An extract from Everyday Calming Rituals by Tania Ahsan, £9.99

Restorative Rest Ritual

I view this as the most important ritual of the week. You should make time for a proper rest, whether that’s napping post-lunch in front of the TV on a Sunday or having a wee lie-down in the middle of the day on Saturday. I am not keen on napping so my rest is having a couple of hours to myself enjoying a cup of tea and a good book. If I can get someone else to keep me supplied with those teas, so I don’t have to get up from my perch, all the better. It is a good way to round off the weekend and get rid of Sunday night blues.

PREPARATION

You will need:

• Blanket
• A place where you won’t be disturbed

INTENTION

I heal myself with rest and the gift of time.

RITUAL STEPS

1  Ask your family not to disturb you for an hour or so. If you have a room you can go to that is quiet and away from noise, such as a back bedroom, take yourself off to it.

2  Wrap yourself in the blanket.

3  Take three deep cleansing breaths in and out through your nose.

4  State your intention, either the one above or another that feels more geared to your aims specifically.

5  Lie or sit comfortably with your feet either stretched out in front of you or flat on the floor if you are sitting.

6  Take your attention to your body and do a scan of anywhere that feels tight or achy.

7  Stretch that part of your body if you can.

8  Close your eyes and keep gently breathing in and out through your nose.

9  Feel your body relaxing bit by bit. Snuggle down into the blanket if it feels more comfortable as your body temperature will drop when you are relaxing like this.

10  If you fall asleep, make it a power nap of half an hour or so. Any longer and you may feel groggy and interrupt your sleep pattern for later that night.

11  Once you’re done with your ritual of rest, make a soothing drink and some noise with your family.

BENEFIT

Intentional rest gets rid of the one thing that is the enemy of true calm – guilt! We often feel as though we should be doing something when we’re just resting. It feels lazy and unproductive to just sit there. If you ritualise the act of resting, it becomes a sort of “doing” and you give yourself permission to take yourself off for a considered rather than slapdash rest. Over time, as your guilt gets increasingly under control, you will find you don’t need to go to a special place to enjoy rest and will be able to do it more and more.