Napping as a Spiritual Practice

This is one of those weeks. We feel too tired to continue pushing.

It has already been a long week full of challenges and conflicts to resolve. Long hours of listening and talking, working on the computer, searching for solutions. Too many late nights and early mornings, and stirring in a serious dose of frustration and fatigue.

Some of us like to assume spiritual life is about getting things done and taking meaningful steps forward. If we are perseverant and continue being patient we can serve spiritual life. We like to think we can do justice, make progress, and help the world become a better place.

I believe in the significance of working hard to help people and make the world healthier. Sometimes, though, there are days, or weeks, when it is too much work.

Some days we need to cultivate napping as a spiritual practice.

There is nothing spiritual about running ourselves ragged or working past the point of exhaustion. Spiritual life is often about recognizing when we need to get some rest and practice napping.

Some people see themselves as spiritual superheroes who stand against the forces of evil with their super powers. They seem to believe they can hold firm in the face of overwhelming opposition. Many of them see themselves as upholding good and truth in the face of evil.

I am not sure spiritual life is always so dualistic, so either/or.

Appreciating our own need for rest and reflection is often more important than battling between good and evil.

For me, spiritual life is about learning not everything depends on me, all does not rest on my shoulders. There are times when the most significant spiritual life is found when we practice napping.

When was the last time we took a good nap?

The Spiritual Significance of Napping

I believe napping is a contemplative practice like silent prayer and sacred reading.

Some of my naps begin with an attempt to do some reading or listen to sacred stillness. When my more contemplative practices slip over the edge into taking naps it tells me I need rest. My body, my mind, and my soul work together to ensure I get the quiet and the rest I need.

I remember when I was younger and needing to take a nap was something to be struggled against. Taking naps was a sign we were not grown up, and we wanted to be grown up more than anything else.

Now I understand my reluctance to take a nap was simply my ego fighting for dominance of my personality.

Napping is another way to practice contemplative reflection, to allow spiritual life free reign.

I do not tend to remember what I dream, but I know other people who do. For them, taking naps is another way to allow them to hear what their dreams have to say to them.

Some of us seem to believe spiritual life is about repeating particular rituals or special words. They put a lot of trust into religious practices to strengthen spiritual life.

As my own spirituality has become more contemplative, more about being, I have come to appreciate the value of doing less. Many of the actions and behaviors I have depended on in the past have become less strict.

I have come to see spiritual life does not rely on particular actions, but the actions rely on spiritual life.

Sitting still, breathing deeply, helps us be open to the presence and action of spiritual life within us and in the world around us. It also prepares us for taking naps.

Napping in Times of Overwhelming Conflict

We live in an extremely polarized world. Everywhere we turn people are arguing and fighting.

The contention and conflict all around us and within us are exhausting. Some of us choose to throw ourselves into trying to resolve, or even win, all these disagreements. Others of us become so exhausted we have no choice but to practice taking naps.

Napping in these situations is not running away from our challenges or sticking our heads in the sand. Spiritual life is not about avoiding the serious implications of these conflicts. There are times, though, when we need to gather our strength and give ourselves an opportunity to reflect.

In my experience taking naps is not about ignoring things and hoping they will go away. Spiritual life can communicate with us in ways which are beyond our usual, rational thinking. We need to give ourselves time to listen to the wisdom in the stillness. Taking naps is one way for us to do that.

Conflict also makes us tired. Taking naps helps us restore our strength ands awareness. We give ourselves the gift of rest.

A Regular Practice of Napping

I encourage you to begin a spiritual practice of napping.

Spiritual life is not about doing more or even doing the right things. We have worked ourselves to the point of exhaustion in a time of increasing conflict and strife. It is obvious we are not working our way past disagreements because there always seems to be more. If anything, working harder and longer appears to make things worse.

Could it be we are so divided and so angry because we are so tired? I understand the people with whom we disagree are being completely unreasonable, but we need some rest.

I think our political lives, our physical lives, our professional lives would be better if we practiced taking naps.

Spiritual practices help us become open to what spiritual life is offering us. If we took time regularly to stop, take deep breaths, and nap, we would experience our lives in new ways.

A spiritual practice of taking naps helps us get past our analytical thinking and allows us to reflect.

When could we begin napping as a spiritual practice today?

What would we need to do to establish napping as a regular practice this week?

Where would be your favorite place to practice napping?

[Image by demandaj]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual director in Southern California. He is a recovering assistant district attorney and associate university professor and is a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is http://StrategicMonk.com and his email address is StrategicMonk@gmail.com.