Rest can also be about ensuring my body’s needs are catered for as well as my mental and emotional ones. When was the last time you took the trouble to make sure that you were supremely comfortable? I did a yoga relaxation the other day and the teacher talked about a ‘gold standard’ of comfort. It was inspiring; now when I go to bed, or sit down in the evening, I try not to just collapse but to really listen to my body and see if there are any small adjustments I can make to increase my comfort. Would an extra cushion for my lower back be good? Or my neck? Am I warm enough? Would any extra layer or a thicker pair of socks just make that small difference to my comfort levels?
My family and I live in a small coastal town on The Coromandel. It’s quieter downtown over winter; the summer visitors, like migrating birds, have all left for sunnier shores. But I like that; like a field in winter, I am enjoying a bit of fallow, so that I have the energy for the busier summer months.
I wish you a restful, comfortable and creative time and hope that by finding ease now over winter, you feel refreshed and reinspired come spring.
Deborah Hide-Bayne is a writer, photographer, artist and keen amateur cook. She lives with her husband, son, three chickens and 20 goldfish. She is the author of Coastal, living the coastal life, cooking for the coastal table.
