15 February 2021
What we think of as rest isn’t exactly rest in a true sense of the word. What many consider rest, is an alternative to what we consider work. Gardening, gaming, music-making, are all forms of work that are considered restful activities; however, rest is a form of stopping. But can humans really stop? Perhaps in some ways yes, but a human is a flurry of energy and activity, even when engaged in restful activities. The heart, the immune system, the lungs, never rest. But the one organ that can rest, in a sense, is the mind. The form of rest I’m talking about is when you notice when your mind stops talking.
A quiet mind is one that has come to a stop – it is resting. Your thoughts in your mind are like a snow globe. They are constantly active – all shook up, so to speak, with images, words, problems, etc. Those particles of “snow” often cause stress and unrest. But rest is noticing the moments where the snow settles, when the snow globe has come to a stopping point. When you learn to observe that place in the mind of no-thought, you’re resting.
Real rest can be found in paying attention to a settled, undisturbed, quiet mind. That’s called equanimity. But you have to learn to notice it. Often the mind is chatting away, and you don’t notice that your attention has become absorbed in thoughts. The principles of real rest ( a clear, settled, un- agitated mind) can be applied to all that you are, all that you say, and all that you do today. So rest easy, let the flurry of thoughts settle, and notice the peace of a quiet mind that has stopped producing all that chatter.