#10 The Art of Doing Nothing

guest post by Lisa D'Alesia

The idea of spending time doing nothing causes fear in our society. Sleeping late, sitting still, napping—whole cadres of people fear these moments of stillness, of non-productive time.
 
“There’s too much to do!” your mind screams. “Get up! Don’t be LAZY!”
 
Ah. Lazy. That’s the rub. If you are lazy, then you are good for nothing. You are not contributing. There is judgement in being LAZY.
 
But, what if you changed this belief? What if sitting still was GOOD for you?
 
The Science: Why Do Nothing?
 
Body stillness has some interesting effects on your body.
 
It dampens the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and engages the parasympathetic nervous system so your body can rest, digest and recover.
 
Adrenaline and cortisol hormone levels go down, reducing heart rate, respiration and muscle tension.
 
Melatonin levels go up, creating a feeling of calm.
 
Dopamine and serotonin hormone levels also rise, creating a positive feeling of balance and happiness.
 
Doing nothing, finding body stillness, can increase your levels of calm and comfort in a beautiful and healing way.
 
The Art: How to Do Nothing
 
You will need: a comfortable place to sit and a timer.
 
1.Settle into your seat. Ensure you sit comfortably, with your feet on the floor. Lean back in your chair. Get as comfortable as possible.

2.Set the timer for one minute and hit start.

3.Return your hands to your lap or the arms of your chair.

4.Sit perfectly still. Close your eyes and then just notice. If you have an itch, do not scratch it. If your phone rings, do not answer it. If you want to shift, do not move. Just sit. Do nothing. Continue to sit and do nothing, without moving. Be in your body. Simply sit and notice.

5.If you move before the timer goes off, reset it for one minute and start again.

6.When the timer goes off, you are done.

7.The next day, add another minute. Keep adding minutes until you reach 15 minutes of consecutive stillness.
 
Congratulations! You are on your way to body stillness and a happier, healthier you!

~~~

Lisa D is a Transformational Intuitve Master Healer with 2 Master's Degress and over 25 years of leadership to our country and community. She works with women who are doing the work of self-discover. Lisa wants to welcome you home to a life of wholeness and joy, and with her 2 spirit guides and 10+ healing modalities, will help you remember, embrace, and love the woman you were born to be.