It was dark and cool. The birds were beginning to sing. The geckos rustled the bushes below the window. I swung my legs to the side of the bed and sat up slowly. It was my favorite time of day, early morning.

I dressed and threw on a shawl to ward off the morning chill. I padded my way from my room to the kitchen building to get a cup of coffee. The monstera plants waved their huge, friendly palms in greeting. Above me, the stars dazzled with an intense, steady brightness. Outside the kitchen, the coffee table waited, generous and inviting. I fixed myself a coffee and returned to my room to listen to music, write and savor the quiet.

I recently had the good fortune of taking a yoga retreat to Maui, and I am profoundly grateful for the experience. Perhaps, it is easier to access stillness on a retreat. There is no dog needing out, no children needing food, no partner to compromise with, and no everyday life to meet. A retreat, or pause, can teach us how we feel when we are still and relaxed. When we take the time to unplug, we also take an energetic snapshot of what relaxed feels like. It takes practice, but over time, you can return your emotions and nervous system to the imprint of relaxed mode whenever you like.

Anne Lamott wrote, “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” I invite you to take a pause today. You don’t have to be on a retreat to access quiet. Your pause can be as short, or as long, as you like. Take time to notice the good things around you, the comfort of the chair, the color of the sky, the happiness of a friend’s company, the delight of your pet’s silliness—-you choose. Then take an emotional snapshot of how you feel. When you feel stressed, recall how your body and spirit feel in joy.

Yoga uses the breath and asana (physical movement) as tools to approach the stillness of the unchanging spirit. My foundation in mindfulness was begun through my mentors at Genesis Yoga and deepened in my study with my teacher, Jason Crandell. For information on the science of mindfulness, check out Dr. Richard Hansen’s book, Buddha's Brain.