We call a moment of silence an observance. How appropriate. It is a nod to something deep within ourselves that we touch only briefly and then shy away from, perhaps out of discomfort or pure unfamiliarity. It is a bearing witness. In that bearing witness, we not only bear our burden better, but we demonstrate that we are larger than it is, that we have the capacity to hold it, to honor it, and to make a context for it and for ourselves, and so grow beyond it without ever forgetting.
From: ARRIVING AT YOUR OWN DOOR 108 Lessons in Mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn
REFLECTION:
- Is there a burden you are carrying that you could silently observe
- How can you bear the burden better?
- What can you do to honor it while demonstrating you are larger than it is?