This article brought to you by Mountains Community Hospital and Attorney Nancy Wallace
Dr. Jane Guttman
“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.” ― Alan Cohen
Taking time for you is mandatory for wellness. Put it high on the list of your daily calendar. Just as we need air, water, food, sunshine and sleep, we need down time. A wide selection of choices come to mind. Outdoor time, reading, writing, an extra nap, a special meditation, a favorite pastime or creating the space for spiritual solitude are options guaranteed to refuel. A rest from the action of life’s responsibilities brings time we can count on to restore and renew.
Solitude is a pause in the stream of life with all of its activity. Whispers of peace and insight manifest in these times when you are just with you. Thought forms ebb and flow, reflection on life concerns emerges and in the repose we rekindle.
Behavioral health practitioners ascribe numerous benefits to the practice of solo time. One perspective addresses mental health and an opportunity to build mental strength. We can address the “slings and arrows” of life with more balance and a sense of ease, even as a storm rages around us. Some health care providers regard solitude as a non-medical prescription to reduce depression, increase stress management skills and to attain greater happiness.
By nature we are social beings. Many of us live in family circumstances, have a work life that includes co-workers, a circle of friends or a companion. These connections are vital and essential for health. Community is soul food. It allows us to navigate life with the greatest promise for joy and harmony. For many, life becomes so crowded that unstructured time is postponed or considered irrelevant to wellness. It is relevant and mandatory.
Here are some gifts that solitude and you time bring: Alone time rekindles. Some health resources believe it can increase our life efficiency. We become more productive. Our creativity peaks. We get to know self at a deeper level and can direct our lives in ways that harmonize with our deepest visions. Psychology Today cites some invaluable benefits. Our brain actually can reboot. We think more deeply. We can become effective problem solvers. We discover our own voice.
Take a holiday for your soul…a walk in the woods or by the lake. Read, meditate, prepare a lovely meal just for you. Take an hour, a day, an evening, or a weekend and discover the deeper gifts that reside within. Have some great conversations with yourself. External self-talk is often considered to be quirky. Current thinking considers this form of self-conversation as positively influencing behavior and cognition. Whether talking through a task or providing self-motivation, these conversations enhance our well-being.
Recently while in a market, I was self-talking. Someone nearby heard the conversation. It seemed odd to them, though to me was functional and reasonable. Had I not been in a rush, I would have put in a good word for self-dialogue. Start a dialogue with yourself and discover a multitude of insights. Then choose something you enjoy doing in your unscheduled time.
One of my favorite solo pastimes is having time with my crystal collection. I take a bowl that contains an assortment of small stones and as I lay them out on a table to clean, appreciate and replace, I marvel at the colors, the shapes and the amazing vibration that each one holds. Hours can pass and with each passing moment I am in kinship with earth beauty and renewed in the serenity of crystal solitude.
Time for me. Time for you. Time to kindle new insight, inner harmony, and to create a readiness to manage the next life task. A good rest or pause from the demands of life increase our chances to fully savor all aspects of living. We are ready to engage with our work, knowing that there will be time to refuel. Know that your inner being thrives on the moments you craft for yourself.
Put a you day on the calendar. Plan the day as you would a special event. Consider doing things you love. Have you been waiting to plant a garden? Is there a book that is sitting on your desk, ready to be read? Is there a Himalayan salt block on your stovetop calling for you to cook a meal? Are you longing for a spring hike? Time used in these ways is rich in spiritual nutrients. Essential to the pursuit of wellness and well-being, these are the moments that can uncover answers to our deepest questions and our next life steps. We find ourselves in companionship with our hearts, minds and spirits, unwrapping lasting gifts, including the promise of time.
All guidance is educational and not given as medical advice or treatment., nor is it meant to take the place of qualified medical professionals. Please check with your physician for all medical concerns.
Jane Guttman is a bio-energetic practitioner, workshop presenter, educator, retired holistic chiropractor, Life-Wellness doula, and practices focused hearing. Her practice includes Soul Sound, energetic tapping, writing for wellness, memory release, pet hospice care, and crystal well-being. Her process invites deep reflection, self-love, and well-being; her healing work invites the presence of inner peace, an essential energy to sustain wellness and wholeness. Her work with focused hearing and intuitive guidance have helped many to redirect their lives. Jane’s process has evolved over thirty years of study/practice with the late Dr. M.T. Morter, D.C. and the late Dr. Lucille Edwards, an eminent and recognized metaphysical healer, clairvoyant and energy healer. Jane is committed to assisting people and pets of all ages in attaining wellness goals.
Educational and Related Services: (Non-medical) Crystal Well Being – EFT Tapping – Emotive Memory Release – Energetic Balancing – Intuitive Guidance/Focused Hearing – Pet Well-Being – Sound Healing – Wellness Doula – Writing for Wellness.
Contact Info: Drjane4wellness@gmail.com (909)436-9500