Advent, advent
...the contemplative time of pausing, silence and conscious enjoyment
Really? Or rather the time when gift lists are being worked through, deadlines are pressing and the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle turns into stress?
In the midst of these hectic days, I remember a special October day in the Spessart. It made me realise again how beneficial it can be to consciously pause for a moment - and how quickly we lose sight of it in everyday life.
The morning mist lay still between the trees, autumn-coloured leaves rustled under my feet and prayer flags waved softly in the wind. I had travelled to a retreat, my head full of unfinished tasks. Meditation was on the agenda in the morning and archery in the afternoon. Not as a competition, but as an exercise in letting go.
‘Try not to judge’ and “The goal is already within you” - these impulses opened up a new perspective for me: archery as a meditative experience.
First we aimed classically at the centre, then at a simple target - without rings, without judgement. No external goals, no self-imposed expectations. It wasn't about performing or achieving anything - and certainly not about perfection.
The more I let go, the clearer my head became. The movement became a meditation: tension and relaxation, pausing and letting go. Simply being in the moment.
When I get caught up in the pre-Christmas rush today, I return to this experience. The disc without a destination has become an inner anchor - a reminder that we can consciously decide to let go: Expectations, pressure, all the unnecessary.
And then I feel it again - my inner clarity and calm. During a break with tea and biscuits, a heartfelt conversation or a mindful winter walk, the magic of Advent comes back to me.
What helps you to calm down and savour the moment during Advent? What expectations or to-dos can you simply ignore this year?
