We’re committed to wellness: the wellness of our company, our customers, our team members, and the earth. That’s why every month we share wellness stories and tips with all you trailblazers. Wellness is such an all-encompassing term; it can include energizing exercise, and quiet meditation. Right now--amid a busy summer--we’re focusing on rest. Specifically we wanted to learn more about resting our minds and our bodies.
So, we found an expert, and a friend. Kimberly Revereza founded Flourish, a meditation studio, in Nashville Tennessee. She teaches “contemplative, creative, and uplifting” classes. The studio was founded on the belief that meditation is the “other half” of our life. Kimberly and the teachers at Flourish instruct members how to incorporate meditation into their life, or how to do it at all in the first place (they believe meditation is for everyone).
We knew that Kimberly would have some amazing things to share with us--and you-- about rest for the mind and body.
1. What is "resting" your mind? Why is it important?
I think the "what" is in the "why."
First, we are meant to rest. Sleep is not the only rest we need. (We are not meant to go go go all day long and then sleep and then go go go again.) Second, it is in these awake and restful moments that we are able to actually witness our own thoughts and process our own feelings which is vital to living a life that's true to ourselves.
Think of it this way: If your days are full of activity and sound, if you're constantly stimulated or just moving quickly from one step to the next, eventually months and then years go by. Life becomes a runaway train. How long into your life before you stop to think, "did I actually live the way I wanted to? Did I ever even know what that was?"
Contrarily, resting your mind is spending time with yourself. Spending time with yourself is knowing yourself. Knowing yourself is being able to make decisions that are in line with your truth. And making those intentional and aligned decisions will create a life that's joyful and full of purpose.
2. What are some ways to rest your mind?
For me, resting my mind happens when I give myself nothing else to do and nowhere else to be and therefore have the space to be fully present with myself. This might look like going for a long walk through the city, hiking in the woods, sitting alone at a café bar enjoying a glass of wine, taking a yoga or cycling class, or enjoying staying home gently tidying or reading a book.
The state of mind is more important than the activity itself. This state of mind happens only when I'm caring for myself well, when I'm physically rested, and when I'm protecting my boundaries.
I say no to all kinds of things now. The more of this space I have in my life, the more of it I want.
3. What is resting your body, truly? Why is it important?
Rest is also where recovery happens. For those of us who are passionate about fitness and wellness, it's easy to begin to forget the slow and restful side of our activities. We crave challenging our bodies. We are focused on growing stronger. But recovery is necessary in our muscles, in our fascia (connective tissues) and joints and bones, in our digestive systems, in our cells, and for our energy.
A healthy view of rest is one that values it in balance with activity. They work in tandem.
4. Ways to rest your body?
Resting your body can happen in many ways! One major way is limiting your physical activity. It isn't necessary to go 100% every workout or to work out every day. Sometimes walking is greater than running or taking the gentler version of a yoga pose is more beneficial. It might be keeping good posture and taking breaks often when sitting at your desk for many hours. It's staying hydrated and nourishing your body with nutrient-dense and colorful foods (and not depriving your body or focusing on scarcity). Rest is sleeping well at night. Essentially, it's providing your body with the lesser-dynamic side of whatever your body needs.
There's a part of every yoga class I teach where I invite the students to move however they want to move for about three minutes and I point out that the movement they most need might even be stillness, then I turn the music up and turn the lights off and give them about three minutes. I always hope that there's at least one student who stands still while the others jump around. In truth, sometimes we should be standing still even if the music is blaring around us.
5. What is Flourish?
Flourish is a meditation studio where we offer live events, virtual memberships, and teacher training. Behind all that, Flourish is the belief that we are meant to live fully as our truest selves. From our philosophy:
"When you’re anchored to yourself, when you know more and more deeply who you are and what you need (and what you don’t), every decision you make, every word you say, everything you do is impacted. That is when you flourish."
While that looks different on every person, the path of seeking it is one we can walk alongside each other. Therefore Flourish is also a community of inner-adventurers who support each other in our journeys.
6. How did Flourish start?
My first career was in the entertainment industry. I spent 17 years working with artists, fashion designers, and authors, first as a wardrobe stylist and then in image development and marketing. At one point my work took me to New York for two years where I really fell in love with fitness, specifically yoga, running, and cycling. Later I moved back to Nashville and decided to retire from entertainment to open a cycling studio. There I was able to flex my marketing and branding muscles but never really connected with the high-level energy of teaching the classes, plus was suffering in health because of a poor business partnership. I left there in 2018 and while I slowed down to grieve and regroup, I recognized that the common thread that drew me to cycling, running, and yoga was that they all have meditative aspects.
I also saw, finally, that I'd been worshiping work and productivity for as long as I could remember. Slowing down changed my life in many ways including healing the anxiety I'd struggled with for nearly two decades. I took my 200-hour meditation teacher training that fall as I began planning Flourish, and we launched in January of 2019. My hope was and still is that we can teach people to slow down and get to know themselves, and connect with all the seekers through our shared bravery.
7. Do you have a favorite Jenni Earle bandana mantra?
I picked up "Hold Fast" in San Antonio recently and it struck me as a fun and beautiful way to say "move slowly" or "just be." It goes everywhere with me now.
Thank you, Kimberly, for sharing your story and guiding us through ways to rest our minds and bodies.
Be brave
Be well
Elise