Episode 87

full
Published on:

30th Oct 2025

87. Press Pause and Practice Meditation

Do you ever wish you had a pause button you could push in those crazy moments? Me too! join me on the trail and we can talk about SELAH and how we can pause and be still to know God.

Transcript
Speaker:

So Bonani Franz Judy here I am this

week's host for the Creative Spiritual

2

:

Journey podcast, where GUI and I walk

with you and share the joys and wonders

3

:

as well as the lessons we experience

along this marvelous journey of life.

4

:

I'm so glad you're here.

5

:

Today is day.

6

:

Ooh, I didn't look.

7

:

Day 600.

8

:

And 65, can you believe it?

9

:

Well, my friend time is winding down,

but it feels more like time is winding

10

:

up and the pace is a new kind of crazy.

11

:

Have you ever ran a race?

12

:

I've done a half marathon, and when

you see that finish line, a surge of

13

:

adrenaline hits you and you sprint,

you wonder where that came from.

14

:

It's ironic that I'm

calling today's episode.

15

:

Press pause.

16

:

When I'm in this crazy race at the moment,

in the yoga meditation world, there's a

17

:

saying, everyone needs to take at least

10 minutes each day for meditation, and

18

:

if you're too busy, well you need 40.

19

:

There is an old parable

called sharpening the ax.

20

:

I bet you've heard this before.

21

:

There were two woodsmen.

22

:

It challenged each other to see who could

chop down more trees in a single day.

23

:

At sunrise, they both began

cutting with all their strength.

24

:

One man worked tirelessly, never

stopping to rest the other paused, every

25

:

hour or so at the end of the day, the

man who stopped to rest had chopped

26

:

far more wood, the first wood cutter,

exhausted and frustrated, exclaimed.

27

:

How could you have cut

more trees than I did?

28

:

I never stopped.

29

:

The other man smiled and replied, ah.

30

:

But each time I stopped,

I wasn't just resting.

31

:

I was sharpening my ax.

32

:

Isn't that fabulous?

33

:

Do you ever feel like that, that

you have exhausted yourself?

34

:

Chopping wood all day.

35

:

President Eser Taf Benson taught

that when we put God first, all other

36

:

things fall into their proper place.

37

:

In this sense, time spent in

meditation, in prayer and scripture,

38

:

studying and pondering and resting

on the Sabbath, it is not wasted.

39

:

It's sharpening our spiritual edge.

40

:

I wanna share with you a story.

41

:

Uh, this has happened so many

times here on mission, driving

42

:

through the countryside.

43

:

from here to there.

44

:

And after a long day of mission

work, and Eric and I we're not

45

:

agreeing about something and I can't

remember what it is, I felt bugged.

46

:

And there's these demons that

are beating me up in my head.

47

:

This is too much.

48

:

You can't do this.

49

:

And so I look at my phone to escape,

stressing about what to post and

50

:

what to do, and of course, falling

into that social media whole

51

:

and answering WhatsApp messages.

52

:

Most of those, which are people

reaching out for help and I don't

53

:

know how to respond, I feel exhausted,

and I just wanna go soak in a tub.

54

:

Oh, by, by the way, we don't

have, so my mind is racing.

55

:

I pause.

56

:

To close my eyes and I pray, heavenly

Father, please help me know what to do

57

:

and say, please help me feel thy peace.

58

:

When I stepped out of the car, I hear

the sounds of birds, my heart rate slows.

59

:

I feel a cool breeze.

60

:

Then I look towards the west at the

sunset and the sky is a brilliant

61

:

pink and purples and golds, and

there's huge thunder clouds.

62

:

Ah, now my shoulders and my jaw

tension begins to melt away.

63

:

And there it is, the pause my breath,

slowing, pausing to take it all in.

64

:

And then surprising words of gratitude.

65

:

Oh, I'm so grateful to be here.

66

:

Was that my voice?

67

:

I reach out and take Eric's hand.

68

:

Forgiveness washes over me, and this

all happens within just seconds.

69

:

Viktor Frankl, an author and psychologist

and also a, a Jew that survived the

70

:

World War II Holocaust encampment.

71

:

He wrote these words between

stimulus and response.

72

:

There is a space.

73

:

And in that space is our power to

choose our response, and in our response

74

:

lies our growth and our freedom.

75

:

I love the thought of this

superpower I have between stimulus

76

:

and response is my choice.

77

:

How many times have you been in that

moment, like I was in the car and

78

:

wanted to just push a pause button?

79

:

Remember the old tape recording

machines, the cassette tapes with its

80

:

fast forward button, and it's rewind,

and record and play and pause button.

81

:

We all have been in some emotionally tense

moments, especially if you're married.

82

:

Conflict happens in all relationships.

83

:

It's very human of us, whether

in our families or with

84

:

our friends or at work or.

85

:

Our missionary companions,

we face tough situation.

86

:

In those moments, I wish I could

push that pause button and able

87

:

to freeze time whoosh and let the

Holy Ghost arrive and help me.

88

:

I am sure you're familiar

with Psalms 46, 10.

89

:

Be still and know that I am God.

90

:

Whenever anyone is preaching or teaching

about meditation or pondering, this

91

:

is a favorite scripture, but I wanna

read to you the next verse, verse

92

:

11, the Lord of host is with us.

93

:

The God of Jacob is our refuge.

94

:

See?

95

:

Sheila, this Hebrew word appears

74 times in the Old Testament.

96

:

In the past, I've read over it as an amen.

97

:

Paying no attention to it until I

dug a little deeper to find See?

98

:

is a Hebrew word that is meant

as an intentional pause in

99

:

the reading, a planned pause.

100

:

A pause long enough to ponder and breathe.

101

:

Okay.

102

:

Isn't that beautiful?

103

:

In Hebrew, the word Sheila, S-E-L-A-H most

likely signifies a musical instruction,

104

:

meaning a pause reflection, or a musical

interlude within a song or reading

105

:

similar to a rest in a musical score.

106

:

He consistently calls for a response

from the reader or worshiper, whether

107

:

that is a quiet contemplation,

or a simple pause for breath.

108

:

Have you ever been in a choir?

109

:

I was in the bountiful high madrigals,

and I learned that when a comma

110

:

appeared in the lyrics this was

when we took our breath together.

111

:

The comma is like the sah, pause

for breath, the purpose of a pause.

112

:

Pause a ponder, pause to pray, pause

to praise, pause to plan, pause, to

113

:

prioritize the power of the pause, not

to talk louder or longer, but to learn

114

:

to pause and let the truth sink in.

115

:

Clarity comes in the pause.

116

:

Clarity.

117

:

Comes in the pause just recently

on a very crazy mission day.

118

:

Ah, another one.

119

:

They all are.

120

:

I was on an errand taking Tondo to

the doctor's office for her mission

121

:

medical exam while waiting, not

so patiently in the waiting room.

122

:

I notice this saying on the

wall Titled, practice the pause.

123

:

Pause before judging.

124

:

When in doubt, pause.

125

:

When angry.

126

:

Pause.

127

:

Pause before assuming when tired.

128

:

Pause when stressed.

129

:

Pause, pause before accusing, pause

whenever you're about to react

130

:

harshly and you'll avoid doing and

saying things you'll later regret.

131

:

And during the pause, pray.

132

:

Isn't that wonderful to choose, to

love, to forgive, to respond with

133

:

grace, to find joy or maybe even the

laughter in the humor of the moment,

134

:

to see the beauty and to be able

to behold others as God sees them.

135

:

And how about pausing to pray,

to let the Holy Ghost guide you?

136

:

This pause takes practice.

137

:

I'm sure it's something I will

be practicing all my life.

138

:

So I've decided friends that to help

you along this journey of practicing the

139

:

pause, include a guided meditation, a

little something to listen to, preferably

140

:

on a walk, but fit it in wherever you can,

driving your car or sitting in stillness.

141

:

It's meant to help you

in the busyness of life.

142

:

Practicing hitting the pause button, zzz.

143

:

Between stimulus and response our

way, that magic wand to freeze,

144

:

to open that space where you meet

God in the stillness or the pause

145

:

Good morning.

146

:

I am creating this meditation

as I walk out in the fields of.

147

:

Greg Goose, if you follow my

Instagram post of my mission.

148

:

I mentioned this field many times as

well as I have here on the podcast where

149

:

I run with the Wilder, bes, the zebras,

the bless bucks, the spring bucks,

150

:

and

151

:

this place has become very sacred to me.

152

:

Not just because of what it is, but

it is a place where I have walked

153

:

and talked with God and prayers.

154

:

I've brought my broken

heart and my broken things.

155

:

I've also have felt such incredible joys.

156

:

I've watched sunrises and sunsets

and thunder and lightning storms

157

:

and just the little things.

158

:

But you don't have to be in South

Africa to experience those things.

159

:

You can experience it

anywhere you are in the world.

160

:

I believe you can find the beauty God's

hand, his voice anywhere that you are.

161

:

And so this takes practice, though

we're all learning, we are all just

162

:

infants in this mortal experience.

163

:

Learning how to manage the brain and

its thoughts and the triggers and the

164

:

stimuluses and how to respond, how to.

165

:

Pause for that moment, for the spirit to

move in and guide and direct us how to

166

:

recognize those sensations in our body.

167

:

It's all about practicing that noticing

being present in our bodies and in

168

:

our minds and our spirits, that we

can be the master of our response.

169

:

And I think, like I said,

this is something we'll do

170

:

until our journey is through.

171

:

So how do we do this?

172

:

How do we practice the pause?

173

:

I believe we use the

breath as this vehicle.

174

:

So if you would.

175

:

Start with either getting in a posture of

prayer and meditation, or if you're like

176

:

me and you'd like to just walk and meander

through nature and appreciate the beauty

177

:

around you, maybe you're driving in a car.

178

:

Doesn't matter because we are

hitting stimuluses and triggers

179

:

no matter where we are every day.

180

:

So find the breath, the breath in

through the nose, expanding your belly.

181

:

Feel things slow down.

182

:

Exhale through the nose.

183

:

If it's been a hard day,

your first exhale can be a.

184

:

Ah,

185

:

good sigh.

186

:

And as we exhale, we're letting

go let's pay attention to what's

187

:

going on, the sensations, Things

that we're sensing in our body.

188

:

I believe we each have our place

where we feel the triggers.

189

:

Maybe a tight throat, Clint's jaw tight

fist or shoulders tightness closed off.

190

:

That's what we're.

191

:

Trying to sense where in

your body when you are

192

:

triggered or you hit that

stimulus, where do you sense it?

193

:

And just carry the breath, the attention

to that space as you breathe in.

194

:

Just allow it.

195

:

Now not all triggers and all stimulus

is negative or dark It's sometimes

196

:

it's an anticipation of joy.

197

:

Maybe it's a grief and overwhelming of.

198

:

So much that needs to be done.

199

:

It doesn't always necessarily have to be

200

:

trauma.

201

:

In fact, let's, let's kind of skip

around the big Ts today in this practice.

202

:

Let's stay with just the small

little stimulus that then

203

:

triggers, let's practice there.

204

:

No need to practice on

the high dives today.

205

:

Breathing in

206

:

if you'd like to imagine

breathing in light,

207

:

the light of Christ,

208

:

and begin as you would.

209

:

Prayer in his name, inviting

him to walk with you,

210

:

to be with you in this moment of teaching,

211

:

of practicing

212

:

opening up

213

:

your mind and your heart to receive.

214

:

Focusing on that space

215

:

in your body that has felt closed

or tight, and opening and allowing

216

:

that light to pour in, receive

it with abundance, gratitude.

217

:

And as you exhale,

218

:

we're not only gonna exhale and release

and let go chasing out darkness.

219

:

Slowing down busyness and

spinning the chatter in the brain.

220

:

But we're also gonna release with

gratitude for those very things

221

:

because in the darkness and the

chatter and the spinning and the noise

222

:

is something to be learned.

223

:

Something to be gained,

224

:

something that gives you practice,

225

:

so release with such gratitude.

226

:

I thank me.

227

:

And to practice.

228

:

The pause

229

:

is different than pushing the pause button

on a tape recorder where nothing happens.

230

:

There's a lot that happens in the pause.

231

:

A lot of restoring

232

:

or restoring that calm.

233

:

A lot of clarity.

234

:

To be able to see things like step

back and really view the situation,

235

:

not only just view it for what

it is, loving and accepting

236

:

as it is, but viewing it

237

:

has, God would want you to view it

238

:

the lesson.

239

:

His hand, his grace.

240

:

You are doing great.

241

:

Breathing in and out through

the nose, receiving, releasing.

242

:

Pausing.

243

:

And then I have a question for you.

244

:

How do you sense the

Holy Spirit in your life?

245

:

And let's take yourself there.

246

:

Music written word.

247

:

Nature

248

:

sensation in your body

whisper warmth in the heart,

249

:

and you think back

250

:

on a moment

251

:

when you felt that you

felt the spirit move.

252

:

Within you,

253

:

you felt loved,

254

:

and how does that feel in your body?

255

:

Where do you sense that?

256

:

Practicing.

257

:

The pause is

258

:

just another extension of practicing

the mindfulness of being present.

259

:

how the light and the love and

the peace, how we sense it in our

260

:

bodies, our spirits, our souls.

261

:

We only know that from knowing what

the opposite feels like, the darkness,

262

:

the confusion, pain, the sorrow,

263

:

and knowing

264

:

how to choose.

265

:

There is a divine light within us.

266

:

Every one of us, there's a divine love.

267

:

Sometimes we forget and we respond

in those moments, having forgotten.

268

:

So this is a good place,

a safe place to pause

269

:

remember

270

:

that you are loved,

271

:

you have a divine mission, purpose, light,

272

:

and that within you lies such

incredible abilities, potential.

273

:

To love to shine, to

give, to serve, to lift

274

:

our savior.

275

:

Jesus Christ,

276

:

appreciated and new how to pause.

277

:

Remember, the pause is not

278

:

static.

279

:

It's not emptiness.

280

:

It's full.

281

:

It's full of prayers, full of pondering,

282

:

sah, breathe,

283

:

cah.

284

:

Pray.

285

:

Cah, receive the Holy Ghost

286

:

Cah

287

:

Act

288

:

and move forward.

289

:

with a steadfastness with kindness

full of that divine light.

290

:

Thank you for being with me today

291

:

Gui and I thank you for your time.

292

:

What a blessing to walk

together on this journey.

293

:

We love you and wish you the

peace promised by our savior.

294

:

Thanks friends, I'll see you on the trail.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Creative Spiritual Journey

About the Podcast

Creative Spiritual Journey
one small, deliberate step at a time
We are all on a journey—a journey home to our heavenly parents. Any experienced traveler knows there are days you laugh and days you cry.

We aren’t here to tell you how to live—we are here to share how we live—how we survive, thrive, and even find joy!

The journey gets messy with rainstorms and sleepless flights but the hard times—the miserable times—those make the best stories.

And the vistas, the sunsets, the little birds outside the window—those are the reminders that God is in the details, he is aware of us, he has trod the path before.

The Creative Spiritual Journey Podcast is hosted by Judy and Ghia Cooley—two sisters in their wisdom years—who love the savior and are dedicated to making this journey one small, deliberate step at a time.

Join us!

About your host

Profile picture for Ghia Cooley

Ghia Cooley