In many circles, it’s called a sacred pause, those moments when we stop doing and practice being. Sacred because it connects us to the present moment, the place where inspiration and connection lives. In this moment, the Now, we can connect to the simple and profoundly nourishing beauty of nature. The dance of light and shadow, the sounds of raindrops and birdsong, the laughter of children playing.
For many people in recovery, being connected to ourselves, our community and our experience is a new phenomenon. It quite simply doesn’t occur to us to pause and move out of our thoughts and into what’s happening in and around us. The practice of pausing has profound effects on our nervous systems, and our connection to our inner wisdom is reinforced.
Connection
Living in addiction is about disconnection, and recovery is about connection with our spirituality, our inner wisdom, our bodies, and other people. If you’ve spent the entirety of your life in different levels of disconnection, your healing will be accelerated by this practice.
The simple daily practice of pausing is remarkably rewarding and easy to do. There are even some apps that will remind you to do it. My favourite is Insight Timer. The sacred pause reminds us to reconnect to the present moment and let go of striving, excessive thinking and leaning into the future. Pausing enables us to reenter the mystery and vitality only found here and now.
Create the Pause
The first step is to simply stop whatever you’re doing and begin focusing on your breath. As you anchor yourself in the present moment, begin noticing your physical surroundings. Let your eyes notice, without commentary, the objects around you, then shift your awareness to the sounds around you. Second, begin to tune into your physical being, again noticing, from a place of the witness, do you feel anxious or restless as you disengage from thought and activities? Are you tired? Would a glass of water be good?
Pausing as routine
You can create a routine around the sacred pause, practicing it at the beginning and end of your activities, or let it be spontaneous. I do it when I feel overwhelmed, tired or caught up in excessive thinking. Refresh yourself with this simple practice that brings vitality and builds connections that have been fractured through addiction.
By Piper Deggan