A Restful Inquiry
For the nights we cannot sleep.
Playing With The Art of Rest In The Natural World
As I’m heading into The Colorado River in Grand Canyon to help co-facilitate an amazing trip with The Freeflow Institute, I’m reflecting on all of the ways I protect my rest, stress, and sleep while I’m working in a backcountry setting. I’ve been realizing that, when I cannot sleep outside—I’m almost never distressed by this fact. I am able to stay present. To commune with the stars. To reflect, quietly on my life.
I often leave these backcountry settings with a renewed sense of clarity about what serves the vitality of my life, versus what is pulling me away from it.
The Practice of Inquiry
Often times, when we are in a state of curiosity for the sake of curiosity (as opposed to actively trying to solve a problem)—we are naturally regulating our own nervous systems. Curiosity allows our bodies to naturally engage in a state of imagination, play, and connection.
When I work with clients 1:1 around sleep health, we work with sleep as a vital sign. Instead of asking the question “Why Can’t I Sleep?” I often encourage folks to ask a different question:
What is my sleep (or lack-thereof) trying to tell me?
When I am guiding in a wilderness vigil setting, there is a common practice for people to go out on the land and fast in the wilderness for four days and four nights drinking only water. As they in the middle of this experience, it should come as no surprise that they experience a deep sense of physical, physiological hunger. While they are fasting on purpose, this ends up bringing up a big sensation for them, which might sound something like this:
“I am hungry”
Even though they are literally hungry, when we are guiding these types of experiences, we often ask people to engage in a state of inquiry with this hunger. We seed a different question that has a more global opportunity for curiosity, creativity, and expansion in their lives. We often ask people to hold the question:
“What am I hungry for?”
Sure. Sometimes they come up with literal food items. This is normal. I always dream about fried chicken when I’m on my own wilderness fasting experiences. It’s also usually the first meal I eat when I return, haha.
But often, people also find an answer to other questions in their lives, too.
This month, I’m taking this same practice of inquiry into those nights where no matter what we do, we cannot seem to sleep. We might not be choosing this lack of sleep in the same way someone is willingly consenting to a wilderness fast, but I feel curious about playing with this framework all the same.
What Am I Tired Of?
Sleep is deeply paradoxical in nature. Our brains are more active at night when we are sleeping than when we are in our waking lives. Our bodies shut off to the world, but internally we are more socially and emotionally engaged than when we are awake. We might participate in new activities in the waking world, but the night when we are sleeping is where we actually learn and encode what those experiences mean and how we can meaningfully use them in the future.
Paradoxically, when we cannot sleep, the thoughts that keep us awake are the thoughts that often feel like they have no solution. They are often ruminations. In other words, they are the things in our life that we are tired of.
Sometimes, even in the healthiest of adult sleepers, we simply just have a night where we are not able to sleep. This is normal, as healthy sleep should not be fixed. It should be flexible and respond to our environment and waking world.
My gentle restful invitation for you this month, whether it’s just one night of fitful sleep, or you’ve been in a slew of insomniac nights is to engage in a midnight inquiry practice.
Perhaps if you find yourself awake this month and percieve you won’t be able to fall back asleep:
First ask yourself, what’s the kindest thing I can do for my body?
Cozy yourself up. Create a container of rest. Keep the vibes as easeful as possible.
Set yourself up for some gentle, curious, inquiry
We’re not trying to arrive at a solution. We are simply trying to be creative. We are engaging with the part of our nervous system that is playful and curious and kind.
Perhaps grab a journal, or do a very low-energy art practice to make the inquiry more tangible
Again, prioritizing ease and rest as the major components
Sit with the inquiry:
“Ah….I can’t sleep…..How interesting. I wonder what I am tired of.”
And without forcing anything to come up, just notice where your mind, art, or journaling begin to wander towards.
I’d love to catch your inquiries upon my return.
As per usual, I am so passionate about hearing how we each, individually pursue The Art of Rest. If you’re interested in sharing your midnight inquiries with me while I’m away, please feel free to do so. I’d love to hear what’s moving through your world when I return. I’d love to hear what you’re tired of. I’ll be thinking about it, too.
Lovingly, mindfully, wildly,
Dagny Rose
This sub-section of The Art of Rest, is all about—you guessed it—The Rest.
As a trained sleep scientist and mindfulness teacher & researcher, here we explore the everything related to rest. Whether we are unpacking the newest evidence-based sleep health tips, exploring day-to-day tools for bolstering and protecting rest, or diving into a world of dreams, “The Rest” is going to regularly touch into what a restful life is, and how to move towards one5
Looking For A Personalized Way to Optimize Your Rest?
I am wrapping up my springtime guidance-work for the season! I offer individualized 1:1 guidance for those who want to use rest as a way to expand their creativity, folks who just need a tune up, all the way towards people who might be dealing with chronic rest related issues. Shoot me an email at dagnyrose@theartofrest.me to inquire about getting started. My final spring booking spots for spring are April 28 - June 10 and they are filling up fast. Keep an eye out for summer booking slots when I’m back around.