The in-betweens

Powerful Pauses

A thread floats down to Earth and lands in front of me and becomes a path. 

I take a step and a path opens wider. Another step and more of the path unveils.

It seems a bit magical to be honest.

I’m following along, not leading, nor directing. Definitely not controlling. 

At this point I’m not even fully aware that it’s a path.

Resting in the in-betweens of day to day activity …  powerful pauses reveal not only the path unfolding before me but the next part of this path to follow.

There’s much heart in this. It’s hard to describe.  In the pauses I feel a lot of gratitude. 

What I see in front of me on the path created from love.

I’m following one step at a time. 

Mindfully observing, breathing, feeling. 

I don’t  see a whole tapestry being created until later and I reflect on what has come to pass. 

The beauty of trusting in what you love and following the threads of the path being weaved as you go.

Consciously creating the space to pause in

The powerful pause in-between activities and doings is what led me to ‘see’ this path unfolding before me. 

The pause in-between the doing is essential, especially in our modern way of living. We can too easily give over to the whims of an overactive mind that jumps ahead to the next, next, next ….  rather than taking a powerful pause in-between the doings.  

I first noticed how powerful the in-between pause is when I started yoga practice many years ago. It was hatha yoga and the way it was taught we rested after each posture or asana in the resting pose, called savasana, for a period of time before moving on to the next posture. 

It was during these short in-between restful pauses that my body would let go, feel, breathe, and sometimes simply feel a deep peace. 

This style of hatha yoga practice with the pauses between poses has stayed with me throughout my life even as my practice and teaching changed over the years.  The pause was something so essential, even in Yin Yoga which is pretty much stillness in each pose. I found that even coming out of a yin pose to rest and pause before the next is to be immersed in the essence of yoga. A return to stillness in body/mind. 

A space for the whispers of the soul to be heard.

I’ve noticed how these in-between powerful pauses have brought me into a more mindful way of living, of slowing down, especially a busy mind. The pause lets one observe, rather than be constantly in the activity of thinking. 

There is presence when simply observing and not thinking. 

Thinking, the body feels contracted.

Observing, the body feels spacious.

Tea Ceremony

The ancient tea ceremony is one way to slow down, notice more and think less. 

The ritual of ceremonial tea drinking brings in this quality of powerful pause, mindfulness and observation. It’s a harmonious balance of being and doing.

The tea ceremony modern revival seems so fitting at a time when scrolling is addictive looking at a tiny screen and the pace of day to day living seems to leave little or no room for one to take conscious powerful pauses in life. 

This is one thread that landed on Earth in front of me and created a path of discovery and wonder.

Creative Play

Ever notice the balance of space and activity within a painting?

Or the restfulness one feels looking at or holding a piece of pottery? 

There is something so primal and essential about creative expression.

Creativity is a right brain activity.  It rebalances overactive left analytical brain activity like thinking.

Creative is who we are.

Every human is born out of a creative universal source of energy and we are here to express our uniqueness in a way that no one else can.

It doesn’t mean we need to identify as being an “artist”, but to understand on a very deep level that we are all creative beings. 

We have to willingly take the powerful in-between pauses in life to ‘see’ the threads, to follow the next step, to trust one’s path is divinely orchestrated and we are here to help it unfold. 

Love is what pulses through our creative spirit. A free unconditioned universal love.

The in-between powerful pause is when we hear the quiet whisper of our souls and notice the threads that fall to Earth in front of us, placed there for us to see a path that beckons to be followed.

with Love & Gratitude,