How to relax

You don’t need to set aside special time for resting and relaxing. You don’t need a special pillow or any fancy equipment. You don’t need a whole hour. In fact, now is a very good time to relax.
Whenever animals in the forest are wounded, they rest. They look for a very quiet place and just stay there without moving for many days. They know it’s the best way for their body to heal. During this time they may not even eat or drink. The wisdom of stopping and healing is still alive in animals, but we human beings have lost the capacity to rest.
Your breathing is a stable, solid ground where you can take refuge. No matter what thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are going on inside you, your breath is always there, like a faithful friend. Whenever you’re carried away by thinking, overwhelmed by strong emotions, or feeling restless and dispersed, return to your breathing.
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
In. Out.
If we can’t rest, it’s because we haven’t stopped running. We began running a long time ago. We continue to run, even in our sleep. There are many elements of happiness available in this moment, more than enough for you to be happy.
Joy needs to be cultivated and practiced in order to grow.
Do we have enough lazy days in our calendar? A lazy day is a day for us to be without any scheduled activities.
Being in solitude can help us relax. Solitude doesn’t mean being by ourselves or away from civilization. Real solitude means we’re not carried away by the crowd, by sorrows about the past, by worries about the future, or by strong emotions in the present.
Let go of worrying.
Let go of stress.
Don’t waste your life.
Smile.