The Art of Rest: Resources for Rest and Relaxation

Spa Health and Wellness at Home

When you walk in the door at the end of a long day do you take a deep breath, feeling relieved to be home? If not then perhaps it's time to be intentional about creating a sense of health and wellness at home.

You can do this by adding or changing color as we discussed in the previous post. You can also set up rest areas within your home, intentional quiet places. When decorating keep health and wellness in mind so you can enjoy walking in the door at the end of the day.

Everything and everyone can, at times, go so fast. Fast has become a way of life. There's so much to miss when life is constantly lived in the fast lane. In the fast lane you miss the smiles, the hugs and things that make the difference between an ordinary life and a quality life.

When was the last time that you sat with someone that you loved and just got into them? Gave them everything you had to give for those moments. No phones, no distractions just pure attention, pure love?

The art of rest is about more than closing your eyes to sleep. It's about so much more than that. It's about getting still enough to really live. To connect, to engage your life. Not from a place of chaos but from only love, only love.

There are all kinds of thingst o help us get quiet. Sometimes having a few days away to think and reflect will do it. There are times when lighting a wonderfully scented candle creates a feeling of still and calm, other times it's reading about how another person learned to live the Art of Rest by slowing down or changing their life.

There are a lot of tools out there to help you. But none of them matter if you don't do it. Don't wait to get sick or to burn out. Learn the Art of Rest before you crash and burn. Listen to your body when it screams "I NEED A BREAK". Listen to your life when it says "I NEED A HUG".

Just listen to your life.

During this warm weather season it is important to have a good cleansing system for your skin. My all time favorite skin care product is by Pure and Simple Inc. Products can be found in specialty boutiques across the country and on the website.

I've used this product and to my wonderful surprise, my skin is the best that it has ever been. Difficult areas completely settled and clear. People often comment on the clarity of my skin. I'm happy to share with them that Pure and Simple worked for me (I know it's very infomercial sounding, but true.)

The company President, Sally Peoples, is living proof that the products give extraordinary results. Her skin is a picture of flawless beauty.

The Swiss Collagen Fluid promotes skin clarity and healing. My dark blemish scars finally went away while using this product.

Give your skin a rest and try Pure and Simple Inc.

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Take a hint from nature and bring the beauty and benefits of a waterfall into your life. It's hard to hear the bubbling sound of water and not feel relaxed. In Feng Shui it is said that moving water in a home brings prosperity and good fortune. Water is also relaxing and energizing at the same time.

Bring the feeling of rest and peacefulness to your home by adding a water fountain or even a couple of water fountains to the rooms that feel the most unsettled. The sound of the water will naturally help the room to feel more settled and peaceful.

Don't forget about your workspace. It's important that your work place feel relaxing and energizing at the same time. The sound of running water can do this; it's relaxing but also brings a feeling of energy and well being.

There are all kinds of fountains out there. I have a table top fountain that also plays relaxing music. I like the found, but my next fountain will be a large one that can add more to the atmosphere of my home.

As you continue to The Art of Rest in your home look at the benefits of water along with color as we have already discussed.

Happy Resting!

Yesterday a friend took me along with her to pick up tea at a near by tea shop. When we arrived at Tevana I was wonderfully surprised.

In the middle of a busy mall the Tevana store served up relaxation in a cup. I was a bit tired from a busy weekend so I wanted to try something wth a bit of pep. Teavana has cold and hot tea already brewed and ready for tasting. I tread the Mata Vana. Um...it was full strenth goodness. Mata Vana is Deliciously smooth blend of toasted Yerba Mate, almond bits, crushed cocoa beans, cactus blossoms, sunflower and cornflower petals.

I also tried Sweet Fruit Garden Herbal Tea. It was like drinking a garden that was in full bloom. Yum! Very bright and alive.

In total I had a chance to sample about 5 teas and the green tea matcha. The green tea matcha was served cold with a bit of milk. It was my favorite.

If you like tea you will love Teavana. You'll find an extensive selection of teas that will wake you up or calm you down.

Teavana was born about 10 years ago in Georgia. The idea was to have a place that was part tea bar and part tea emporium. The result has been pure success as the company spreads across the country.

I look forward to my next trip to Teavana.

One of the first ways to experience the art of rest is to create an environment of rest in your home, office or any place where you spend most of your time. If your home is chaotic, things out of place, projects in various stages of incompleteness and excessive clutter this will block your ability to "breath" in your space. Sometimes we can get used to the feeling of chaos and try to work around it. Seldom does one make the connection that the space in which we spend the most time, can influence our attitude and over-all sense of well-being.

Other things besides clutter can block a feeling of rest and peace in your space. What color are the walls? Do they need to be toned down or brightened up? I once painted a house that I lived in a really amazing shade of gray (on the inside). I thought the white accent pieces and interior design were great. It took me a while to realize that I was always depressed when I was at home. I finally made the connection that the gray color was like a dark cloud, my space felt heavy and uncomfortable. I was always introspective and melancholy. I changed the color to a nice subtle blue. After that, coming home was a delight. Everything was better and the depression left. I'm not making a case that wall color can cure depression. I am offering a thought that sometimes depression is triggered by the place we live or spend most of our time.

What kind of artwork do you have on your walls? Do you have things that make you smile or relax when you look at them? Maybe you have a family painting that's been passed down from generation to generation. It has sentimental value, but it's dark and cold. Consider changing your artwork to create a feeling of rest and piece. If you can't do it in your whole house, do it in one room.

If you want a space that supports the art of rest, then just as an artist paints a harmonious watercolor, you have to see your space as a place for you to create a place where everything in it is relaxing and harmonious. There is an art to creating a restful life.