Intentional Resting

Resting Reminder – Resting into Celebration

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:57:26 +0000

I’ve noticed that it’s easy to focus my attention on something in the future and think… “when this ________ (fill in the blank) happens, then I’ll celebrate.

This can be good as it motivates me toward achieving, and yet it can be a trap.

If I wait to celebrate myself and my accomplishments until some point in the future, I miss out on things that I can celebrate in the moment.

I don’t know how many days I’ll have to celebrate. I can only know that in this moment I can choose to celebrate. Taking a moment and celebrating myself and others each day doesn’t distract from the times of greater celebration… it just adds to my ability to celebrate.

Celebration opens up space for receptivity and new possibilities. What little or big thing can you celebrate today? A task completed, a good idea, creating a fantastic meal? When you look, there are so many moments of life worth celebrating – for yourself and to share with others.

I’ve had a way of putting off celebrations and moving right to the next thing…and the next without pausing to celebrate along the way, so today I’m choosing to rest into celebrating the small steps so that I can move in the world with appreciation for what I’m doing and being…now.

Here’s what I’m resting for today… please join me if this resonates with you.

Just say these phrases in your mind or out loud, pausing for 15 to 30 seconds between them:

I’m resting for my old beliefs about celebration now…
.

I’m resting into celebrating myself now…
.

I’m resting into celebrating others around me today…
.

I’m resting into celebrating life today…
.

Much love,
Dan

Resting Reminder – Resting into Expansion

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:50:57 +0000

From Dan Howard
August 18th

Intentional Resting is in the September issue of O Magazine!

I’ve been bursting to share the news for weeks and it’s finally on the stands so I’m telling everybody!

Thanks to best-selling author, Martha Beck sharing how her experience with me and Intentional Resting “melted her like
butter,” millions of people will hear about this simple, powerful tool.

To quote Martha:

“…then I felt a visceral ka-chunk, as if a misaligned part of my body had slipped back into place. The more I practiced, the more quickly and deliciously the feeling recurred. The simple intention to rest, consistently applied, turns the valley of the shadow into sweet surrender. Honestly, it’s that simple.”

Simple yes. And easy to forget with decades of stress habits

and the rush of modern life, so here’s your…

Resting Reminder – Resting into Expansion

There seems to be a lot of expansion energy available right now. Most people I talk with are in a big transition, which is usually part of the expansion cycle.

I’m obviously in a huge phase of expansion both personally and with my business and it’s definitely stretching the edges of my comfort
zone.

My thought is that this would be a good time to Rest into personal expansion. Do you know what you’re expanding into? Do you know what might be in the way of your expansion?

One of the great things about Intentional Resting is that you don’t need to figure out how you’re expanding or what you’re expanding into…all you need to do is REST FOR your own personal cycles of growth.

So let’s get resting…

Say to yourself in your mind or out loud…(pausing for 15 to 30 seconds between phrases)

I’m resting into my own expansion now… and I’m wondering how easy it can be.
.

If something else is calling to be rested for, go ahead and rest for that now…because NOW is the only time you really can rest.
.

I’m resting for anything that might be in the way of my expansion now….
.
I’m resting into the perfect timing of my growth and expansion now…

Loving you,
Dan

Resting into Presence

admin — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:34:07 +0000

We’re hearing about the concept of Presence or “being in the now” more and more now days as the doorway to inner peace and stillness.

But HOW do you “get present?” How can anyone access this transformational, yet elusive state easily and consistently?

Over the years, I’ve noticed that the level I’m rested to, is the level I can be present with anyone or anything (ever tried to connect with someone or pay attention to something when you’re exhausted or rushed?)

In my experience, there is something that can assist in accessing presence anytime, and that is to simply notice the filters or “thought loops” that are running in your mind and Intentionally Rest for them.

We pretty much all have filters on our experience that are running all the time. For example, the thought that questions if you’re good enough might be a filter that affects everything you do, whether you’re aware of it or not. Another lens or filter might be… “I don’t want to look stupid.”

Sometimes they can be very subtle and easy to miss with layers and layers like “that doesn’t apply to me” or “I’m more evolved than that.” Believing that these thought loops are who we are can keep us from experiencing life in the moment…being present.

And how many of the filters or loops that are running are stressful? How many keep us moving through the world believing we “should be” this way or that way…looking for peace and happiness outside ourselves?
What if we could let these filters unwind as we move toward a more rested state of Be-ing? I believe we can and that it can be simple. You don’t even need to “figure out” or know what the filters are to start unwinding them.
You can simply REST for them.

Ready?

Start by saying these phases to yourself (pausing for 15 to 30 seconds between phrases)

I’m resting into all my filters now…
.
I’m resting for my attachments to my filters now…
.
I’m resting into anything that keeps me from being present now…
.

You might come up with a few more that you want to try out… just remember that what you’re looking/feeling for is the sensation of calming in your body.
We aren’t trying to fix anything, (that doesn’t work). You’re simply inviting yourself into your own beautiful presence.

Loving you,
Dan

New Video – Misconceptions of Rest

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:23:32 +0000

I’m a guest with Bernie Siegel and others…

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:00:14 +0000

I’ve been invited to participate in a free Telesummit on
ways to reduce & manage stress along with Bernie Siegel, Tom Nicoli
and 18 other presenters.

Registration is free and you can listen to any class at your convenience
the day of the call. I’m up on Saturday, July 24th.

20 Stress Reducing Classes from July 20-26,2010

Resting Reminder – Life is Hard and…whhaaat?

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:19:52 +0000

Life is hard and then you die.

Did you ever hear this phrase growing up?
I can remember hearing it when I was just a kid
… and whoever was saying it must have been
pretty convincing because I started believing it.

And it’s taking some time to unwind this not-so
-fun belief from my body/mind.

Sometimes I wonder, “what if it’s just a story, like
Jack and the Beanstalk, or Cinderella?”

Who came up with this story anyway?
I mean, I can see that it could have been
true for some folks, but does it have to be
true for me? Or you?

I can see where lots of people, consciously
or unconsciously apply this phrase to their life as
if it’s “just the way it is” (…but that’s another story).

Do YOU ever have the thought…
“life is hard and then you die?”

Even with the challenges that are part of life,
are you willing to consider another way of
experiencing?

What if life is meant to be the complete opposite?
Something radically different like “Life is sweet and
then you fly” or “Joy Happens” or “Life is bliss…
somethin’ you don’t want to miss.”

Or how about this quote from the Declaration of
Independence…

men (and women, my addition) are endowed by
their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness.

I believe this is what we’re all meant to be doing…
pursuing Happiness.

So let’s get after it right now!

If you’re willing to join me, let’s “Rest for” any stories
or beliefs about life being hard and replace them
with Happiness.

You can start by saying these phrases to yourself
either out loud or in your mind…

“I’m resting for my beliefs about life being hard…now”

(pause for about 20 seconds and let the belief start
to unwind before going to the next phrase)

“I’m resting into how easy and joyful life can be…now”

“I’m resting into my own personal Happiness…now”

and for happily ever after…just REST and REPEAT, hopefully
until we’re all laughing at that ridiculous old story. Ha!

Love to you,
Dan

Resting Reminder – A State of Rest

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:10:40 +0000

Today, July 4th, I’ve been thinking about the U.S. Holiday
of Independence Day and what keeps coming to me is
to rest for our politicians and for the affairs of State.

Politicians can have a huge impact on each of us and
during these times of economic and political uncertainty,
I thought it could be especially powerful to rest for our
politicians.

If you’ve been using the Intentional Resting Method,
you’ll recognize the space of possibility, inner stillness and
expanded resources that open when you choose to
rest, rather than engage in struggle.

We won’t be resting to fix anything here, simply resting for
the sake of resting (if you haven’t experienced resting for
another… I cover this in depth in the DVD workshop,
The REST of Your Life).

By the way, this isn’t just for those living in the United States,
but for all people who are led by a government.

A State of Rest…now

Let’s start by resting for ourselves….

Say to yourself out loud or in your mind…

“I’m resting for my whole body now…”
(wait for a few moments and let the energy
flow…take a few breaths)

Now say,
“I’m resting for all the politicians in my own
country now… ”

(wait for about 15 seconds before going on)

Now say,
“I’m resting for all the politicians and government
officials on the earth now…”

Take a couple of breaths deep into your belly…

Now take a moment and rest for something
political that you personally resonate with.

Could be local or global.

How do you feel now?

Please share your comments below.

Love to you,
Dan

Resting Reminder – Resting For the Sake of Resting

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:08:20 +0000

A few days ago, I did a bunch of yard work.

That night, I rested for my body (or thought I did). The next morning when
I woke up, I didn’t feel the relief that I’m used to getting when I use
Intentional Resting (and I’ve experienced year’s worth of amazing results).

I lay there wondering why it hadn’t “worked.” I hadn’t gotten relief.
“Hmmmm…. What’s going on??”

Then I realized that as I was going to bed I had used Intentional Resting
as a “fix-it tool” rather than a Resting tool. The night before, I thought to
myself, “I’ll rest so I won’t be sore in the morning” and proceeded to use
my willpower to try to make myself better… Ooopsy, doesn’t work like that.

So if you use Intentional Resting and it doesn’t “work”…

…look for this subtle, but critical difference. Sometimes we may
think that we’re Resting and at some level are still trying to use
willpower to “fix” or “get rid of” something.

Resting for the sake of Resting is the real skill to learn.

So in the morning, I Rested just for the sake of Rest and immediately felt
calm and present in my body… ahhh. And funny enough (still amazes
me and I’ve done this thousands of times), my whole body calmed
down and the soreness immediately started to subside.

Now that’s Resting!

Love to you,
Dan

Resting, the oil spill and you…

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:06:55 +0000

I’ve been thinking about the oil spewing from inside of our Earth into our Oceans. I’m sickened at this event as many of you may be too, but rather than focus on the upset or who to blame, what if we Rest for the situation instead?

Resting for events and other people may be a new idea to you, but I want to share it because I’ve experienced Rest as a powerful way to invite consciousness and open space for possibilities…plus you get to experience rest in relationship to situations that you wouldn’t normally think of as ‘restful.’

I teach in-depth about this in The REST of Your Life DVD. For now, maybe you could just see it as a form of unconditional prayer, try it and see how it feels.

So if you’re willing, here we go…

Begin by resting for yourself saying “I’m resting for my whole body now” and wait until you feel a shift in your body. This usually feels like a “dropping in.”

Now say the following sentences to yourself and allow 15 to 20 second pauses between each sentence.

“I’m resting into possible solutions to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico now…”

“I’m resting for the whole team working on a solution now…”

“I’m resting into Mother Earth finding her own solution now…”

“I’m resting now…for all the animals who are struggling and being affected by the oil spill.”

“I’m resting for the winds and the ocean currents and for the best available possibilities now…”

How do you feel now?
Thank you for being willing to rest into the calming energy that opens possibilities.

And if you’d like to share what you just experienced, click here to post a comment.

Love to you,
Dan

P.S. Here’s a message you may appreciate from the holder of the Sacred Pipe in the Lakota, Native American tradition.

A Great Urgency – Message from Chief Arvol Looking Horse

Resting Reminder – How Easy Can It Be?

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:03:25 +0000

How simple and easy can it be to experience rejuvenation and calm? Intentional Resting is such a simple process that some have asked if can be that easy. My experience is, yes, it is this simple!

Sometimes our minds can creep in and try to complicate this process of Rest. If it is simple, what would the mind do? The mind likes to work hard and figure stuff out, it likes to solve puzzles and often makes a lot of stuff up when it seems too simple.

Please love your mind for all it does for you and then choose to rest… simple, easeful… Rest.

Let’s take a moment and rest for the part of us that “thinks” it has to be hard. You can simply say to yourself… “I’m resting for my Mind now” and notice what you notice.

‘The sage rests, truly rests and is at ease.’
- Chuang Tzu