the fall is such a magical time. there's transition in the world that you can literally see and feel - the color is changing in the trees, the light is lessening and heightening our reliability on our other senses, the outside temperature is descending, our portion of the world is beginning to hunker down for what's to come. in all of this movement it's very easy to get caught up in where we're off to next - prepping for the upcoming holiday season, making plans on when we'll be seeing friends and family - all projects that pull us from the moment we're in, distracting us from living fully in the now. in these times, I like to meditate, reflect, and pause.
personally, October is a wonderful time for reflection. this month, I celebrated my 10th anniversary of arriving in New York City. I celebrated the 1st anniversary of being hired to teach my first recurring yoga class. next week, I'll celebrate one of the greatest choices I've ever had the honor to make - marrying my best friend, my partner, my love, combining two lives to build something greater for each other.
in taking the time to pause, we can look back and be reminded of the strength we've had to make the hard choices, simultaneously seeing the choices that lie ahead. we can review the steps we've taken to further our lives while gazing further down the road. we can pull strength from knowing that an action well done is concreted in our selves, and that should we face a similar choice, we've got the information on how to proceed in a way that serves us well. the pause is so integral because it allows us to be in this exact place, seeing both our future and our past, drawing on our ability to stand strong in our now. the pause is so important because it's the balance between after and before - it's the present, the here.
the pause - that moment when you've filled with breath, light and buoyant, before the breath recedes
the pause - that moment when you've reached the end of an asana, but it feels like it's just beginning
the pause - that moment when your mindspace is clear and you can view the world right in front of you, as is
'The right word may be effective, but no word was ever as effective as a rightly timed pause.'
Mark Twain