The Power of the Pause
As I type these first words…., I feel huge inner resistance to sharing, expressing, or giving anything of myself right now. Lately I have found myself drawing more inward and honestly, I noticed I have isolated myself from friends. I feel fragile and a little “dark” this morning. I hold a heavy heart as I watch my amazing and loving aging parents struggle to live life, day to day as their bodies and minds begin to fade.
My parents live over 300 miles away in West Texas that can take up to 5 hours to get there. That rests heavy on my heart and mind as I struggle with how I can best respond to their needs.
"My Power is in my Pause: Turning the darkness into light through awareness"
Juggling My Thoughts
My father has taken several falls this past year. Up until then he was still driving at 89 years old and able to help care for my 86-year-old mother who has movement challenges. Going through this with my parents has awakened me to the journey many have already been through with their own parents. I juggle between helping my aging parents, dealing with the looming loss, and wondering what the future holds for them, myself, and others.
My mind goes back and forth between the past and the future, thinking about what great lives my parents provided for my brother, and yet concern about what lies ahead for them. Sometimes I’m sad, and sometimes I’m happy. One thing is clear, things change around us and outside of us, but also within us.
My Power is in my Pause: Turning the darkness into light through awareness
When I begin to spin between past and future, feeling strong emotions arising, this is my sign….to just Pause. I know that I can control what is within me right now, not anything outside of me or the past or the future.
During the 2020 lock down, I found myself spending more time in nature, more time inward. I realized then that while I could not do anything about the outer world and all that was occurring, I did have a choice regarding my inner world.
When we pause, we create open space in our mind to consider possibilities and the power to choose something new. The pause allows me to recognize a challenging situation, the feeling that it evokes, and use that space to explore options so I can then make a clear and conscious decision about how I want to proceed.
Whatever you are going through in life right now, if you learn how to practice the pause you will be able to find ease and peace in any moment.
How to Practice the Pause
Listen: Become mindful or present in the moment, observing what is occurring within. Ask yourself, what has been “triggered “in me? For myself, I get tight in my throat and my heart rate increases. I acknowledge that my body is wise, so when I choose to “listen” to the physical sensations, and notice my emotional state, that’s when I can then choose.
Hit the Pause button: Stop, take a deep breath, two or three, and compose your thoughts. Listen and observe the situation and your own thoughts.
Respond vs React: Consider your normal, habitual way of reacting, and ask yourself “what would happen if I chose to respond differently?”
Choose your response: Your “Light vs Dark” response. Respond in a way that supports you and how you want to support those around you.
Once I have noticed and acknowledge these feelings of inner resistance, I can allow myself to accept what is, pause and move myself back into the direction of what I need and desire. To Pause in the midst of our fast paced, busy life, we must all learn to slow down, and find the Light that is always there to guide us.
The Purpose of the Pause is to Create Space
As a yoga and mindfulness teacher for past 19 years, my passion and heart’s desire is to shine the light of awareness on our potential and power to change ourselves individually, which will then lead to the ripple effect of great change in our world. Teaching mindfulness and yoga as a mind-body practice to access our full potential, sharing love, truth, and universal laws, sparks me to want to connect and share.
Through my years of studying and teaching, I have learned to honor myself more, to listen to my feelings, and sort out any fears or doubts. After meditation in the morning, I am good for the day. My ability to pause throughout the day enables me to ride the waves of change that we each face every day.
If you want to learn to pause, go with the flow and make it so for yourself and those you care for, join me for our 4- evening virtual retreat, Awaken the Light Within You, starting this Monday, January 17th, from 7- 8:30pm CST. I would love to guide you to discover the power within you, through the power of the pause. It's also a great way to step out of isolation, and connect with others. We are never alone.
A side note...My father’s 90th birthday is this Saturday!! What a blessing his whole life has been to the world and our family. We will celebrate him and love him as much as we can! And I will pause to soak it all in – in the moment.
Also, begin your journey to Awaken the Light Within You, with our gift to you - an audio meditation recording guided by Live Free Yoga's Co-founder and meditation master, Tida Chambers, taken straight from our virtual yoga/meditation retreat in October. Get a taste of the power of what you'll experience. Just click the link below to download.
Tida Chambers is the Co-Founder of Live Free Yoga and the co-creator and guide of Lighter Being. With over 27 years as a successful entrepreneur Tida brings her passion, persistence, love for learning, and deep desire to empower and uplift youth and those who serve them. As a yoga teacher for over 19 years, Tida has come to know that in order to move beyond surviving to thriving in our ever changing world, we must ALL build self- awareness, self-discipline, mental focus and balance.
