Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Tested And Proven................


"Try pausing right before or after undertaking a new action, even something as simple like putting a key in a lock to open a door. Such pauses take a brief moment, yet they have the effect of decompressing time & centering you."  ~ Br. Steindl-Rast

Read the above quote in my email last week and decided to give it a try. The "yeah right?" side of my brain was a tad skeptical, but I figured "what do I have to lose?" Well, probably an hour all toll at the end of the day if I was stopping with each new action...but I gave it a try just the same.

The results, for me, were actually positive. I did in fact make the conscious effort to take a breath before a new action. Hand on the dial of the washing machine...pause...close my eyes...take a breath...and then a thought of peacefulness. The gentle pause felt calming & I found that they accumulated over the day. I could feel the tightness in my neck and shoulders slowly easing.

Give it a try and feel the benefits of breaking the racing feeling that can so easily happen, as we dash from one thing to the next.

It then occurred to me that the key in the lock example is actually pretty symbolic, because a door has been opened by consciously pausing & decompressing time. It can take us to new places. Where will it take you?

2 comments:

Lori said...

Maria, we are so in tune with each other. Just TODAY, this very morning, before I faced the mounting responsibilites that lay before me, I PAUSED to take time for myself in the garden. I took time to absorb the beauty of the water spraying over the foliage and flowers, I took in all of the beauty of nature and felt the peace fill me. I thought about writing about it, and look what you did.... You wrote about it! Love this about us!

Maria Holme said...

Lori - Taking a breath can certainly make a difference....I love this about us too.