Taking time to pause and reflect...

Life is overwhelming. That's one of the few things I can say with certainty. Life is overwhelming. Good things are often planned and plotted, but the speed bumps in life rarely are and often they coincide with the good things. So how do I manage to get through the everyday hassle of living? I try to take time to remember what is important to me. As a Buddhist, I chant/pray daily. I tend to do this EVERYWHERE. When my job gets stressful or I get exhausted I start saying "nam-myoho-renge-kyo" over and over in my head. It calms me down, grounds me, and reminds me that I am a part of something much bigger than myself. Taking this time to just BE is important. Instead of filling those minutes with ideas, lists, problems, et cetera, I attempt to let my life just exist for a moment.

I follow a blog by Tara Brach and yesterday she posted a wonderful bit about not filling in all the spaces. I encourage you to check it out here. If you haven't heard of her, Tara Brach is an amazing woman who has dedicated her life to mindfulness and mindfulness meditation. She has many books, audio tapes, and podcasts that focus on helping others learn to meditate and be mindful.

So today the challenge is how to live without controlling and doing. It's not as easy as it seems.