Rest Is a Practice, Not a Reward

You don't have to earn a nap for your nervous system.

Monday, I shared my Crunch Arcadia teaching schedule. Classes started this week, and I'm so excited to finally be in the room with you for boxing, HIIT, and hot yoga!

Last Wednesday I told you I still want to hit things. This week I want to talk about the opposite end of the spectrum: resting.

There's no new yoga nidra this Tuesday. The free practices come out every other week, so this is an off week. That makes it the perfect week to catch up.

I used to think rest was something you earn

For most of my life, rest came last. First you finish the work, then the side work, then the dishes, then the emails. Then you can sit down. The problem is the list never actually ends, so rest never actually comes.

I used to have think I had to do all the things first before I could rest. Now, I've learned to pace myself. ALL the errands don't need to be done at once. It's OK to take breaks. Rest isn't something I deny myself these days.

In active addiction, I didn't rest. I numbed. Those aren't the same thing, even if they look alike from the couch. Passing out isn't sleep, and checking out isn't peace. When I got sober, I had to learn the difference. Real rest felt uncomfortable at first. Lying still with nothing to take the edge off can feel like a lot when you've spent years avoiding your own thoughts. But overtime, I learned sobriety gave me continuity, left me less scatterbrained, and I was able to focus on tasks, actually finishing so many things!

Thirteen years later, I still catch myself treating rest like a prize I haven't earned yet. I work full-time, I teach at Crunch, I run this site, and there's always one more thing. The podcast, the weekly mining party. Getting ready for my niece to come home from college... Sound familiar? There's always another thing to do.

Pause.

I've learned to pause, rest, and recharge.

Effort and ease, in the same breath

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes posture as steady and comfortable at the same time. Sthira and sukha. Effort and ease. Not one, then the other, after you've earned it. Both, together.

That's the whole practice, on the mat and off it. Hitting a bag is sthira. Yoga nidra is sukha. A good life has room for both, and if you only ever practice the effort side, your nervous system will eventually make the decision for you. Usually at the worst possible time.

So I've started treating rest like any other practice. I schedule it. I show up for it. I don't wait until everything's done, because everything is never done.

If I have a super active workout, I rest to balance it out. If I have a wonderful, restorative yoga practice, I get to do some power yoga later.

A note for Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day. Veterans, THANK YOU for your service!

Yoga nidra is one of the practices used to help people recover from trauma, including veterans living with PTSD. That's one of the reasons I love teaching it. I keep the practice traditional, Sanskrit and all, and I keep it free.

To every veteran reading this: thank you. If you've never tried yoga nidra, all you need is about 30 minutes, somewhere to lie down, and permission to stop. These are yours.

You may have heard of it before at the VA. Only the VA sanitizes the language with a program called iRest. I keep my yoga nidra practices more traditional with yoga. But know that either way, yoga nidra is evidence-based and excellent for those with PTSD.

Catch up on yoga nidra

All three free practices are about 30 minutes. Lie down or sit comfortably, grab a blanket or an eye pillow if you have one, and let go. You're allowed to fall asleep. You're also allowed to stay awake. Neither one is doing it wrong.

1. Welcome to Yoga Nidra Practice (Oct. 6, ~30 min) Start here if yoga nidra is new to you. This first practice walks you through how it works, what a Sankalpa is, and how to settle in.

2. Yoga Nidra Practice #2: Permission to Rest (Oct. 20, ~32 min) If this post hit home, this is the one. It's built around giving yourself permission to stop, without earning it first.

3. Yoga Nidra for Contentment (Nov. 3, ~34 min) The companion to my santosha posts. Here, we practice setting an intention for enough. Listen here.

You can find all three on Riverside, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. They're audio only, so you won't find them on YouTube. Just listen.

The next free practice comes out Tuesday, Nov. 17. Subscribe below so you don't miss it.

And if you'd rather move first and rest after, my Crunch Arcadia schedule is in Monday's post. I'd love to see you there.

Around the Valley: yoga this week & next

The weather is finally doing us favors, and there's plenty happening around the Valley through Thanksgiving week. Free and donation-based options come first.

You can also find this list anytime on the new Events page.

Free & donation-based

• Her Sacred Space: Women's Breath & Flow · Wed Nov 11, 6:30–7:30 PM · 125 E Coronado Rd, Phoenix · Free · A women-only evening of breathwork and flow with B Mason, out on the front lawn. Details
• Free Guided Meditation – Sahaja Yoga Phoenix · Saturdays, 2:00–3:00 PM (next: Sat Nov 14, Sat Nov 21) · Sahaja Yoga Meditation, 2434 E Osborn Rd, Phoenix · Free · A beginner-friendly sit. A chair is welcome and no mat is needed. They also meet Mondays at 6:00 PM. Details
• FitPHX Morning Yoga · Sat Nov 14, 9:00–10:00 AM · Encanto Park Clubhouse, 2499 N 15th Ave, Phoenix · Free · The City of Phoenix's all-levels class, every second Saturday. Details
• Yoga for Success · Sun Nov 15, 9:30–10:30 AM · Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Phoenix · Free · A guided session with a trained instructor, with online support afterward. Details
• Grounded and Grateful: A Free Yoga Event · Tue Nov 17, 5:00–7:00 PM (class at 5:30) · Fountain courtyard, San Marcos Crowne Plaza Resort, 1 N San Marcos Pl, Chandler · Free, reserve a spot · A City of Chandler community class. The first 30 people get a free mat. Details
• Salt River Mindfulness Meditation Community · Thursdays, 6:30–8:00 PM · Tempe Community Christian Church, 1701 S College Ave, Tempe · By donation · Secular-friendly sitting and walking meditation, open to beginners. Details

• Sunset Strength ft. CorePower Yoga · Mon Nov 23, 6:00–7:00 PM · The Park at PV, Phoenix · Free · An outdoor class on the lawn. Details

Classes & specialty sessions

• Namaste in Nature: Guided Hike and Yoga Flow · Thu Nov 12 · 7232 Piestewa Peak Dr, Phoenix · $4–$54 · A guided desert hike with a yoga flow among the saguaros. Details
• Somatic Yoga Workshop · Mon Nov 16, 6:00–7:00 PM · Mind Body Healing Collective, 8686 E San Alberto Dr, Suite 100, Scottsdale · $40 · A gentle, trauma-sensitive class with Regan Mays, MSc. No hands-on adjustments and no experience needed. Details
• MC Yogi: Meditation Mondays · Mon Nov 16 and Mon Nov 30, 6:00 PM Arizona time · Online, via the MC Yogi app · Chill yoga and meditation, live. I've been a fan of his music for years. Details
• Radically Rooted: A Yoga Workshop with Evon Hart · Sun Nov 22, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · Centered, 3375 E Shea Blvd, Ste K, Phoenix · $40 · A two-hour, moderately challenging practice with sequencing, pranayama, and meditative reflection for the season. Prior yoga experience required. Details
• Yoga at The Farm · Sun Nov 22 · The Farm at South Mountain, Phoenix · $18 · A morning flow in the garden with Jessica Dent. Meet at the garden arch. Details
• Full Moon Yoga Hike · Mon Nov 23 or Tue Nov 24, 4:30–7:00 PM · Piestewa Peak, 7232 Piestewa Peak Dr, Phoenix · $2–$65 · A sunset hike and yoga, staying out for the moonrise. Nov 23 · Nov 24
• Gobble, Gobble, Try Not to Wobble: Sunset Yoga · Wed Nov 25, 4:45–5:45 PM · Phoenix Mountains Preserve, 7232 Piestewa Peak Dr · $10–$18, or free when you bring a friend · An all-levels sunset flow to kick off the long weekend. Details
• Save the date – Soul Salve Sundays with Evon Hart · Sun Dec 6, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · Centered, 3375 E Shea Blvd, Ste K, Phoenix · $30 · A monthly ritual of dharma talk, practice, meditation, and restorative rest. Details

Know of a class, workshop, or sound bath I missed? Is there an issue with any event listed? Hit reply and tell me. I read every one.

-Heather