takes precedence over us?
Can we give ourselves permission to rest only after every item on this list has a check mark?
Does our self-worth depend on our accomplishments?

Our society applauds us for accomplishments and asks us to “work hard” which means, “to work a lot” and, consequently, against our biorhythm. If we follow this paradigm obediently, relaxation will just be another item on the to-do list and the first we skip when time gets short.

The question, “How do you relax and how often,” points to the very center of our self-concept. Are we the sum of our accomplishments or the expression of a creative force that does neither begin nor end with us?

Later more.
Have a nice day!