This year I am actively practicing the spiritual practice of pausing (which includes deep breathing and breath prayers) to help balance the tension. Pause before speaking. Pause before responding to emails and texts. Pause before offering help, opinions, suggestions, answers. Pause before I jump into the day and pause when I find myself depleted of energy and compassion.
Pausing allows me to find the peace I need to evolve inwardly. By pausing I get out of the way and allow myself to trust in the slow work of God.
I am savoring the words from Sarah Bessey, from her new book “Field Notes from the Wilderness: Practices for an Evolving Faith”. I read these words this morning:
“Look at you, in the midst of your uncertainty and unknowing, embarking on a journey you know will cost you so much, knowing you are saying farewell to the old versions of yourself, and offering this up to the world with hope and love, again and again, anyway. God, it’s beautiful.”
Nina spoke about one of the tools of pilgrimage being humility – the willingness to NOT know and the willingness to NOT stay in that spot! I believe Sarah’s words cheer us on as we humbly travel this road of uncertainty together!
3 comments
What a unique challenge to pause while on a pilgrimage. Too often I just want to make “progress”, turning the pilgrimage into a journey. Thanks for your cautionary words to “stay in the spot” until something is learned, or better yet, until rest is found.
As I read your response I noticed a slowing down within myself. Taking a moment to be aware of my breathing and noticing. Thank you for this invitation to pause and notice.
What a gift you have offered me this morning as I sat with your words and also noticed the deep stream of calm beneath the writing that invited me in… thank you!
Pause. This is such a good idea, I have been working on many new spiritual practices, but I don’t do this and I need to. Thank you so much.!!