“It Is All about The Pause”
The ‘Pause’ reminds me of the Costa Rican greeting ” Pura Vida” meaning pure life. Wikipedia goes on to say that contextually it means something approximate to “Full of Life”, “Purified life”, “This is living!”, “Going great”, or “Cool!”
It can be used as a greeting, as a word of farewell, or to express satisfaction. Some outsiders view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time and wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express something akin to a philosophy of strong community, perseverance, resilience in overcoming difficulties with good spirits, and enjoying life slowly and celebrating good fortune of magnitudes small and large alike.
I had the pleasure of spending an unbelievable week in Costa Rica visiting the city of San Jose, out to the rain forest of Puntarenas, up to the dry forests of Guanacaste and then back to the cloud forests of the Central Valley. The people were kind and accommodating and the scenery and activities were spectacular. It was a week full of culinary pleasures and aromas.
Embrace The Pause
Our hosts showed a true love of their country and what it had to offer to visitors from around the world. It was not boastful or over-the-top. Costa Rica has not fallen into the tourist trappings of many other countries. It is guided by environmental principles and social consciousness. The country and the people seem to truly embrace Pura Vida. They take the time to Pause and enjoy what is all around them.
Take A Pause
The following Monday I was back in my office with a pile of emails awaiting urgent responses and it would have been easy to fall back into the chaos of life. However, I decided to take a moment to organize my numerous trip pictures and listen to a CD that was given to me as a gift. The CD called Simbiosis by Manuel Obregon, is a beautiful concert in the middle of the rain forest complete with a piano and all the sounds of nature. The impact was astounding. And the Pause helped me to focus on what needed to be done with more joy, patience, and gratitude.
Beverly’s Hot Tip For Celebrating Pause The World Day:
- Remind yourself to pause
- Don’t pause just once a year, pause often and really see what the world has laid out in front of you. It can be as simple as noticing the leaves changing colour, the clouds in the sky, or the sounds of bees and the birds.
- Incorporate Pura Vida as a way of building your resiliency and leading a fulfilled life.
If you have some strategies to share – comment on this posting!
Additional Resources:
Relaxation Day Article
National Relaxation Day – August 15
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