How Do You Switch Off?

Yes, how do you switch off?  You know when you need to switch off from the day, when you need to take a moment’s peace, how do you switch off?  Maybe you read a book, watch TV, listen to music, go for a walk, which are all great ways to destress, but how do you switch off your thoughts, relax your mind and totally rest your body?  For many of you this answer may include sleeping, but is that switching off? Or is it going to sleep, semi-conscious to recharge?

Ok, what exactly am I am getting at, I wonder how many of you actually sit down for a moment, doing nothing?  Not driving, watching TV, chatting on the phone, eating, reading or distracting yourself with an activity, but actually sit, doing nothing.  Just sitting there alone, with yourself & your silence, aware, but doing nothing, non-doing and can feel comfortable doing this?  By now, many of you must be cussing me, saying you have far too much to do, to just sit down doing nothing!  This is probably true for all of you.  But taking the time regularly to just sit for a moment, is just as good for you, as doing something, regularly.

It’s like a really passive, less active form of relaxing.  Switching off, means there is no form of activity, not even active mental thought, intention or trying to control your thoughts, create an altered state of mind or physical form.  Just sitting comfortably with your stillness, being aware, mindful of your body, your mind, your world, but not focusing or creating a judgement or opinion, just simply sitting down for moment, for however long, doing absolutely nothing!

A few days ago, a lady, an older Pakistani women came into one of my yoga classes and mentioned how bizarre it was how we both had met, but to be honest, initially I actually couldn’t remember, but after a while she explained she was in the queue of a DIY store and mentioned something about being lazy to the cashier.  I turned to her being the outspoken person that I am, and said something like “ I bet you’re not lazy and do lots of things, you need to stop seeing yourself as that” but with more volume and passion.  She said she thought, how does this woman know?!

But not only could I sense it, but I guess, that like many women, she was probably juggling schedules, chores, family, personal and life that it had become so normal to be super busy, that she had been so used to operating on that level, that anything less meant she actually felt like she was being lazy.  It’s interesting that if we are not doing something, we feel very uncomfortable, non-productive, bored.  Like our measurement of self-worth, self-esteem is only based on our external efforts of doing.  I’m not talking about our life goals or trying to achieve something specific but just generally in our life, we are become these busy bees non-stopping!

But stress, break-downs, burn out, sickness, mental illness, unhappiness, tiredness, headaches, all come to mind, when I think about our active state.

We all need to learn to take the time to practice nothingness in order to achieve balance for our wellbeing.  Of course, our leisure, hobbies, creative pursuit and beautiful expressions are based on ‘doing’ however even these gifts are received and provided to us in our space of non-doing.  That beautiful poem, picture, song, dance, dress, cake, all created internally first in that non active space, our creations, epiphany, aha moments and our soul’s fulfilment, need to come from allowing ourselves just to be, not only as a human doing, but a human being, light but soul-full.  (My  wellbeing business OrangeMoonWellbeing strapline is, Stay Intune & Soulful, this is my belief.)

Through our busy, digital, online, on-demand, instant lifestyles, we have created so many stressors, dependences, addictions, roles, chores, tasks, work, that the last work, or care that we usually neglect, don’t have time for, unfortunately is ourselves.  Its beautiful that we are now, beginning more than ever to embrace and understand self-care, but the yin and yang of life, contains both passive and active elements, masculine and feminine energy both equally important but unequally practiced.

As externally rewarding as it may be, to be productive, outwardly driven and achieve material things, we still need to be able to tap into ourselves to achieve our internal rewards, becoming intune, more mindful and connected inwardly out.  These are the internal gifts that make us magnificently humanly and different, are ability to receive, tap in and utilise our personal power.  A simple act, as sitting down for a moment, stems from being able to let go, letting go of judgement, fear, interpretations, opinions, right or wrong, values and just observing yourself, not evaluating or judging.

I can’t tell you what you will personally discover or receive, if you begin to regularly practice this or what it may bring up for your individually, but I do know it is a necessary step in order to re-centre, realign yourself, tapping more and deeper into your intuition, your guts and premonitions.  The only person we truly have control over is ourselves, if we do not learn to master ‘self’ then living and leading our life will decline as we become influenced and controlled, remotely by the external objects around us.  This is of course for some is perfectly fine, well until these external things become unavailable or limited.  Instead let’s not lose the connection with ourselves, our inner self as we become more disconnected from our core, remotely driven, controlled and influenced even by our own emotions and behaviour constantly seeking to satisfy our pleasure seeking cravings and addictions, externally.

The time has come to learn the mastery of ‘self’, understanding our inner world, reconnecting with the natural world, becoming mindful of the power within us to heal, influence and shape our behaviour, direct our energy.  This is the first step in really developing into your highest potential, what have you got to lose?

#MindWarriorTraining #SelfCare #GuardyourSTE  #SpaceTimeEnergy

Naomi Davidson

Welbeing Consultant & Researcher