The Body Responding to Peace

"I’ve shifted from mind-driven Buddhist meditation to 60-90 minutes of sitting in awareness. Peace and stillness are moving from the cushion into daily life. But recently, about half an hour in, I get this great welling up of deep relief and joy. I let it wash up and come back to being – but then I’m exhausted and just want to sleep. Is this part of the process, or is it the mind trying to shut things down? Rupert says: ‘I think it’s the former. Sitting for 30 or 40 minutes is plenty long enough – you shouldn’t impose longer on yourself. What you described is that you rest peacefully in being, and then there’s a spontaneous release. That’s the body responding. Deep tension held in the body is responding to this peace, letting go. That comes with relaxation and joy. And then, as an extension of that, the body’s next response is just to want to curl up and sleep. I would just go with it. Sleep is sometimes a way we avoid – but nothing you’ve said suggests this is an egoic strategy to avoid the emptiness of your true nature. It’s a natural response of your body after its initial release.’"

From event 27 February - 01 March, 2026 The Nature of Consciousness – Online Weekend Retreat at Home 27 February–1 March 2026

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