“What if we stopped seeing rest as a reward for what we have just done and we started to see it as a preparation for what we are about to do?”
~ from “Rhythmic Renewal with Suneel Gupta” on The Best Advice Show podcast hosted by Zak Rosen, Oct 12, 2023.
Our energy can be equated with inner spirit - that which keeps us alive, inspired and connected to each another, to the Divine and the world at large. This concept is known by many names including anima, essence of life, divine spark and prana among Hindus. When our spiritual energy is depleted, we become exhausted, irritable, and disconnected. When it is flowing, we feel energized, creative and secure.
Hectic and uncertain times often exacerbate this imbalance, making us feel like our inner spirit (and everything with it) is being drained by the minute. Many approaches exist to rest and replenish our prana so energy levels remain high and stable throughout the day. One strategy, called rhythmic renewal, described by Suneel Gupta in his book Everyday Dharma, may sound a bit counter intuitive. As Suneel points out in the quote above, the importance of rest and spiritual replenishment is often minimized. Rhythmic renewal proposes a ratio of 55:5 which means 55 minutes of work and 5 minutes of rest. And both of equal worth.
Those 5 rest minutes are used to pause, focus and reflect fully on this restful activity. You can decide what those 5 minutes entail. Will you do some breathing exercises? Take a mindful walk? Sit quietly? Meditate? Do a Wordle? Do push-ups? Listen to some music? Have a snack? Pray? …You fill in the blank on what you might do…and do with intention. Of course it doesn’t have to be that time ratio; experiment with what time and activity keeps your spiritual energy flowing forward.