Restfulness and Restlessness

The capacity for physical, emotional and mental restfulness is key to a yogic life. Restfulness is what allows for integration and alignment. Restfulness is what allows for absorption and assimilation. Restfulness allows for letting go and rebirthing. Restfulness allows us to see our unmet needs and reparent ourselves.

Sattva Is Restful Awareness

In Sanskrit, the quality of alive, alert restfulness is called sattva. We are not pulled into the turbulence of others minds, media, collective minds or our own unconscious agitation. We forget how books, movies, television, audio and other media are all transmitting others thoughts. As much as we can learn from them, we can also drown in them.

Yoga Chitha Vritti Nirodhaha

Patanjali beautifully describes yoga to be the cessation or non-identification (nirodhaha) of oneself with the fluctuations, waves or restlessness(vritti) of the unconscious mind (chitha). As we relate to the world and others we may start to get pulled into their chitha vritti, if we are not discerning. So our chitha vritti, compounded with others, creates more chaos if the light of wisdom does not shine through. That is why reason and action rather than knee jerk reactions need to be tuned into. Concepts and ideas need to be digested before they are taken and spewed.

Thadha Drushtuh Swaroope Avasthanam

When this non-identification with the fluctuations of the mind is established, then the witness or seer can REST in one's own essential nature. Drashtu is the seer or witness. Chitha veils or colours the lens through which the drashtu witnesses. Hence, for clear witnessing and RESTING IN ONE'S TRUE NATURE, one must not get trapped in chitha vritti. These mind fluctuations can be looked at as waves. The more turbulent the waves, the further one is from seeing a clear reflection. Through consistent, mindful yogic practice we allow the whirlpools of the mind to dissipate and REST into the ocean, becoming one with it.

The Hamster Wheel of Restlessness

Instead of flowing through life, if we over analyze every single aspect, we won’t move forward despite thinking a lot. This agitation or restlessness of the mind seeps into the body. The restlessness of the body makes it seek out restless activities and foods. Sugar, caffeine and foods that cause agitation create an unfocused, restless mind and it becomes a vicious cycle. This continual feeding of that pattern becomes the hamster wheel of restlessness.

A Restless World

This restlessness seems to be glorified through a consumerist culture where the more one consumes, the more of a valued customer one is. Unconsciously, value is placed on one's capacity to control and conquer. Nowadays it is buying power that becomes one's self worth. This association between restlessness, external control and self worth is worth exploring.

Magnetizing

The more we are in a restful place, the more we can magnetize that which is aligned with our highest. This does not mean that we do not put in effort. The being drives the doing and the doing is not driven by unconscious desires that will create division. Instead, the doing comes from a higher purpose that will create unity. This is what it means to live a yoga life. This is what it means to be yoga.

Shava Asana

Shavam means a “corpse” or “dead body.” This is the space to let go of old chitta vritti. We cultivate the capacity to step away from it and reconnect to the intelligence of the body in a safe space. It is a space for all of the above mentioned positive areas to fruition. It also helps to activate the rest and regenerate response which happens because of the balance of the parasympathetic nervous system.

It is the RESTFUL SANCTUARY we create to release an old backlog of emotions and trauma. I tell those in my classes that, though this is the simplest asana from a physical outlook, this is the most difficult to master on an internal level. The deeper dimensions of yoga are held in the perfecting of the shava asana. Let us find spaces in our day to practice restfulness. First we need to set aside time to be restful between activities. Then we find that doing also comes from a core of restfulness.