When was the last time you took a moment to just stop? And I don’t mean to be on your phone or watch TV. These days we often think activities that make us slow down aren’t worth our time, effort or money. Several weeks ago I did a Yin and restorative yoga workshop for my teacher’s training which is all about slowing down.
These practices are amazing for nourishing the nervous system, however they’re never as popular as the fast-paced yoga classes which are sequenced to make you burn calories and feel that you’re ‘doing’ something.
What’s the hurry?
Society places so much emphasis on productivity, making more money, buying more things, being superwoman/superman, and just being plain busy, that practices such as meditation, restorative yoga, sleeping, resting and even receiving a massage are often seen as luxurious or a waste of usable time instead of getting more ‘stuff’ done. But what’s the rush?
Why slowing down is important
Anxiety, stress, depression, chronic fatigue, obesity, adrenal fatigue and disorders of the nervous and cardiovascular system are becoming more prevalent. We no longer have time to take a breath, or process our feelings or emotions. The art of slowing down is becoming a lost art, but it’s more important now than ever before.
What do you do to rest and recover? (Hint: If the answer is ‘nothing’, you need to do something about that sooner rather than later!)
Image / NZ Real Health