I need to recover a rhythm in my heart that moves my body first and my mind second, that allows my soul to catch up with me. I need to take a sacred pause, as if I were a sun-warmed rock in the center of rushing river. —Dawna Markova in Meditations on Nature, Meditations on Silence
One might say it’s the pause that refreshes.
Not easy to do, though, for the TO DO list is endless, the cell phone is ringing, there are weeds in the garden and empty bird feeders hanging on tree limbs, nobody’s dusted the living room for a week, one or more litter boxes await fresh litter…
Even when time is found for taking a break, the mind whirls on thinking of the TO DO list, the busy calendar for the rest of the week, the afternoon trip to the grocery store, the topic for a new post, a book review not yet done…
The more we need that sacred pause, the harder it is to get it. One must relax and silence the chattering mind, literally or figuratively as far away as possible from the exterior racket of phones and ticking clocks. If it’s been a while, the pause may seem less than a pause and prospectively not quite quiet enough to be sacred. Nonetheless, we connect to the light, and as we work at it and make it better, our pauses become longer and more fulfilling.
Our first attempt, though, needs to be today. Not tomorrow after the chores are done or next week after the report has been turned in.
I think I’ve solved that problem recently. My “pauses” are trips into the back country and they now come first. Other things get planned around them. Turns out more efficient for me.
Good idea, Montucky. It’s best to place top priorities at the top of the TO DO list!
Malcolm
ah, those TO DO lists. they always get in my way. I know one day too soon, though, my “demands” will have moved on and I’ll too much quiet time on my hands!
I do agree with you. I wish I had more quiet time every day. when the kids were younger, we made it a part of our day to have some time to ourselves in the afternoons. it was good for our sanity!
I must say I envy Montucky, but then again, it’s all about choices…
nice post.
Thanks for stopping by, silken. You may be right. Now when all the demands make you yearn for a little silence, you may later have so much silence you’ll yearn for demands.
Malcolm