Practice the Pause-July 12, 2024

Today’s Readings:

AM Psalm 16, 17; PM Psalm 22 

Deut. 31:7-13,24-32:4; Rom 10:1-13; Matt. 24:15-31

Today’s Reflection:

This past Tuesday night, a group gathered to reflect upon Esther de Waal’s book To Pause at the Threshold: Reflections on Living on the Border. In the entry to the space where we gathered, there were clear demarcations between the hallway and the room, most notably, a seam of carpet and a doorway. As people where about to cross the threshold, I greeted them with an invitation to physically pause before entering the room. “Perhaps you have something you would like to leave behind. Perhaps you want to set an intention for your time in this room. Or, you may simply pause.”

Many of the participants smiled, knowing I was connecting the material in the book with our physical setting. The countenance of some visibly changed as they paused. A deep breath, a slowing down from the pressures of getting to class on time; a rare pause in their day. Others barely paused, anxious to enter and greet their friends. No wrong way or right way to do it, just different approaches.

We live in a culture and a time where busyness is the set point. I have frequently found myself falling into this pattern. Some of us love a rich, full schedule. Some of us are in a chapter of life where work, caregiving, and other obligations require much of our time.

de Waal writes, “By rushing, whether through a sense of duty or obligation, or to save a few extra moments for the task at hand, (we) may gain someone in terms of daily work. What is lost however, is the attention, the awareness of the crossing over into the time and the place for the opus Dei, the work of God.” (2-3)

I commend to you a breathing practice that any of us can incorporate into our daily routine as a means of physically pausing. Perhaps it will enhance awareness of the wondrous work of God around us. This description is from the Calm app and it is called 3-3-3- breathing

“The 3-3-3 breathing is a simple technique that you can use to calm down quickly. Breathe in deeply for three seconds, hold your breath for another three seconds, and then gently exhale for three seconds. This pattern helps you focus on your breathing and slows down your heart rate, making you feel more relaxed. It's a great tool to use when you're feeling anxious or stressed and need a quick way to regain your calm.”

I would add, may we remember that every breath we take is the breath of God.

Grace and Peace,

Mary Bea+

Question for Self-Reflection:

How do you incorporate pausing in your day? What would it be like if you stopped at the entry to your home and said a little prayer of acknowledgment of what you have left behind an intention for where you are entering in?