“Monday 5 Things” ….. Power of the Pause …..
February 10, 2025 By D. Paul Graham
Foggy Georgia Morning. Photo: D. Paul Graham / imageGRAHAM, llc
The fog was as thick as I had ever seen since moving to the island. I stepped out onto our deck that we affectionately call our treehouse and took pause. I paused to take in the moment, cup of coffee in hand, observing the fog as it rolled silently through the trees, wrapping everything in a hushed silver-grey embrace. In a world that demands instant replies and knee-jerk reactions, there is power in the pause. I paused and prayed, taking reverence in the pause. A pause is the breath before the breakthrough, the space between stimulus and action, between prayer and answer, and between longing and fulfillment. It’s in these moments of stillness that the divine speaks, that clarity emerges, and that transformation occurs. This morning’s M5T considers the power of the pause that not only refreshes the mind but revives the soul.
1. CALMNESS BEFORE CONNECTIVITY. Pause to tune into the divine. Spiritual wisdom teaches that divine presence is not found in noise and haste but in silence and stillness. In the Book of Kings, the prophet Elijah doesn’t find God in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, but in the “still small voice”. Slow your morning down. Take a deep breath. Pause to stretch your mind and soul. The world can wait five minutes. Before diving into the digital cyclone of emails, news feeds, and social media rabbit holes, first take a moment to pause and connect with the divine. Tap into the power of the pause to pray, meditate, or reflect. The more we cultivate inner peace, the more our outer connections become intentional, loving, and spirit led. The Psalmist invites us to “be still and know”.Calmness is not just a mental state. It is an act of faith. The stronger your inner voice, the clearer your outer communication. In Taoist philosophy, the concept of wu wei, or effortless action, suggests that the most effective way to move through life is by aligning with the natural flow of things rather than forcing them. If we wake up and immediately plunge into digital noise, we surrender our minds to external chaos. Instead, consider the wisdom of the Stoics. Marcus Aurelius began his days with morning reflection, grounding himself before engaging with the world. Calmness is not passivity. It is the foundation of true connection. Before you respond to the world, meet yourself in stillness first.
2. FAITH OVER FAILURE. Pause to trust the unseen path in your life. Pause to trust that faith exceeds failure. Failure is a universal experience, but how we interpret it can define us. Failure only becomes final when we accept it through the lens of human emotion. However, from a spiritual perspective, every failure is a lesson, a redirection, a refinement. As Rumi wrote, “Try not to resist the changes that come your way. Instead, let life live through you.” Faith is the trust that even when we fall, God’s hands are beneath us. It is the belief that setbacks are setups for something greater. Joseph’s journey, from betrayal by his jealous brothers, to imprisonment, and then becoming one of the most powerful men in Egypt, reminds us that what others meant for harm, God will use for good. Faith is not about avoiding failure; it is about seeing beyond it. It is knowing that we are always being guided, even when the path is unclear. Faith is not blind optimism. It is the belief that our setbacks are part of a greater unfolding. Existentialists like Kierkegaard spoke of the "leap of faith”. The idea that to live authentically, we must embrace uncertainty with trust rather than fear. When we experience setbacks, we stand at a crossroads. Do we see failure as proof of our inadequacy, or as an opportunity for transformation? Faith builds. It is the understanding that we are always in motion, always growing. Failure is inevitable. Failure only defines those who refuse to get up after falling and step forward again. Have faith in the lesson, the process, and then muster the resilience to try again.
3. CONTEMPLATION OVER CHAOS. There is a sacredness for your soul in the reflection within a pause. There is strength found in still thought. Chaos pulls us outward, but contemplation draws us inward. The mystics of every tradition understood that deep truth is found not in frenzy but in stillness. The desert fathers of early Christianity, the Sufis of Islam, the Buddhist monks in meditation, all knew that wisdom arises in the quiet. When faced with turmoil, we can either be swept away by the frenzy, or purposely step back to pause and observe. The practice of contemplation allows us to see life through a divine lens rather than a reactive one. The soul whispers when the mind is still. What is God saying to you in your silence? Socrates taught that "the unexamined life is not worth living." In a world that prioritizes speed over depth, we risk moving so fast that we never truly see where we are going. Chaos demands immediate action; contemplation invites wisdom. Engage in mindful observation, which is the ability to watch thoughts and emotions arise without being consumed by them. Instead of reacting with knee-jerk impulsiveness, step back and ask yourself “What is really happening here? What is the deeper truth hidden beneath the surface?” Contemplation is not inaction; it is the most powerful form of preparation. From deep thought emerges righteous action. The fastest answer isn’t always the best. The loudest opinion isn’t always the truest. Step back. Pause. Think it through. Take a moment of reflection to save wasted hours of anger, confusion, and regret.
4. RESPONSE VS. REACTION. The power of the pause allows us to act from love not from fear. The power of the pause prepares a regulated mind. The difference between reaction and response is the difference between fear and love. A reaction is instant. A reaction is instinctive, born of ego, woundedness, pride, or insecurity. A response is intentional. Response is born of a spirit of patience, wisdom, and love. Jesus, when accused and attacked, did not react in anger but responded with grace and truth. He didn’t react from impulse, but responded from a place of centered awareness. When we pause before speaking, we ensure that our words come from wisdom rather than emotion. The more we cultivate spiritual grounding, the more our responses become aligned with love rather than driven by fear. The Stoics practiced apatheia. Not apathy, but a state of being undisturbed by external events. Suffering comes not from events themselves but from our attachment and reaction to them. Moving from reaction to response means pausing long enough to let wisdom, not impulse, lead our actions. Invoke the power of the pause before you reply, before you hit send, before you assume. A thoughtful response carries more weight than a rushed reaction.
5. GRATITUDE VS. GRASPING. Gratitude allows for the gift of seeing the divine in the present. Grasping is the illusion that we are lacking. Gratitude is the realization that we already have enough. In the Lord’s Prayer, we don’t ask for excess. We ask for daily bread. A clear message that what we need will be and already is provided, if only we open our eyes to see. The more we chase what we think is lacking, the more we feel empty. I am guilty as charged here. But when we shift to gratitude, we recognize that this moment, this breath, this life, this love, is a gift. The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. True spiritual abundance is not about having more. It is about seeing more, understanding more, and loving more. Gratitude is worship by seeing what is present. It is our soul’s recognition that every breath is grace. Grasping is insatiable, breeding a sense of lack rather than fulfillment. Left unchecked, our mind is always seeking more wealth, more status, more validation. Again, I stand guilty as charged. Gratitude, on the other hand, is the practice of seeing abundance in what already exists, what we already have. The Stoics applied negative visualization in their lives, imagining the loss of what they took for granted, so that they appreciate it more. When we shift from grasping to gratitude, we stop living in a state of deficiency and start recognizing the quiet and tremendous wealth of the present moment. Gratitude sees what is present. Grasping sees what is missing. Gratitude fills the soul. Grasping empties. The power of the pause allows room for gratitude. That is where clarity and wisdom reside.
Here's to a week of practicing the power and wisdom of the pause. To choosing calmness, faith, contemplations, response, and gratitude. And within that pause, finding new depths of truth about yourself.
For over 13 years, D. Paul Graham has published “Monday 5 Things” ™, also known to readers as M5T™. He continues to embrace the Pause.
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