Come with me, dear friend
into the hours of the day
Awaken your heart

Come with me to see
morning sun peak from shadows
A warm hello emerge

Come with me to hear
the song of robins and wrens
Happy chatter from trees

Come with me to smell
fresh dew ripened on spring grass
Welcome aroma

Come with me to touch
hearts of those met on the path
Joyful connection

Come with me to taste
this tangy lemon candy day
A surprising gift

Come with me to praise
Creator of breath, love, dawn
Radiant rising

A few years ago, my dear friend Jennifer recommended a little treasure of a book entitled, Seven Sacred Pauses by Macrina Wiederkehr. This became a wonderful companion to widen my understanding of monastic life and learn about the importance of sacred pauses through the day.

In monastic life, seven pauses are honored throughout the day. These moments invite us to rest, remember, reflect, forgive, praise, give thanks, wait, bless, etc. In essence, these pauses help us to let go of our anxious thoughts to remember our Creator as we move through our ordinary hours. Since Lent is a season which asks us to repent, to sacrifice, to remember Christ, I thought these seven pauses have much to teach us during this season. I encourage you to begin to practice these rests through the day to bring mindfulness to the sacred ordinary in your midst.

Remember to be gentle with yourself. A funny personal story… when I first read Seven Sacred Pauses, I set my cell phone to beep at 5 of the 7 pauses. It didn’t take long until I found the pauses totally intrusive and annoying. I usually was RIGHT in the middle of something when that ding would go off. Pausing was extremely difficult. Needless to say, I turned off the dings (and let go of the rules, my usual nature, lol). Over time, I’ve let these pauses work on me in my life, they now stream into my consciousness as the day moves along. Give them a chance and see how they work for you.