juju

CatsPajamas brought up a very interesting topic. Relaxing. How do you all do it? Let’s have a thread about what we enjoy, and what we do to relax.

For me, it’s reading. A new one is Friday afternoons with the kids and my girlfriend at my brother’s pool sun worshiping and swimming. Don’t know what I’ll do once summer’s over, though!

Lilyflower

I like to read to, but for me the best way to relax is to meditate. The process of clearing out my mind, and contemplating virtuous minds such as love, patience, compassion etc, make me feel as light as a feather! I always rise from meditating with a smile on my face!

Lily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Barbara52

I have several favorite ways to relax. Creating counted cross stitch pictures. I read a lot (and spend way too much every time I go to a book store). Listening to music, especially since I just bought myself a new sound system. Praying and meditating.

Rella927

I love sitting in a nice bubble bath with candles and a good book!

I relax by scrap booking all my pictures into albums-, journaling, going
On a bike ride or walk-sitting on the beach. I relax by sitting outside in the
Grass with my 17 ½ year old Lhasa Apso and just watching and loving her, while
Soaking in the sounds of nature all around us.

Enjoying a nice ride in my jeep with the radio turned up has also given me peace of
Mind! However with the gas prices these days *sigh* not doing that as much!

CatsPajamas

I sit quietly and one of my cats jumps up on my lap. The cat settles in and purrs... and I just sit and gently stroke and pet my cat. I've made that my time to relax... and I have 2 cats so they each get their time. I also have 2 grand kits - my son brings his 2 cats over from time to time. On those days I get at least 4 opportunities for some quiet relaxation time!

Barbara52

One of my 4 cats is very good at recognizing when I need to just stop and relax. Ali is very persistent in insisting on my sitting down with him when he sees I need to calm myself. He will yell at me and push at me until I sit and give him some loving which always calms me down.

fff

skateboarding

like my therapist said, you can't worry about anything when you're doing it because you're too busy concentrating on not cracking your skull =)

Tally

I love drawing and spend alot of my "relaxing" time on Photoshop, other than that I like to read autobiographies or easy read "chick lit", I'm teaching my 11 yr old to play chess, actually she's kinda better than me already so I just get beat at chess now, but it's fun, lol.
Big fan of movies, the bf and I watch one most nights and I love sleeping, lol...

gns

Yoga. Gathering with friends. Sitting outside with a good book or travel magazines or eating outside.

I read somewhere relaxation is a change of activity not necessarily being inactive. Doing something physical or sensual relaxes me.

P.S. Great thread. It is helpful and empowering

lizw

I watch films/movies, read, walk my dog and listen to music. Not all at the same time though.

:bounce

I like movies that are funny in a ******** type of way i.e dumb and dumber.
And I like to read other peoples memiors (if that is how you spell it). Augesteen Burroughs has written a couple I liked.

Time2Surrender

To relax, I like to get out in the woods. YouTube - Hill climbing at Trask

thiswebs4u

Camping and Jeeping in the Summer and Skiing in the Winter.

steve11694

Relatively speaking, compared with living with an alcoholic, I would think tow in surfing at Jaws (Maui) in 30 foot waves can be very relaxing.

[img=http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9083/jaws18bf5.th.jpg]

bookwyrm

Too true!

sadandhopeless

My relaxing time is logging on to this site and just reading and learning as much as I can. I am not yet sure how to relax. I am learning though. Today I am going to my parents house to visit with my dad and seeing how he is doing and I absolutely love spending time with my 6 year old neice and 2 year old nephew they could put a smile on anyones face and let them forget there troubles. When they are around the world is a great place for me to be.

tryingtofly

Right now I've been spending a lot of time in the garden, just pulling weeds and re-arranging my beds. I also love to spend time training my dog, Devo. His classes just ended so now it's up to me to keep up with it until September.
When we can't be outside I enjoy reading, cross-stich, jewellery making, sewing and cooking.