Slow down, breathe deeply,
and open your eyes because there’s
a whole world right here within this one.
The bush doesn’t suddenly catch on fire,
it’s been burning the whole time.

Moses is simply moving
slowly enough to see it. And when he does,
he takes off his sandals.

Not because
the ground has suddenly become holy,
but because he’s just now becoming aware that
the ground has been holy the whole time.

Efficiency is not God’s highest goal for your life,
neither is busyness,
or how many things you can get done in one day,
or speed, or even success.

But walking,
which leads to seeing,
now that’s something.
That’s the invitation for every one of us today,
and everyday, in every conversation, interaction,
event, and moment: to walk, not run. And in doing so,
to see a whole world right here within this one.

by Rob Bell

How does Rob Bell‘s symbolic suggestion to walk rather than run, land with you? To me it feels like a reassurance, the old ‘less is more’. I receive so many messages on a daily basis that say efficiency is important, speed is good, busyness gives kudos and success is essential in order to be happy, that it’s a relief to hear someone sing the praise of slowness, of seeing and discovering. I wish this invitation was offered more widely, because surely more happiness and meaning are found by living this way.

It certainly is in keeping with the practice of mindfulness – noticing what is happening, while it’s happening no matter what it is. And this present moment awareness leads to seeing the preciousness (or even holiness, as Rob Bell calls it) in each moment, each encounter. Let’s see!

PS if you’d like to practice walking, and seeing, together with others and guided by experienced teachers, there are many opportunities for doing so, here…

Photo by NEOM on Unsplash

a moment to be still, and just like that,

something in me settles, softens, makes

space for imperfection. The harsh voice

of judgment drops to a whisper and I

remember again that life isn’t a relay

race; that we will all cross the finish

line; that waking up to life is what we

were born for. As many times as I forget,

catch myself charging forward

without even knowing where I’m going,

that many times I can make the choice

to stop, to breathe, and be, and walk

slowly into the mystery

It’s so easy to be so busy, so caught up with life’s twists and turns. This beautiful poem by Danna Faulds reminds me to just stop and breathe and to just be for a moment. To switch from doing to being and resting for a while. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you are doing, but what matters is the pause.

I take myself to the ocean in my mind and stop and breathe like the sea crashing its waves on the shore. Where do you to take yourself to so you can pause and breathe?

You might like to join our free daily Mindfulness Meditation and take some time out to stop, to breathe and to be.

Warmest wishes

Jacky

Photo by Stephanie Smith from Pexels