The word ‘relax’ has taken on many meanings for me throughout the years.
As a kid with energy to burn, I heard “relax”. Stop being so full of life. The adults wanted peace and quiet.
Then, relax felt unnatural.
As an anxious 20-something, I heard conflicting advice. “Work hard, make something of yourself, what you do now matters”. And “Relax, have fun, you’ll never get these years back.”
Relax was appealing, but confusing.
Later, more appeared to be at stake. Tasks weren’t going to do themselves. Relaxing was fine for a Saturday afternoon, but it wasn’t going to get you anywhere.
Relax was something to practice in moderation.
Today, relax looks completely different.
It’s not about lying on the couch. It’s more about relaxing my ideas of right and wrong.
Relaxing my grip on the concepts my mind creates and worships.
Relaxing my focus on psychological experience as I fall into the consciousness around it.
My mind relaxing looks like the wisest, most productive and helpful thing that can happen. What’s relaxing is a thought-created reality, leaving space to discover a far bigger truth.
When we get out of the way, we see how perfect everything already is. Relaxing removes our blinders.
Who knew something as simple as relax could be so huge?