December encourages you to take a moment to pause.
From this still vantage point between the past and future, it’s possible to simultaneously look backwards and forwards; to rewind and review, but also to recalibrate and gain the momentum needed to move ahead.
Although the world is evolving quickly and change is all around you, taking a pause to rest, contemplate and reflect are very necessary steps this month as we close out one cycle to start anew.
Taking a momentary pause is a simple as reconnecting to your breath; a brief reprieve from the noise of your mind and the external world, where you can recharge and restore your energy.
It is okay to slow down; to feel, sit, consider, play, move, laugh, process, reflect, or to just be.
Pause to be.
In 2021, there will be more moments of ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’. If you resist this slower cadence, you will miss the moment of growth found from within the pause. The bliss, the light, and the contentment. Do not try to step over the pause, like a crack in the sidewalk. You will only trip over your feet. Instead, feel the pause, take note of what comes up for you, and revel in the simple act of being human.
Your humanness is a gift, so allow yourself to feel it.
Take time to rest or ponder; to feel your way through decisions, or to just experience life again: the highs and the lows. Allowing ourselves to be, without emphasis on ‘doing’ is an act of profound self care and is so important during this time, when balancing our energies is absolutely necessary to maintaining health.
However, taking a pause is not just about ourselves. The pause on a collective level can enable us all to consider the ways in which we operate systematically and whether our structures will forge ahead or crumble along with the aspects of self and society that are simply not working anymore.
We can no longer turn a blind eye in 2021 for ignorance is not bliss, it’s suffering in its own right. Freedom from suffering requires acknowledgement of the root of such pain. It requires asking the difficult questions and not shying away from the answers, even if they make us uncomfortable.
This means slowing down and embracing the pause when you feel called to, rather than filling the void. Nourish yourself like a garden so you too can grow and yield each season of change. Accept the impermanence of all and move with the winds of change, rather than against them. The pause teaches us that sometimes the greatest change is stirred from absolutely no change at all.
December Journal Prompts:
1) What does ‘taking a pause’ look like for you? In what ways can you slow down this month?
2) How can you emphasize ‘being’ rather than ‘doing’?
3) What is one small act of service you can do for your community this month? How can you show yourself and others around you generosity and compassion?