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HOW DO I RELAX?
By Cornelia Powell | May 21, 2008
I recently participated in one of those giant bridal extravaganzas where dozens of vendors displayed their wares and services to several thousand assorted visitors: future brides with various support teams in tow. The fancy hotel ballrooms were bustling with brides-to-be of all shapes, sizes, and expectations (with upcoming weddings in a couple of months to more than two years away.)
Some brides were accompanied by two or even three generations of family members: mothers, sisters, and grandmothers; others were with groups of friends — ranging from excited to complacent — with someone usually declaring triumphantly, “I’m the maid of honor.”
Then there were the women with their fiancés, mostly looking a bit out of place like they’d rather be home watching the playoff game. (A side note: I can write a book for women about wedding shopping with their fiancés — mostly a book of don’ts.)
There were also future brides with tiny babies; or with female partners who said, “I’m the bride as well”; or with their mothers-in-law to be. (And I think there was one woman there with all three!)
How Do I Relax?
Some of the upcoming brides I chatted with were so wound up that when they “attempted” to listen to my meditation CD, exclaimed: “Oh, I’m just too nervous to try to relax!” or “If I relax, I won’t get anything done!” But most said, “I sure need that!” and then proceeded to the next vendor without missing a frenetic beat. Many times it was the mothers who lingered and sighed, “I’m the one who could use some help relaxing.”
The women who did pause and put on headphones, sitting still and listening to the CD for a few minutes — brides as well as mothers — seemed appreciative of someone looking to support their well-being during their upcoming busy and life-changing rites-of-passage.
I was grateful for all the feedback and delighted that many women could feel the difference and went away with one of my OPEN YOUR HEART meditation CDs. These were women who got a glimpse into deep relaxation as a way to their inner power and heart.
An Uptight World
I was reminded of the intense, stressful world that modern culture has created. We live in a world so frenzied that women on the precipice of this deeply loving time of their lives — preparing for their upcoming marriage — either don’t know how or are hesitant to relax.
This is a time to be gentle with yourself. Are you so unfamiliar with what relaxation really feels like that you confuse it with being listless and unproductive? Are you afraid that if you slow down, you’ll lose your edge, your power?
Modern culture has indoctrinated people into believing that intensity, pushing, forcing, overpowering, being loud and rude — the list goes on — is cool and acceptable, even necessary for success. This nonsense even permeates people’s lives when planning their wedding — a time that begs introspection and deep heart connections. (Race car drivers need intensity, but you can bet they have their down time!)
Slow Down & Accomplish More
By reserving a few minutes each day to slow down, close your eyes, take some deep breaths, put your attention inside, and relax — you not only feel and look better, you are more creative and responsive, rather than uptight and reactive. (This is a better place from which to make decisions, yes?)
Being relaxed — having a quieter mind and less tension in your body — produces deeper rest so you can simply be more productive, efficient, loving — and even happier!
So whether you are planning a wedding, setting up your next board meeting, or shopping for dinner, please consider such possibilities: it’s actually powerful and sexy to be tender and nurturing; success and abundance thrive in still waters; and that being able to deeply relax your mind and body is a sign of your inner self more at peace.
What a gift to give to yourself and to a world that can use a little peace and quiet.
Love. Listen. Let go.
… with love from Cornelia
Topics: For Brides, Meditation, Relationship, Women's Notes |