A practice for this season: pausing at thresholds

As a community, “practicing” has always been central to our identity. Most people who find their way to The Well have little interest in checking boxes or attending church because they should. Instead, we are seeking to live in more just, loving, connected and healing ways here. For some of us, this is what it means to practice the way of Jesus - for others who participate in our life together - practicing is simply the path they find life-giving, grounding and more in tune with what it means to be human. Personally, I connect with both of these perspectives.

Whichever of these describes you, we invite you to share a simple practice with us during this season of exploring stories of how we navigate change, loss and transition (now - Nov.). Every day, we make countless transitions from one activity, one role, one place to the next. We move from here to there with little thought or little preparation. Our practice during this season is meant to help us move with a little more awareness and a little more intention - here’s what we’ll do:

Art by Jim Hamlyn (at http://thoughtsonartandteaching.blogspot.com/

Pausing at “thresholds” [places of transition]

• Choose a threshold. It might be waking up or heading out the door to school or leaving work or just transitioning from one activity to the next.

• Pause and become present to this moment of transition. What are you leaving and where are headed?

• Name how you want to show up where you are going. I want to show up with …

• Ask for what you need to show up in this way. I need …

I’m not sure where this practice will take us, but at the very least, it has the potential to make us more mindful of our pace, of the moment we are in and of how we want to show up in the world. If you are practicing, we’d love to hear how it’s going and how you are experimenting with other variations of becoming more attune to the changes, transitions and losses that are a big part of being human.

Peace + love,

Susan