Sacred Pause

I want to call your attention to an article entitled "Meditation In Action: Learning To Take A Sacred Pause" by Ronald Alexander. Here's an excerpt:

Meditation in Action is at its core learning to take a mindful or sacred pause and self regulate the "fight or flight" aspect of your nervous system, which can effect positive changes in the neuronal pathways to the amygdala, the walnut-sized area in the center of the brain responsible for regulating emotions. When the amygdala is relaxed, the parasympathetic nervous system engages to counteract the anxiety response. Instead, it activates what we call the relaxation or healing response, when the heart rate lowers, breathing deepens and slows, and the body stops releasing cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream; these stress hormones provide us with quick energy in times of danger but have damaging effects on the body in the long term if they're too prevalent. In mindfulness you learn to slow down and to take your body's pulse.

It's not a long article and so I recommend that you click through. A very helpful strategy for dealing with stress is also offered.
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