I had a great night sleep last night. I woke up late. I’m not refreshed. I’m sluggish. I’m still trying to shake off the slumber. My hair is all kinds of wacky bedhead. My face is creased and puffy. I had the deep, deep sleep of the unburdened.
In yoga, we get a 5-10 minute shavasana at the end. It’s the death pose. The intention is to stop thinking about anything. We work to just be silent and still. It gives our mind and body a true resting period. I admit I can’t always quiet my racing thoughts but I practice to do just that.
For the last few days, I have been stewing in some toxicity. First, I twisted my knee. I couldn’t do sun salutations for three days. This morning meditation is significant to my ability to ward off evil spirits aka negativity. Without that daily movement to keep me balanced, everything – any small event- marinates into a hearty, homemade brew. I get bogged down in the drama. And the crazy part is I’m creating this perfect storm in my head. I started wearing 9 positive energy bracelets to stop my madness.
I conjured up this current recipe from a variety of personal sources. My inner 5th grader was whining about being excluded. My cash whore was accusing others of stealing tables during my brunch shift. The mean girl was chugging wine and cracking on the Oscar celebs. My workaholic was just trying to fill every space with activity. And the spinster had to lay awake in the dark considering this self-made existentialist crisis.
Last night, I babbled incoherently my laundry list of woes to a friend. It helped. Getting the crisis out of my head and into the real world gave me huge perspective. I was stuck in this nonsensical drama. Nothing was as big as I was making it. Friends can help you see yourself from a different angle. And they can force you to confront yourself and see how you are being perceived. The truth set me free. Nothing changed except my realization of that truth. And I was rewarded with a restful slumber.