In our daily lives, we often find ourselves caught in a whirlwind of emotions. Joy, sadness, anger, excitement – these active emotional states can sometimes feel like a rollercoaster, taking us on a wild ride. But amidst this chaos, there’s a stillness, a restful state that exists within all of us. It’s just a matter of tuning into it.
The Feel Rest technique is a mindfulness practice that focuses on tapping into these restful body sensations. It’s about finding that physical relaxation, the absence of body sensation, and that deep emotional peace. The beauty of this technique is that it’s not about escaping or avoiding our emotions, but rather anchoring ourselves in a state of rest, even amidst challenging experiences.
One evening, after a particularly stressful day, I decided to give this technique a try. I sat down, closed my eyes, and began to focus on the sensations in my body. At first, all I could feel was the tension in my shoulders and the tightness in my chest. But as I continued to breathe and focus, I began to notice pockets of relaxation. The softness in my hands, the stillness in my feet. Slowly, these pockets of rest began to spread, and I felt a pleasant energy flow throughout my body.
There are different types of rest we can tap into. Physical relaxation, like the one I experienced that evening, is just one of them. There’s also the absence of sensation, where we feel a sort of emptiness, and emotional tranquility, where our mind is at peace. At deeper levels, this practice can even lead to a loss of the sense of being a separate self, merging into what some describe as Absolute Rest.
As an athlete, rest is an interesting concept to explore. It appears in different forms such as “flow” or “the runner’s high”. As a boxer or martial artist, it can be interesting to explore rest as a place of position, the space where punches and kicks are not.
For beginners, the Feel Rest technique can be a gateway to stress relief and tranquility. It’s an entry point for developing equanimity, concentration, and detecting subtle experiences. And the best part? It doesn’t require a special setting or time. I’ve found myself using this technique informally during activities, whether I’m waiting in line at the grocery store or taking a break at work. It’s even helped me address sleep challenges, anchoring myself in my body’s restful state before drifting off.
But the key to this practice is detection. It’s about noticing rest, whether it’s absent, subtly present, or overwhelmingly there. This awareness helps balance our tendency to fixate on activation, on those active emotional states that can sometimes overwhelm us.
As I’ve delved deeper into mindfulness, I’ve been developing the skills of concentration, clarity, and equanimity using the Unified Mindfulness approach. Currently, I’m practicing and learning at the Immersion retreat. Immersion is this incredible online drop-in retreat where you can attend as much or as little as you’d like. With a packed schedule of over 90 sessions and around 60 instructors, it’s been a transformative experience. These skills I’m honing? They’re helping me build traction in my practice, allow for subtraction of unwanted habits, and assist with distraction in daily life.
Register even just for a single session. It’s free and totally worth it.
Register here
Mindfulness isn’t just a buzzword; it’s about developing a skill. And Immersion? It’s the perfect place to explore how to apply mindfulness in your daily life. Even if you attend just one session, it could be the beginning of a transformative journey.
Register for Immersion, and let’s explore the depths of our minds together. After all, amidst the chaos of life, isn’t it worth finding that quiet room within?
