There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” ~Ecclesiastic, 3:1

I walked ten days on the Camino before taking a day off to rest. Interestingly enough, my husband’s bike tour across America also scheduled breaks every ten days. I’m not sure if there is some magic formula for deciding when to allow time for recovery but I was astounded by the impact it had on my body. Running coaches preach the importance of taking rest days to improve performance, but to the racer, idle time can feel like wasted time – a theme that runs deep in my unconscious programming from the Midwest where hard work is a core value. The reality is that too much activity without an occasional pause is counter-productive.

My rest day occurred in Santiago, the final destination for most pilgrims but I chose to walk to Finisterre; the traditional end of the pilgrimage where the land actually ends and the sea begins. Typically, the walk from Santiago to Finisterre takes three days but I took a shorter route starting from Muxia. The twenty-plus miles between the two cities was one of my longer days but my body felt surprisingly strong and full of energy having had a day off. The cumulative fatigue seemed to have dissipated as I moved along at a steady clip. I felt at home walking, as if I could go for miles and miles. Some internal rhythm clicked into place, my body finally adjusted to long days of walking. Taking a pause, a break from my trekking, did wonders for my body so logic would suggest that doing the same for my mind, spirit, and emotions would also be a good idea. This was not a new awareness, just one I tend to ignore.

Taking time for retreat, play, or rest can seem impossible to squeeze into a busy schedule or in my case, to do without a tinge of guilt. Yet I know when I don’t allow time to pause and regroup or recharge I become irritable and resentful. There is a time for work and productivity but it’s amazing what a small dose of rest can do for my attitude. It’s during these down times that my creativity and inspiration have space to re-emerge, giving me renewed vigor for my work, even if that work is as simple as cleaning the house or doing the laundry. Longer breaks allow me to hear my heart speak, my faithful compass that guides me to my best options. The danger of too much activity is it drowns out this inner wisdom and I lose touch with myself. I end up doing my life, checking off my list, instead of deeply inhabiting my life. Resting allows me to be realigned with what makes me come alive, the things that are meaningful and deeply satisfying.

Questions: What would it be like to waste some time today and rest?  Where is the most restful place in your home?