Beach_SantaMonica

Beach, Santa Monica

The truth is that the only real method for the brain, mind and all faculties to get relaxation is meditation. Or sleep. Sure, you may fervently believe that watching trash TV all evening or talking on the phone with the BFF for four straight hours are relaxing exercises but the sad truth is that they aren’t. Relaxation, meaning rest, meaning rejuvenation, meaning a breather for the mind and body and senses… This can be gained only in the sleep state and in the meditative state. For us mere mortals, that is. I am sure that many evolved beings walk this planet for whom the waking state is lived at an elevated level of consciousness. So, I’d think that they are in a perennial state of rest.

Coming back to relaxing… meditation is the real deal. Actually, people experience relaxation amidst activity as well. Creative projects, spending time in Nature, listening to music, immersing oneself in dance, etc. can bring in a state of tranquility and rest too. The real reason why that happens is that one experiences the subtle meditative state while being deeply engrossed in these activities.

So go ahead and watch mind-numbing television for an hour or so, gossip with an old friend, read a trashy novel… sans guilt or regret. You might feel drained at the end of it but hey, did you think it was going to be relaxing?