Rest Is Pain?

True relaxation can feel very painful. I was thinking about when I returned from my Mexico City trip in June. I tried to relax after being wide open. In my body, when I switch from being too busy to trying to balance it, I feel anxiety and pain. Switching from an extended period of hyper-alertness to calmness is challenging but necessary.

In my experience, I have to take it literally one breath at a time. Inhale. See how far the breath makes it. Did it make it to my collar bones? To my ribcage? Can I feel my hips moving with each breath I take?

People are supposed to feel their hip bones moving with each breath taken. That's a clue to know the pelvic diaphragm is engaged. Once I reach one breath that deep, then I reach ten, and with practice I build up to taking 300 deeply calmly breaths.

By my 300th breath, sometimes I reach a state of meditation. Sometimes my body enters into a relaxation response that helps reset my nervous system. It's a nice break from hustling and bustling. When I feel myself becoming upset with sitting still, and thinking of other things that need to be done, I remind myself that's not the truth. I can afford to sit, breath, and rest.