Embracing Movement & Rest For Healing

At Love School, we often explore the power of three regarding creation and the force of duality when it comes to finding balance. The relationships of energies as they interact often dictate our experience... we are the experience of energy interacting and understanding this, even in the simplest ways, aids our healing and recovery as part of a natural process.

Particularly when we are considering movement and rest, and the reasons why we need both, and to balance these states of being and doing to aid recovery.

Energy is always moving or changing in one way or another. Even when things appear still, unless we have created a void or a vacuum, there is always some sort of movement. And even to create such spaces, we need to utilise energy to contain that sort of space. So, being aware that regardless of appearances, that energy is always moving helps us to come to terms with the necessity of maintaining or finding balance through pace and choice.

This is what we can control about our energy, the pace at which we move, act or create motion.

We can combine different types of movement to meet our needs and develop ourselves, or adjust our energy toward better alignment with good health and well-being.

When we rest, we allow our energy to calm and settle. The pace is slower, and gentle maintenance can occur. Little energy is being used to “act”, so instead our bodies, mind, and energy centres can clean, clear and regenerate.

This is why we sleep: to allow our minds to clear and process the events of the day. To allow our body to rest and regenerate. We know that when we sleep, things are still happening in ur body. We are dreaming, we are still breathing, we are regenerating our energy. We don't control this; all we have to do is allow sleep and surrender to the process as our bodies care for themselves.

When we have been overdoing, when we have had periods, for example, stuck in trauma responses and using much more energy than we need to as we grapple to survive, we can become overexerted, exhausted, and fatigue can set in. Same as if we have an injury that requires additional energy to heal, our body requires rest so it can use the energy to repair and soothe what needs to be mended.

If we do not allow this, and keep pushing too hard or too much, the healing process can't happen in the natural way we are designed.

When we are tired and we have that feeling of deep rest, or we are aware we are in a healing process due to an injury, the surrendering process of resting allows for more thorough healing. The more we allow and create stillness, the better the long-term healing will be.

There are different ways to rest that can rejuvenate and help relax us for healing. These might be different for you and they may take some exploration to find the best way to support you to relax, but based on my experiences, this is what I have discovered:

• Sleep, Napping or Lying Still - Helps to process subconscious thoughts, allows for deep body healing and rejuvenation.

• Reading or Listening to Calming Sounds - Focuses the mind while the body is in a relaxed state (this is not the case when watching TV, scrolling with a blue light or consuming something particularly stressful like horror or aggressive sounds, usually).

• Meditation & Mindfulness Practice - calms the nervous system, mind and allows the body to be present and rest while remaining active.

• Bathing or Showering (hot or cold) - Releases trapped energy, soothes muscular tension, refreshes the body and allows for the body to rest and rejuvenate when cooling or re-warming.

• Puzzles, Art or Creativity - Keeps the mind and body active while allowing for replenishment.

There comes a point, though, when too much rest begins to weaken us, and more movement, a change in pace, is required. This change of pace builds strength, resilience and allows us to grow. It is through making bigger moves, exerting more energy, that we expand and grow both physically, mentally emotionally. Energy requires more power or utility to expand.

This is why exercise is good for us. It builds muscle, helps us train our stamina, long long-term exercise goals can build discipline. Help us to create and generate self-esteem, self-trust, and proof of our capabilities.

Movement also helps us to shift things that might be stuck. Think about the need for stretching, it helps us to let go of any tension being held in place as we release the position we have been iced or functioning in.

There are different types of movement and rest, each inviting a different response in our body and energy system. It i important to try different types of movement and be aware of how our body, mind and energy respond during and after the movement type (usually 2-3 days after.) This may be different for you, but I have noticed the following results from these types of movements or rest activity:

• Walking or Running - Allows mental processing and improves overall wellness, circulation and builds fitness, good to clear the mind, process thoughts or emotions and move past current energies.

• Stretching or Yoga - Releases tension and builds flexibility, moves deeper blocks, ideas or held beliefs.

• Strength Training (Weight Lifting) - Develops muscle and strength and builds stamina and confidence as it burns through limiting beliefs.

• Dance - Builds flexibility and rhythm, helps us tap into creativity and flow.

• Resistance or Core Training (any sort of repetitive, body-based movement) - Builds resilience, tones and strengthens, develops discipline and pushes through energy blocks or limits.

• Bioenergetics - Releases trapped energy, improves circulation and increases energy flow, helps develop new habits and lets go of old energy.

• Trauma Release, Somatic or Vagus Nerve Exercise - Releases trapped emotion, old trauma and creates space to relax.

• Martial Arts & Fight Training (Qui-Gong, Tai Chi, etc) - Builds strength, flexibility and fitness as it develops, releases anxiety, discipline, precision and confidence while balancing our energy systems.

I have found over the years of my experiments that, by being mindful through the actions I take, I can intuitively know what type of exercise or movement is best. For example, choosing between stretching and strength training, walking or bioenergetics. The movement can all dictate the pace of the energy and invite the type of release or change we need to rebalance.

Different types of movement and the change that movement invites can have an impact that needs to be attended to. For example, when I exercise in a new way, do more or exert myself more or in a new capacity physically, I have noticed that the following day or days here might be a shift in my mood or mental processing. Trapped emotions can be released. I might begin to question why I did not make the change earlier, become aware of previously limiting beliefs, and ideas of an old mindset.

This is why we need to find the balance between movement and rest for long-term wellbeing. Too much movement stops the process of conditioning, improving; too little movement allows things to stay trapped and stuck.

I have found it important to use life design and change with conscious attention and use shadow work skills alongside any changes I make.

It may feel good initially as we move or can push ourselves past a previous limit, but that push might release a deeper meaning to us. In a non-logical way, I have come to understand that old memories can resurface after a new type of workout, or fear can emerge as my body recovers from a routine. These, I find, are all connected as emotions may be released, and we physically change and transform into a new person.

I have noticed that when I don’t attend to this process of change and release through shadow work, I am more likely to fall back into old routines, feel confused or unsure about my progress or wonder why suddenly I feel low when I had been riding on the endorphins of exercise after they have settled.

Both rest and movement allow us to release and improve. But they do this in different ways. We are required to release so we can invite more and new into our lives. We are ever-changing beings who require constant fresh inputs of energy exchange. Our breath, our food and liquids all need replenished to keep us alive. If any of these processes stop, we know we are in serious trouble.

Becoming more conscious of our needs and how we use energy in this way can make decision-making about our movement and rest easier to make. Self-awareness, as we understand what is released through which movement, or how we can find the most benefit from relaxation through the practices we find more effective, all help.

When we have a good understanding of the basics of these processes, beyond our instinctual response, which is usually always right for us, and tap into that natural intuition. We can see the knowledge to make more conscious decisions for ourselves if we find ourselves struggling.

I find it now easy to know when rest or activity is best for me since I have spent time experimenting with what works for me through my life design process, and now, intuitively, my body will choose what to do, and I trust that. If I do ever feel stuck, I simply reflect on these types of basic questions:

• Am I stuck, or am I tired? If I am tired, I rest; if I am stuck, I move in some way.

• Am I busy, stressed or overwhelmed? I know it is time to rest and allow things to settle.

Life is an ever-evolving process of change and adaptation. When we can embrace the nature of growth and development and work with the needs we have for change, we can align better with our energy systems, become more authentic in who we are. Find the health and well-being we desire regardless of the needs of the movement.

The 3-Stage Energy Change Formula is a simple way to consider energy movement and the process we might consider when faced with a problem. Use the tool to become aware of actions and processes that aid the flow of energy in, through or out of our lives or systems. This will help you gain useful insight when choosing actions that support this natural balance and flow in your lifestyle or through a recovery and healing process. Download the PDF with the link below.

Additional Resources

If you are interested in using rest or movement more consciously in your recovery process or on a healing journey, I recommend the following resources:

You can develop your own life design process. Our Introduction to Life Design course will help you understand more about adopting an ecosystem mindset and introduce life design tools you can use for yourself.

Our Foundations of Wellness Masterclass will help you understand the basics of Ecosystem mindset, shadow work and life design.

Taking Action for Change video below will help you understand the flow and urge required for making long-term changes and how movement can begin impacting our lives toward our goals, especially through an awakening process.