We all go through seasons when life brings us to a full stop — physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Our Chair, Sarah, opens her heart to share what it’s been like to meet that kind of pause with mindfulness.

From hospital rooms to quiet moments of insight, her story is a powerful reminder that even in the midst of challenge, there’s a way to soften into the present moment and discover a kind of okay-ness that’s always here.

It’s honest, human, and full of hard-won wisdom. We’re so grateful for her words — and we hope they offer something meaningful for wherever you find yourself on the path right now.

Dear friends, I've had a lot of experience with pain and hospitals. I dreaded the thought of being admitted again, but I spent the month of January there with a broken hip.
Letting a broken hip heal naturally takes time. I’m five months into the six month journey and building up walking endurance, but with legs that were already compromised by MS.
I’ve been here before, recovering from a double mastectomy in 2023. And again last year recovering from some debilitating drug side effects. This time however, I’ve spent nearly all of my time in a wheelchair. I didn’t think I would be in this position just yet.
And there it is: wanting things to be different than they are. Memories can be seductive and very painful…wanting to get back to ability, youth, time with your children, financial success, professional acumen, and so much more that can catch us in an array of emotions. The future is also tantalizing with its endless goals and 'wannabes.' The resulting emotions can spin us into reactivity, depression, hatred or worse, if we don’t see them or we can’t mindfully interrupt them. I credit any measure of kindness, grace, and gratitude (there was much to be grateful for) through this recent crisis to my long-standing meditation practice.

A crisis that also challenged my practice; it was like the most intense meditation retreat ever. We gain insight into our human experience when we are challenged. I don’t recommend vicious cycles of hip pain and leg spasms to this end for anyone. (I do recommend retreats!) Periods of immersion in meditation facilitate watching how the mind reacts: seeing how it creates stories, believes them, and thus manufactures reality. When we can apply a mindful pause, we witness how the mind puts up barriers and defenses or swamps us in constant commentary. This is how mind activity interferes with what is actually happening in the moment — it confuses us. Use the mindful pause to feel into the basic okay-ness of this moment. This very moment? Yes, it is basically okay. So much ease can come with just that simple discovery. And, there is always something to be grateful for. Always. I learn that lesson more fully each time I meet another one of life’s challenges.

I’m talking to myself too: pause at frustration when my legs won’t walk any further; remember that for four months they couldn’t walk at all; then sit back down in the wheelchair. Amid the resistance and grasping, I can ask, am I basically ok? Yes! Then the next “step” will unfold of its own accord. It is revealing to also ask, who am I? For when the naked here-and-now appears, it is boundless, clear and peaceful, joyous even, and only compassion makes sense. Mindfulness has this power — to bring the present moment alive in this way. To show us who we truly are. 

No matter what we are experiencing right now, it is our grand human adventure to discover the answers to these questions for ourselves. I offer a deep bow to each of you on this journey. I look forward to meeting you on the path.

Warmly,
Sarah

But what if we could pause here, in this space between?

Mindfulness invites us to notice not just the events of our lives, but the quiet spaces between them. The breath between thoughts. The stillness between seasons. The moment of calm between the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Even a few minutes of awareness can bring a sense of grounded presence, reminding us that we don’t have to be anywhere else but here.

Podcast: On Being with Krista Tippett
Episode: John O’Donohue – The Inner Landscape of Beauty
John O’Donohue speaks eloquently about thresholds, stillness, and the in-between spaces of life—what he calls “thresholds of becoming.” He reminds us that transitions are sacred and fertile, and invites us to slow down and notice the inner shifts we often rush past.
🎧 Listen to the full episode:
🔗 Spotify | Apple Music

• What’s shifting in my life right now?

• What can I notice in this space between?

• Can I soften into this moment instead of rushing through it?

Wishing you a mindful and slow summer.
The Centre for Mindfulness in Muskoka