Last week, as I was trudging through my final week of the seminary semester, I reached a breaking point of frustration with the seemingly constant announcement of emails, texts, news, and reminders of zoom meetings coming through on my phone and computer. It felt as if every time I finally was able to focus on a thought, I was interrupted by something else demanding my time. All I craved was to finish my final paper, step away from it all, and step into my garden to do the projects I’ve been dreaming about for months. I craved being able to step away from everything everyone was expecting of me and from the constant awareness of the state of the world.
This world of pandemic, constant communication, pressure to succeed, complicated social and economic systems, and emphasis on preparing for the future amidst uncertainties became so overwhelming that suddenly, I was imagining a life without it. I was imagining a quieter and more prayerful life; a life focused on living in the present, working with my hands, denouncing social expectation, and caring for others.
I put aside my schoolwork and dove headfirst into Google, searching intently to find out if convents exist for non-Catholics. While I did not find any, (and indeed, found many reasons I should NOT become a nun!) I did find a blog post written by a Buddhist monk,
Sr True Dedication
, titled
How To:
A Zen Master’s tips for staying sane in challenging times.
This blog post has been a game changer for me. While every tip on his list is quite helpful, one has changed my ability to engage with the world.
Tip #6:
Take a nap after lunch
for 20 minutes, or practice
deep relaxation
(body scan) while lying down. Even just 10 or 15 minutes of releasing tension can set you free and refresh you before you keep working.
That very day, I meditated after lunch and it was glorious, and it was refreshing. But, the next day? The next day after lunch I was craving getting outside and weeding part of the garden – so I did. And, it was just as refreshing. And the next day, I was craving turning the compost in the back yard. So, I did, and it was also just as refreshing. I realized that, for me at least, the reason all these post-lunch activities were so glorious and refreshing were because I was allowing myself to temporarily silence the noise of the notifications and of my thoughts in order to nourish my mind and body. I was giving myself the space to reconnect with my surroundings, myself, and with God.
Quickly, I drew a connection between this idea of a lunchtime pause with noonday prayer. With noonday prayer, we pause from the hectic nature of our days in order to re-center our hearts and minds on God. At the same time, we allow our heart rates to slow down and our brains to step away from thoughts of news, work, and school. While we often talk about starting and ending our days with stillness and prayer, a midday pause may be just as important. This intentional time in the middle of our days affects us spiritually, physically, and emotionally. It can help us channel a sense of calmness and perspective and remind us of God’s presence during times when we are working or studying.
Though we are isolated from friends, family, and colleagues right now and may only be able to keep in contact with them virtually, and though we want to stay up-to-date on news, we CAN step away, and we NEED TO step away. Disengaging halfway through the day will prevent the likelihood of us burning out before the day comes to an end. And, disengaging in order to care for ourselves and to reconnect with God will only positively impact our ability to engage with others from afar.
If you’re interested in checking out other tips from Buddhist monk,
Sr True Dedication, click
here
.
Prayer for Today:
God of rest, who created and encourages Sabbath, empower me to interrupt my day with a pause; to step away from the noise and from the tasks at hand in order to allow my mind to rest; to allow my heart to refocus on you; so that I may re-enter my day peacefully and refreshed. In your name I pray, amen.
