The Sacred Pause: A Practice For Radical Acceptance

In this brief meditation, we explore the sacred pause, a skill that can help cultivate radical acceptance. Radical Acceptance is a DBT concept that refers to the complete acceptance of reality, mind body and spirit. It means letting go of resistance and accepting the situation in front of you without judgment.

The sacred pause is a technique that helps us reconnect with the present moment. When life gets overwhelming or if we struggle with time management, stopping for more than a few minutes to meditate can seem like just another chore. The intention of this practice is to create a small moment of reprieve from everyday stress and teach you how to implement the sacred pause into your daily life to reduce emotion suffering. A reminder that even short practices can make a big impact too.

Transcript

Welcome, Friends, To this brief meditation on the sacred pause. A skill that can help cultivate radical acceptance. The sacred pause is a technique that allows us to reconnect with the present moment. Especially when we're caught up in striving, Obsessing, Or looking into the future. Housing enables us to re-enter the mystery and vitality only found in the here and now. Practicing a sacred pause as you move about everyday activities primes you to notice subtle changes and sensation and allows a brief reprieve from the mental chatter that can seem never-ending. We learn radical acceptance by pausing again and again. By accepting each moment as it is now. At the very moment when we're about to lash out. When we feel anxious, Instead of reaching for the phone or mentally obsessing, We sit still and feel our discomfort and restlessness. In this pause, We aim to let go of thinking and doing. And we become intimate with what is happening in our body, Heart, And mind. To practice the sacred pause, Choose a time when you're involved in an activity like reading, Working, Cleaning, Or eating. And explore pausing for a moment or two. Begin by discontinuing what you are doing. Sitting or standing 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're going to do next. Now notice what you're experiencing as you inhabit the pause. What sensations are you aware of in your body? You feel anxious or restless as you try to step out of your mental stories. You feel pulled to resume your activity. And you simply allow for this moment whatever is happening inside you. May you take this practice of the sacred pause with you. And learn to create moments of stillness when the waves of life want to pull you in.