* The Space Between Resistance and Inner Peace

How can we move from resistance and struggle to acceptance and inner peace? I believe there is a space between the two. Like the pendulum of life, we find ourselves moving from one to the other…. yet there is a moment when we can slow down and pause.

Tara Brach calls this The Sacred Pause. For me, it is a place of grounding as well. I call it our Middle Ground.

It is the same space that we all aspire to experience. It is the doorway to clarity, inspiration, understanding and peace of mind.

Here is some of Tara Brach’s practical wisdom from her Spirituality and Practice website:

“The Sacred Pause. helps us to reconnect with the present moment. Especially when we are caught up in striving and obsessing and leaning into the future, pausing enables us to reenter the mystery and vitality only found here and now.

Choose a time when you are involved in a goal-oriented activity — reading, working on the computer, cleaning, eating — and explore pausing for a moment or two. Begin by discontinuing what you are doing, sitting comfortably and allowing your eyes to close. Take a few deep breaths and with each exhale let go of any worries or thoughts about what you are going to do next; let go of any tightness in the body.

Now, notice what you are experiencing as you inhabit the pause. What sensations are you aware of in your body? Do you feel anxious or restless as you try to step out of your mental stories? Do you feel pulled to resume your activity? Can you simply allow, for this moment, whatever is happening inside you?

You can weave the sacred pause into your daily life by pausing for a few moments each hour or as you begin and end activities. You can pause while sitting, standing or lying down. Even in motion — going for a walk or driving — you can pause internally, eyes open and senses awake. Whenever you find you are stuck or disconnected, you can begin your life fresh in that moment by pausing, relaxing and paying attention to your immediate experience.”

We can create the space between resistance and inner peace by letting go of what is taking up our thoughts and bringing our attention to what is happening within us in this very moment.

It begins with noticing where our mind is, and then pausing with eyes open and senses wide!

Just like the samurai warrior.

This is a practice… and can become one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves to live fully  in the highs and lows of life.

May you find your middle ground every day