STOP an MBSR exercise.
This is an invitation to pause as often as you can in your daily life, in various ways. I love the saying: “You are not a human doing but a human being.” Stepping away from our automatic habits gives us space to explore our beingness. Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us that the quality of our lives depends on the quality of the seeds in our minds. If we nurture seeds of joy, we can transform seeds of suffering. Pausing with kindness and understanding toward our thoughts and whatever else arises shows us what supports our suffering. Mindfulness begins with a pause; without it, there is no mindfulness. Taking a pause is a self-care practice that nourishes and cares for you. Pausing interrupts habitual patterns and, when done consciously, fosters greater awareness, which leads to better choices. Therefore, it is important to set aside time for a reflective practice. I urge you to join a mindfulness program to connect with yourself in a kind, nonjudgmental way and to add pause moments to your life to create change.
I remain curious about pausing between the causes and conditions of suffering and delusion to manifest happiness and peace. As said, when we meet our old patterns with kindness, awareness leads to better choices. So, what about the habit of scrolling on our phones? In the context of planting quality seeds that lead to awakeness, it may call for a pause. Although scrolling may seem like a well-deserved pause, it does not plant the seeds that could lead to transformation and positive change. In fact, it is the opposite. Excessive screen time feeds the demons of instant gratification. The seduction of clinging is ever-present. By contrast, the practice of mindfulness teaches us to lean into our challenges with kindness, patience, and compassion. Scrolling is a mindless practice that appeals to a deluded, ignorant, or unaware part of the mind.
When I find myself caught up in scrolling or similar distractions, I remember the Buddha’s story of the bandit Angulimala, who chased the Buddha and demanded that he stop. The Buddha turned to him and repeated that he had already stopped, and that Angulimala needed to stop his harmful actions. In other words, stop the impulses, stop the chase for desires, and gain peace of mind, known as Nirodha Samapatti, the cessation of mental activity. If we want to plant seeds of awareness and peace, it all begins with a conscious pause.
S.T.O.P. is a highly effective exercise offered through MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction). It’s an acronym, a self-reflective reminder to Stop, Take a breath, Open and observe, and then Proceed after the pause. This practice of Awarenessing involves applying kindness and patience to all that arises in the present moment. Welcome to this moment.
May you be happy, calm, and at peace,
Mamaji_/\_