Why Exactly Rest is a Year-Round Activity

The magnificence of spring.

My restorative yoga workshops in autumn and winter are way more popular than my restorative yoga workshops in spring or summer. And, from a Chinese Medicine perspective, that makes sense.

Autumn and winter are naturally “yin” (contracted, dark, cold, lunar-like) seasons where we naturally want to rest a bit more, while spring and summer are naturally “yang” (expansive, hot, bright, energetic, solar) seasons. 

But I’m here to spread the word of radical rest: to remind you that rest is a year-round and even DAILY activity that we need to replenish our reserves and stay healthy. Especially in this age of online activation and apocalyptic chaos and unrest, we all need to soothe ourselves so that we can continue to be grounded and effective together. 

There’s a saying in Chinese Medicine that “Qi is the commander of Blood and Blood is the mother of Qi.” The Blood forms the material basis, the structured sturdy support for our spirits to settle into.

Without good Blood (without a sturdy container for our spirit), the animating enlivening aspect of ourselves (the Qi) can get restless or dim.

Blood in Chinese Medicine warms and moistens and nourishes the organs. It also provides a material substrate for the less-material Qi to ride on, like a radiant river of warmth for your spirit to surf as you interact with the world and constantly respond and transform.

I think of good Blood as a warm yummy pillow that we can sink into each night to rest. 

When the Blood isn’t fully nourished, we can feel restless and scattered, dizzy or depleted. 

The Blood is nourished and formed by warm whole foods, by drinking adequate water, by the breath, and the Blood is settled and augmented by rest. 

Foods that aid the formation of good Blood include cooked dark leafy greens, beets, blackstrap molasses, eggs and meat, black beans, kidney beans, nettle tea, berries and grapes, walnuts, sesame seeds, miso and tamari. 

Activities that enliven the Blood include gentle movement like yoga or walking or dancing and breathing practices that settle the nervous system.

And guess what? My next at-home restorative yoga practice will incorporate gentle movement and breathing practices along with guided meditations to help you settle.

If you’re struggling with poor sleep or anxiety (and let’s be honest, who among us wouldn’t benefit from a little bit more grounding), the date for my next at-home restorative yoga practice can be seen here. 

You don’t even need a yoga mat to attend (though feel free to use one for padding if you have it). We will find transformative comfort using bed pillows and couch cushions etc to support our own weight so that we can simply rest and be. 

I would love to have you there. Especially those of you who are thinking yoga is not for you. Yoga at its Sanskrit root means “to yoke.” Come bring your body, mind and heart together in a loving and supportive online group. You can have your camera off or on, though I always love actually seeing you.

May you be resourced and ready this Spring.