2006.8.17 – relaxation and nostalgia or how i learned to let things go

Nostalgia – the silent killer. It may not seem like something that could harm you, but beware, it is deadly. It will sneak up on you in the middle of the night and invade your dreams. Or, even worse, keep you from sleeping at all.

Over the past few years I have noticed a trend in my waking life. When I’m feeling particularly nostalgic for music, food, movies, or any old thing from my youth, it tends to keep me up nights. It strikes unexpectedly and won’t let up until something is done to make it dormant again, for a little while at least. Watching “Reality Bites” usually does the trick, but sometimes the case of nostalgia is so infectious that I need to go through boxes of old toys or pictures to qwell it.

This weekend should prove to be good medicine, as I will be cleaning out my parents basement. And when I say clean, I’m not speaking of actual “cleaning” per se, but going through rubbermaid totes of all the wonderful childhood keepsakes I still posses. Yes, I know, 31 years old and still storing toys at my parents house. Well, where else can I put them since my apartment is barely big enough for myself, the writer and our collective “stuff”.

So – after the big clean, as I have decided to refer to it, I will definitely need some relaxation. Exercise, coffee, sleep. Any of these will work. I have learned, over my few years on the planet, that one needs to let things go in order to feel whole. This is a popular Buddhist method that works well. Getting rid of material possessions cleanses your spirit. It breaks the chains that bind and allows you to focus on the future. Hopefully, the big clean will do just that.

Once the nostalgia has passed there are several great things that one can do to be more relaxed. If you are short on cash, don’t worry, you can participate as well.

Here are a few sites that will help you relax away your day to day stress and focus your positive energy on what is to come…

Make Something! Crafts are a great relaxation technique (if you are the crafty sort). Check out Inspire me Thursday for weekly challenges for your creative spirit!

Show off your craftiness! Once you have made something by hand, why not show it off at Supernaturale and their “show yr stuff” section.

Get some healthy grub! Check out an O’Naturals near you for some healthy and great tasting eats.

Get clean! Replace your nostalgia with some clean suds from Not Soap Radio.

Plant a tree! Eternitree is one of the best ideas on the internet. You can buy an affordable sapling as a gift or for yourself at a great price and it gets delivered directly to your door.

Get active! Check out United for Peace & Justice for events and demonstrations in your area.

Enjoy yourself whatever you do and be sure to get some relaxing in, nostalgic or not!

Peace – Hippiegrrl

If you enjoy this column please pass it on!

Leave a Reply

%d