Midweek Pause—Choose

Photo © 2015 Margaret Adie

“If you have embarked on this journey of self-reflection, you may be at a place that everyone, sooner or later, experiences on the spiritual path. After a while it seems like almost every moment of your life you’re there, where you realize you have a choice. You have a choice whether to open or close, whether to hold on or let go, whether to harden or soften, whether to hold your seat or strike out. That choice is presented to you again and again and again.” 

— Pema Chödrön, Practicing Peace

Consider: how often you shut down and close without giving another chance.

Do: The next instance today that you feel yourself close up, whether it be to a person or an idea or thought take a breath and pause. Follow a few cleansing breath cycles allowing yourself time to realize that you do indeed have a choice. Your response is not fixed—you can choose. Reach down into your heart and find some softness and remain open.