Is a Pause Needed?

Being in the present moment today is proving to be a challenging task. There are so many distractions pulling us away from even a single moment to pause — the pause turns into a phone moment, checking Instagram, dopamine spiking. I am just as guilty.

When I first heard about Instagram, I thought it was so silly — sitting on the phone flipping through images, what a waste of time. Before I knew it, I was sucked into the machine. Yes, that is how I see it: a machine that reads into our interests, studies what we like and don’t like. If I spend time watching something, the same topic will follow over and over from unknown posters, and one gets drawn in even more.

Instagram all of a sudden became the point of reference for everything, including the reassurance of our ego. Posts are like waiting for grades — how many likes did it get? — depending entirely on that outer validation.

Is this where yoga comes in? As we drift away from the now, constantly pulled in various directions, as the “I am not enough” mantra sings loud and clear — is it fed yet again by this machine of enslavement and control?

So what does yoga have to do with it?

Well… some might go to yoga for physical exercise, for a tuned body, and to have some great photos taken in a complicated pretzel position that can impress its viewers — which, of course, has to be uploaded to Instagram. Did we miss the point? Some would argue that it’s an entry point, a way to inspire people to come and try yoga. What I am seeing — without sounding too judgmental (which perhaps I am…) — is that we are yet again pulled away from the present moment.

The now. A gift so precious. We barely have time for ourselves, to stop, to tune inwards — not to the external world, but to our inner world, a deep and mysterious place that is so fascinating as we move through its layers. I cannot help but feel excited and mystified by what comes out of the moments in practice and beyond.

Layers and layers, stories we hold on to, only to later prove themselves as illusion — stories that no longer have meaning or serve us. We need to look at them, drop what is no longer of use, find what resonates and is our essence. To see all the dots connecting, all the elements: spirit, nature, the physical world and all its content. Nothing is separate.

The act of self-exploration can be very exhausting. We see things we don’t like, we reject parts of ourselves, and we lack the tools to accept and surrender. That can feel very lonely and isolating.

So coming back to yoga — why is it helpful in our chaotic world?

First of all, a regular practice creates discipline, and discipline carries real value. We recognise and salute ourselves for the achievement — a genuine sense of wellbeing. Yoga moves the body and connects the breath. To me, yoga is awareness: a place where my thoughts are directed toward sensation and breath. I am present.

What does presence give? A sense of stillness, peace, and focus. A homecoming — because now I am at home in my body, watching myself as an observer. Not as my identity, but curiously looking inside.

So where does that leave us with the phone and its distractions? Is it yet another tool pulling us away from ourselves and our inner wisdom? Is it possible to simply step away for a moment — leave it all behind, just for a breath — and be with ourselves in the here and now? Without the next post, without the notifications, without the plan?

The pause is not a luxury. It might be the most honest thing we do all day.