Total relaxation is actually what the word says… doing nothing at all. Realize and consciously make sure that you are not busy with your body and mind at all. How difficult is that process?! Western society is geared to performance, combine that with the Calvinist slant and “doing nothing” does not fit into the vocabulary.
Reflection
Because within the faith, a day of rest is seen as a day that is largely spent on faith. But real reflection is not inside the church following what someone once preached, but looking back on the processes that are going on in your life. How did you do it, what does the experience feel like, what can you learn from it, etc. etc.
Give “doing nothing” a place
In addition, it is important to realize that doing nothing is not wrong. We often expect each other to perform, to show what we are worth and preferably to be better than the competition. But in fact there is no competition and therefore no competition. Only when you realize this is the competition no longer there. A day that you spend alone, which some may call very selfish, working with and for yourself, is a day that helps you in the process of becoming whole. Whole becoming stands above the processes that occupy our daily existence.
Whole becoming
Becoming whole is looking at yourself, continuously developing yourself in a learning process, learning from mistakes and slowly realizing what being whole is. You only know what this means when you are (almost) ready. No longer have issues that hinder you in your decision-making, no status or ego problems, and base your decisions on the total process. This also means that you should not be guided by emotions. And let’s be honest, this is just about the most difficult process there is. For some, even their humans are disabling.
When are you ready?
That is a very difficult question, because when do you know that you are basing your decisions on those completely rational decisions. No emotion influencing a process or personal sensitivity. The moment that, if you are honest, you do not let factors that have something of your own come into play, such as:
- An outcome has an effect on people, what does that say about me?
- An outcome has an effect on people, what do people think of me?
- An outcome has an effect on people, have I taken all sides of the process into account? If yes which one?
- An outcome has an effect on people, what does that do to me?
- An outcome has an effect on people, would I let the decision-making process proceed the same way next time?
It goes without saying that the questions must be answered honestly. This slowly gives you an idea of how fair you are in your decision-making. Whether and if so, what interest still plays a role in the decision-making.
Peace…
If such a process is fair and there are no other scenarios in your head, you can really clear your head. Clearing your head means that there is room for rest. Because let’s be honest, the rest we are talking about is not physical rest. After all, sleeping physically rests your body. It is even more about the spiritual process. Because if you make room there, there is also room for other things or nothing. Don’t think about anything for a moment, wonderful relaxation in a pleasant environment gives total peace of mind and body. That is the ultimate experience that not everyone experiences. After all, most people always have something going on in their minds.
Finally
Forcing such a process does not work, but slowly creating space does work. At some point you are ready to allow it, only then do we talk about total relaxation. An ultimate moment.