40 Days of Relaxation - Day 24

Monday, Feb 21, 2011 - Day 24
Last night in my Ayurveda class one of my class mates said that her husband can sit and do nothing. Most of us in the class are more Pitta and Vata so we were all like, "What do you mean 'sit and do nothing'?" She said he can sit on the couch and look out the window, take long slow walks for no purpose, or just sit and do nothing. This was a bit unfathomable to me but then I remembered that in the summer I can do this too. I can sit and do nothing for hours if I am sitting in the sun. I love to sit in the sun and do nothing. Making up for cold Minnesota winters I guess.

So, for my practice today I sat and did nothing. Well actually I laid down and did nothing. I went to my calm room, laid on the floor and did not listen to any deep relaxation exercises, did not do any postures, and did not do any breath work. I just relaxed my body and let my mind follow it's own course - to a point. If I noticed that my mind was edging too much towards work or worry then I nudged myself back to doing and thinking nothing.

It was a little bit hard to stay awake though. I noticed that a couple of times I started having that feeling that you get just before you drop off to sleep. You know that feeling that you are existing in two worlds simultaneously? And you are about to fall out of wakefulness and into sleep? I caught myself a few times at that precipice. So I would open my eyes and stare at the ceiling and do nothing. I recommend trying it. It's interesting. It felt good to relax and do nothing.

I just read a quote recently (can't remember where or by who): Why are you doing something? Just sit there!