Pause
Contemplative Exercises to Reset and Ground Yourself in the Present Moment
We are here to pause. A pause can reset our day, it can bring perspective and peace. Pausing allows our bodies to catch up and alert us to what we are thinking, feeling and experiencing. A pause may last 30 seconds or 30 minutes. The ability to pause is a practice that we can intentionally work on. Stopping for a moment does not slow you down, but is rather the fuel you need to move forward with purpose and clarity.
Below are a few resources to guide you as you pause this month.
Listen
Atlas:Space
See
Starry Night Over The Rhone, 1888 by Vincent Van Gogh
Write
What makes you feel small?
Move
Dance. Don’t overthink it, just get up and move how your body wants to.
Go for a walk.
Lectio
All This Time, Joy.
In all this dark,
did you think
joy had forgotten you,
merely slipped its mind
while it absconded
to sit by some other fire?
When all this time,
joy has been
singing your name
to the stars
that have never ceased
to shine.
How The Stars Get In Your Bones
*Lectio Divinia is the practice of slow reading. This ancient practice is used to allow the mind to notice certain words or feelings as the text is read multiple times.
Basic Technique:
Be silent for a few moments to clear your thoughts. Slowly read the passage. Observe what stands out to you, journaling can be helpful. After a pause (1-2minutes), read the passage again. Continue this pattern 2-3 times.
Breath Prayer*
Inhale: I pause
Exhale: To find the light.
Inhale: I pause
Exhale: To look up.
*Breath prayers combine deep breathing with prayers of meditation to help calm your body while focusing your mind.
The deep breathing can help calm the physical symptoms of anxiety, while prayer helps to center our thoughts on the present moment.
Basic Technique:
Start by taking long deep breaths. Inhale, hold for 3 seconds. Exhale, hold for three seconds.
After your body is used to this rhythm, incorporate the given words on each inhale and exhale.
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