searching for peace
When I practiced yoga and meditation more actively, I was searching for a way to carry that peace into the routines and rhythms of daily life. At the time, there seemed to be a clear divide — spiritual practices on one side, and the rest of life on the other.
To bridge that gap, I started a simple nightly ritual. Before bed, I would write down any moments during the day when I felt angry, upset, or even ecstatic. At first, the list was short. But over time, I began remembering more emotional reactions — some big, some subtle.
And then, a shift began.
One day I was driving in heavy traffic. A driver suddenly cut in front of me, skipping a long line of cars waiting to exit. I felt the surge of anger rise. I wanted to lay on the horn, maybe even flip him off. But I didn’t. Instead, I thought: This will make a great journal entry tonight.
space between reaction and awareness
That moment might seem small — but it was huge.
I wasn’t lost in the emotion. I was watching it. That space between reaction and awareness… that’s witnessing. That’s growth.
Eventually, I began journaling my emotions twice a day — at lunch and again before bed. And something beautiful happened: I started to sense the moment I was being triggered. More and more, I was the witness, not the participant.
Two breath meditation - Thich Nhat Hanh
There are small practices that help me stay connected to this space of awareness.
When the phone rings, I always take one breath before answering.
Throughout the day, I pause for a simple two-breath meditation:
Breathing in – comforting
Breathing out – smiling
Breathing in – present moment
Breathing out – wonderful moment
I’ll share more of these practices in future posts.
I’d love to hear what helps you return to awareness.
Feel free to share.
Thank you. Om, Bob