Nap Time

The theme for today is Nap Time.

We all know how refreshed we feel after a good sleep
and perhaps, dream.

Sleep:  nature's meditation
A skill possessed by, at least, all mammals,
bringing curative and essential benefits
we'd study and pay for
if it didn't come naturally.

Taken for granted,
disrespected by culture, science, and religion,
pressed into service
as a metaphor for ignorance
and an unproductive way to "spend" time
and in prosperous countries, at least
an activity often done, unnaturally, alone.

No wonder, perhaps
that most adults live with sleep deficit

...while the value of sleep
is slowly regaining recognition
in both scientific and spiritual frameworks.
Can cultural support be far behind?

Sleep: a time for healing and regeneration,
a state of deep consciousness
and foundation for knowing,
a time of active learning
that organizes memory into knowledge and wisdom,
hosts dreams and creative daytime abilities,
freshens the mind for novel engagement
with reality,
with vital living.

And who said,
sleep should happen only at night?
This is a cultural convention
not a natural formula.

Every night - and day - can be a little experiment
in which you can discover this for yourself
see how one day is better after good sleep
or even better qualities arise
from a habit or consistent practice.

If corporations instituted collective daily sleep breaks
there's good reason to expect
a boom in the economy.

And if we institute this in our personal lives
there's every reason to expect
profound results
and perhaps equally significantly
it's relaxing and pleasurable experience.

Let's hear it for Nap Time.