The Sacred Pause… where do you find it?
As yoga practitioners, we often explore the value of slowing down. One concept that has gained particular attention in mindfulness-based approaches is the Sacred Pause. On the yoga mat we can come to appreciate how powerful this simple moment of stopping can be - now more than ever in a world that rarely gives us permission to pause. On the yoga mat we are supported in getting curious about where we might find this, sometimes elusive, sacred pause. In moments of stillness, in moments on the move, in moments off the mat as we live our life. Conscious-awareness moments, zoning-out moments, difficult moments, moments when we are thrown into absolute turmoil… where do we find the pause?
The Sacred Pause is exactly what it sounds like: a brief, intentional moment of stopping before reacting. In mindfulness practice, this pause allows us to notice what is happening in our body, thoughts, and emotions before we spontaneously react. It’s not about becoming passive or disengaged. Rather, it creates a small space where awareness can enter the picture, from where we can respond more thoughtfully. From a nervous system perspective, this pause can help shift us away from automatic survival responses and toward more regulated, thoughtful action. In your brain, your alarm system is quietening down and your CEO is waking up. Already, even in that one brief pause, our heart beat slows down a little.
From a Buddhist perspective, the Sacred Pause echoes the practice of mindful awareness taught in the tradition of meditation. In Buddhism, moments of stopping are sometimes described as returning to the breath or coming back to the present moment. Teachers such as Thich Nhat Hanh often spoke about the importance of “stopping” as the first step of mindfulness - pausing long enough to truly see what is happening inside and around us. In that pause, we create space between impulse and reaction, allowing wisdom and compassion to guide our response, rather than habit or reactivity.
Many other cultures and spiritual traditions recognize the value of this kind of pause as well. Moments of silence and stillness can be seen across traditions, religions and cultures over the ages, the idea appears again and again: when we slow down and allow a moment of stillness, we reconnect with something steadier and wiser within us. Whether understood spiritually, culturally, or simply through the lens of nervous system regulation, the Sacred Pause reminds us that stillness itself can be a powerful teacher.
At the moment, many of us are living with a persistent background tension, perhaps subtle at times. Ongoing war and global instability can keep the nervous system slightly on edge, even when we are physically safe. Our biology doesn’t always distinguish well between immediate threat and distant uncertainty. As a result, many people are living in a mild state of fight, flight, or freeze (FFF)—feeling more reactive, distracted, or fatigued than usual. The Sacred Pause offers a gentle way to explore that. Even a few conscious breaths can signal to the body that it’s safe enough to soften.
In contemplative practices including yoga and mindfulness we often speak about responding rather than reacting. The pause is the doorway to that possibility. When we pause, we might notice the breath moving, give space to the shoulders softening or the jaw unclenching. These small shifts activate the parasympathetic nervous system—the body’s natural settling response. Over time, practicing this again and again helps build our capacity for regulation and resilience.
On the yoga mat, the Sacred Pause can show up in many ways: the moment before moving into the next pose, the moment at the top of an inhale, or the stillness in the space after an exhale. It’s also a beautiful place to set an intention. Rather than rushing from one shape to another, we can use these pauses to ask ourselves: How do I want to meet this moment? With curiosity? With kindness? With patience? With strength? We can use these pauses to explore wise action.
Over the coming classes, we’ll begin to explore the Sacred Pause more deliberately in our breath-work, in our physical practice and in our moments of meditation and relaxation. Settling into feeling how these small moments of stillness can support both our bodies and our nervous systems, our thinking patterns and our curious, noisy minds. Sometimes the most meaningful part of practice isn’t the movement itself, but the quiet awareness that arises in the spaces in between.
As psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl wrote:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Join us in yoga to explore all of this and more! Thoughtful, fluid movement with ease and grace. Spacious, smooth, slow, deep breathing. A mind that is awake and yet calm regardless of the shape of the body and the patterns of the mind.
As always, guidance will be for all levels of practice. We'll head off together on a progressive learning journey with each class an independent unit which nods to the overall learning journey. As always, my intention for you is that your nervous system heals for the duration of class and beyond, you move your body in a way that feels wholesome and healthy, you perhaps learn something interesting and, most importantly, you relax and have some fun!
We have spaces in all classes in our warm, bright halls, come to move with ease, to breathe with space, to quieten your nervous system and to train your mind to observe the process. Everyone is welcome.
All classes have spaces. All classes are fully up and running with 17th March, 3rd and 6th April our only upcoming interruptions (Paddy’s Day and Easter Weekend). Join us for a class or a course or a workshop or even a little holiday! More information on everything coming up is here.
Thanks so much for joining me in this fascinating journey called life! Love, Sylvia.
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