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Two weeks ago, I introduced the four dimensions of energy: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Each of those dimensions is deep and broad enough to study for a lifetime. Nevertheless, I will be making a quick trip into each dimension over the coming weeks, to take a snapshot of energy challenges and some practices that can help meet those challenges.
Physical energy seems simple enough. The body needs food, oxygen, activity, and rest. The right mix of those elements will produce the energy we need to live a productive and enjoyable life. Why, then, do many of us lament a lack of energy when assessing our well-being? Of the many issues we might discuss, one of the most challenging is lack of quality sleep.
Sleep can be fragile. We can't make sleep happen with good intentions, willpower, or sheer force. The harder we try, the further it retreats. Sleep entails letting go. It is common to wake after a few hours, without being able to fall back to sleep.
Our minds quickly turn toward issues of the day before or the day ahead. We fret about to-do lists. We replay or rehearse difficult conversations. We run through our mistakes or worry about upcoming challenges: over and over and over. Sometimes, but not often, we come up with the brilliant insight that fixes the problem we are working on. More often, we get out of bed exhausted from the effort with nothing else to show for it. To fall asleep after waking during the night, we must release our thoughts and allow space to fill the field of awareness.
Some useful techniques are drawn from the practice of meditation. Attend to breathing. Inhale1-2-3-4. Exhale 1-2-3-4. Envision a candle; lose yourself in the image. Remember a favorite place; imagine yourself there. Adopt a soothing word or phrase; repeat it slowly. Try white noise, such as a fan or a sound machine to draw the attention without exciting a flow of thought.
The ability to influence our own thoughts is a skill worth nurturing. That skill can turn a negative situation onto a positive path. It can allow us to manage physical pain and to work with emotional distress. It can also contribute to physical energy by opening the door to restful and restoring sleep.
Is sleep a challenge for you? What about the body's other basic needs? What one thing will you do this week to supply the fuel, oxygen, exertion, and recovery your body needs to keep on going, day after day?
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