Pausing
Practice
Notice when one task ends before the next begins.
Consciously take a deep breath before you begin to be present physically.
Observe what emotions, thoughts, or feelings you are experiencing.
Ask God to be present to yourself, to others, and to Him.
“Statio is a monastic custom that was born centuries ago but clearly belongs in this one. Statio is the practice of stopping one thing before we begin another.”
The philosopher Dallas Willard called hurry the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. His counsel was, "You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” How do we combat hurry when our days are marked by endless tasks, an excess of information, and an unending stream of distractions? One practice to be present to God, ourselves, and our neighbors is a holy pause. The practice of pausing creates both an ending and beginning. In the space between there is the invitation to be more present to the person and place I will engage next. Pausing to be more present to the people and place around me is an ancient practice.
Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun, explains the practice of pausing in her book, Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, “Statio is the practice of stopping one thing before we begin another. It is the time between times.” In monastic life, “Statio” is the practice of being somewhere before you need to be there. “Statio” is a Latin word for “station” or “location”. It is understood as being present mentally, physically, and spiritually to prayers, people, and place. “Statio is a monastic custom that was born centuries ago but clearly belongs in this one.”
The practice of a holy pause is seen Biblically in the Book of Psalms. The word, “Selah,” is used 71 times in Psalms. The exact translation is uncertain, but commentaries across the centuries agree it is written as an instruction to pause and be present. It is taking a breath. It is a practice to resist hurrying to the next line. “Selah” is a holy pause.
Chittister provides a clear picture of the wisdom from practicing a holy pause. “The practice of statio is meant to center us and make us conscious of what we’re about to do and make us present to the God who is present to us. Statio is the desire to do consciously what I might otherwise do mechanically. Statio is the virtue of presence… If I am present to this child before I dress her, then the dressing becomes an act of creation… If I am present to the flower before I cut it, then life becomes precious.”
A few helpful questions to practice taking a holy pause: When would a pause be helpful to be more mindful in your day? How could you create a pause before you engage people or enter places? What do you notice about yourself when you pause before entering or engaging?
Pausing is an invitation to interact with our lives, our neighbors and neighborhoods, with intention. It is a practice to be present to the sacredness of the people and place around us.
Recommended Reading:
Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today
by Joan Chittister
