Give Your Body A Break!

Originally from World Pulse Magazine:

As women one our greatest Achilles’ heels is putting everyone and everything before ourselves. Here’s a chance to offer yourself a moment of rest and reflection so that you can recharge and take on the world!

Don’t have the time? Incorporating just a few of these principals will make a world of difference.

DAY 1 – A day to open up your senses

Silence | Choose a quiet place that you have always wanted to visit. It may be your city park, a nearby field or a river. Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh is famous for his walking meditation. “Walk like you are kissing the Earth with your feet,” he has said. As you walk, breath in and say, “I am home.” Breathe out and say “I have arrived.”

Listen | Pay attention to the sounds around you. Let the silence surround you. Are there messages your body is trying to tell you?

Vision | Visualize yourself at the peak of health and wellness. Are you running a marathon or simply breathing easily during allergy season? What are you eating? How does your skin feel?

Prepare | If your body is a temple, your bed is an alter. Make your bed a sacred space. Wash the sheets and plump the pillows. Spritz your linens with lavender or chamomile oil. Unplug your alarm clock and remove old pictures or photos. Light a candle and ring a bell to clear the air. Sleep until your body is ready to wake.

DAY 2 – A day to cleanse and detoxify

Sweat | Find a local sauna to sweat out impurities. Our bodies soak up toxins. If you do not have access to a sauna, turn on your shower at full steam and close the bathroom door. Light some candles and sit in the steam.

Cleanse | Draw a map of the important people in your life. Where you find tension or anger, practice compassion, forgiveness, and letting go. Is there someone in your life that practices good health? Consciously design a community of people who reinforce and reflect your goal of health.

Learn | Go to a library and linger in the health and wellness section. Pull out books that focus on areas that are important to your vision of a healthy you.

Fast | Don’t listen to the radio, read the newspaper, or go online. The language of conflict and crisis can unconsciously drain us. Give yourself a break from the daily deluge of outside input.

Journal | Create your dream plan for a balanced life. Write about what your healthy and balanced self will look like, putting your visualization from day one into words.

DAY 3 – A day to savor and luxuriate

Massage | Treat yourself to a massage.

Bathe | Take an extra-long bath with candles or soak in the hot tub until your fingers prune up. Follow with a cold dunk. Make sure you have a cool glass of water by your side.

Caress | Lovingly rub your entire body with your favorite natural lotion. Be sure to pay attention to every inch of your body, including the tips of your fingers and toes.

Dine | Invite your favorite friend or two for a dinner using seasonal ingredients. Wear luxurious clothes that make you feel fabulous.

DAY 4 – A day to connect and be joyful

Stretch | Wake up your body’s natural alarm clock. Indulge in an hour of stretching like a cat, feeling how your body moves.

Play | If you have children in your life, adopt them for an afternoon of play. Play hard in the park or the backyard. Notice how easy and free children are in their bodies and follow their lead.

Move | Get active. Play a sport with friends, go on a hike, rollerblade, do yoga, take a new class you’ve been interested in.

Interact | Connect with those around you. Ask questions, talk, meet your neighbors. Seek out others who are committed to living a balanced life and share with them what your body sabbatical has meant to you. Think about how you can make elements of your sabbatical a part of your life!

I plan to take my body sabbatical next week. Want to join me?

After your sabbatical, share your story with us! How did you feel – has it changed you? And will you do it again?

Send your stories to: tonya@newnaturalista.com