When was the last time you did nothing?

June 25, 2023

Hey there Yogis!

Summer has arrived, and with it, the invitation to rest. However, can we really indulge in leisure? Can we make ourselves time to do nothing?

Today we might feel pressured to extract productivity from every last nanosecond of our lives, assessing our worthwhileness as human beings by how successful we are in doing so.

In a society that values "hard work," sitting still doing nothing is just for "lazy bums." But doing nothing is not necessarily an excuse for laziness or procrastination. We are on this earth to create and enjoy! And that involves stopping and being. By doing nothing, we can finally enter the realms of being, where natural healing and transformation take place.

Of course, not everyone has the privilege and luxury of infinite free time, but we can all try our best to let go for ten minutes each day and get quiet. As poet Mary Oliver says, "It could mean something. It could mean everything."

I. "Invitation" by Mary Oliver

Oh, do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy

and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong, blunt beaks
drink the air

as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude –
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing

just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in the broken world.
I beg of you,

do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant when he wrote:
You must change your life.

II. Supta Baddha Konasana: Reclining Bound Angle Pose

If you want to rest, this pose is a helpful one to take. Reclining Bound Angle will energize and refuel you for whatever comes your way. It gives the body a chance to relax—and open up. Your chest, abdominal, groin, and leg muscles release as you lie on your back with your knees open to the sides and feet together. Your breath may slow down, and your mind may feel calmer. Take Supta Baddha Konasana whenever you want to ground and connect. It’s also great for menstrual cramps, PMS and digestive issues.

How to Practice Supta Baddha Konasana

Source: Yoga Journal

III. The White Lotus | Series

Set in a tropical resort in Hawaii, The White Lotus follows the exploits of various guests (privileged people who are varyingly aware of how rarified their air is) and employees for a week.

The spiky six-part HBO mini-series by Mike White captures the self-delusion and defensiveness of the wealthy white one-percenters in the US. The inequities and iniquities accumulate with every episode – as do the casual, unthinking cruelties – as the backstories of guests and staff are filled in and they all begin to unravel. The power structures that shape our world so fundamentally as to be almost invisible are increasingly revealed.

Perhaps the idea of watching a group of rich people do rich-people things to the chagrin of long-suffering lesser-than sounds grueling. But The White Lotus hits the notes by poking and prodding at its characters’ class divide and offering up shreds of empathy and compassion to individuals who are caught in systems, patterns, or behaviors they can’t escape.

Alternately hilarious and unsettling, The White Lotus isn’t a feel-good watch, but it is a must-watch.

The White Lotus | Official Trailer | HBO

Thanks for reading, and please share your thoughts!

If you missed our previous newsletters about Being liberated through Yoga, Honoring Peace, Improving Mental Health, Embracing Vulnerability, and more, you can check them out here!

Xoxo

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