In last week’s post, we considered the mystery word ‘Selah’ and how it can lead us to a type of rest.
This week, we’ll discover more about the different categories of rest. Throughout the years, I have studied many articles and books which taught me how to experience several types of rest. I needed to learn more about rest for my own health and wholeness. Then I taught my coaching clients about the importance of embracing rest.
So these are the different categories of rest:
- Physical Rest. Our bodies need a time-out, either through actively doing something relaxing such as yoga and massage or passively getting more sleep. If we continue to live with unhealthy stress without enough physical rest, our bodies will remind us how important rest is.
Illness can sometimes be a result of living without enough physical rest. Some people are wired for less sleep and sometimes we go through seasons where we struggle to rest. But it is still important to just lie down and do nothing. For at least eight hours.
- Mental Rest. Our brains need a break with a day off or even a few minutes away from the mess. This is why coffee breaks and lunch breaks were invented and included in the workday. Women carry a multitude of details in our brains. Taking a mental rest is a healthy way to declutter our minds from the endless chatter of too much information.
One example is the mental break I took before I composed this blog post. I walked outside and watered the garden — a welcome break from the computer screen.
- Sensory Rest. The sensory overload of our world can overwhelm us, especially if we struggle with any forms of autism, ADD, or other issues listed on the spectrum. The ways we interact and communicate with others are vitally important. Sensory overload includes social media, television, loud music, even the happy screams of children.
We need to shut down the overload on our senses, turn off the lights, and eliminate any distractions. We need to rediscover the beauty of solitude.
- Social Rest. Closely related to sensory rest, social overload happens when we are exhausted by too many people and too many activities that deplete our energy. This type of rest is especially significant for introverts and ambiverts. We cannot create if we are exhausted by the chatter and needs of people.
We need alone time to reboot and refresh our inner resources. We must set healthy boundaries and take care of ourselves. And not be afraid that others may judge us for setting those boundaries.
- Emotional Rest. Emotional labor affects us when we have taken on too many roles such as: the eight-to-five-job, then coming home to do more work, the needs of family and children, then gong to church to do a myriad of activities where we are ‘needed.’ Women are particularly sensitive in emotional areas, but too much empathy can wear us out.
Women ministry leaders are susceptible to emotional overload. Ministry exhaustion is real and dangerous. We may need one special person with whom we can confidentially dump the emotional load and authentically address our own emotions. And we may need to admit our need for a wise therapist.
- Creative Rest. When creatives face blocks such as: self-doubt, procrastination, self-sabotage, or perfectionism — we need a creative break. Even clutter can affect our creativity and make us feel numb. Self-doubt can quickly merge into self-sabotage where creativity is stalled. We can no longer write, sing, play an instrument with joy, paint, or create something beautiful.
We need time and space to rediscover the creative gift in a non-threatening, non-judgmental way. Creative rest allows us to discover new ideas that make us feel emotionally whole. The best type of creative rest is a retreat away from all the routines and responsibilities.
- Spiritual Rest. When we have given and given of ourselves to others, we need a spiritual rest. When we live within legalistic religious rules, we can deplete the inner resources God offers us. When spiritual routines rule our lives, we lose the spontaneity of the inner Spirit. When we find ourselves saying things like, “I have to pray and study the Bible for at least an hour every day,” or “I have to go to church three times each week,” or “I need to use more of my gifts in spiritual ways,” we may be moving into the danger zone of spiritual abuse. The lack of peace or the inability to pray reminds us to take a break and just be alone with God.
Madeleine L’Engle wrote about the Greek word ‘ousia’ which means ‘the state of being.’ Just ‘being’ ourselves. Just ‘being’ with God in a quiet place of complete rest. Just ‘being’ still.
A good activity is not necessarily a God activity. And we do not have to satisfy the needs of every person who asks us to help. They need their own ‘ousia’ time with God. And so do we.
Action steps for embracing rest lead us to the benefits of a trust-filled life. We ask God to clarify and confirm exactly what we were created to do and who we were created to be. We learn to step off the over-achieving bus. To step away from the inner need to please everyone else.
As we learn how to set healthy boundaries and intentionally embrace these categories of rest, we will find ourselves in a new place of peace. Then we can live within the beautiful benefits of true rest.
©2024 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image: Lolame / Pixabay
These categories of rest are described in my latest publication, It’s All About Trust. Check it out on Amazon.