Where did this idea come from?
This is an idea that many people have probably thought of or wished for: Everyone on the planet stopping to see themselves and each other for a day; a moment to ask ourselves and our world,”Who are we and where are we headed?” As of December 2017, someone who also got the idea began taking action toward making it happen.
What about people who are clearly unable to pause?
We recognize and honor all those for whom a 24 hour pause is truly not possible. We encourage all who are called to participate to do so in a way that honors your individual needs – whatever that looks like. Pausing for the full 24 hours is not necessary to be a part of this day, and for some, the realization of being unable or not supported to participate may provide valuable insight toward necessary change. Those of us who have the privilege of being able to participate in this day are encouraged to take part in support of those who do not.
What am I supposed to do on this day?
There is no right or wrong way to participate in DOP; nothing you’re ‘supposed to do’ or not do. DOP is not about formal meditation, or any specific kind of reflective practice, nor is it explicitly against these or any other practice. At the heart of this day is the opportunity to do something differently: to come back into more intimate contact with ourselves and our environments, allowing each of us to decide what we truly desire in each moment of this 24 hour period. This means that the contents of this day will look differently for everyone. It may be helpful to keep a journal close by during the day.
I have responsibilities and can’t just stop for a day. How can I participate?
We hear you. So much has been invested in this world to ensure we are too busy to stop long enough to question the way we live our lives, that for many of us, taking part in this day may seem an impossibility. In fact, the sheer struggle for most of us in being able to participate is in itself one of the driving factors behind creating this day. If you are drawn to participate, but feel overwhelmed or don’t know where to start:
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Remember that there is strength in numbers. Consider who you may be able to call upon to support you in participating. Join the Facebook group, start a conversation, and be part of the discussion leading up to this day.
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Know that this day is for you, and will look differently for everyone. Is there a way for you participate for at least part of the day? Is there a way for you to infuse the intention of DOP into tasks that you are unable to do away with?
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Simply notice what you’re feeling – be it anger, fear, doubt, anxiety, hopelessness, or anything in between – and see if you can be present to it. Whatever it is you’re feeling, be kind to yourself. The day has yet to arrive, and what seems impossible now may shift with time. Put the intention out there that you want to participate. This is part of what will make this event even more powerful for you, and millions of others. If nothing else, help share the DOP info video or tell others about this day.
Is a day like this even necessary?
If you’e wondering why humanity needs a new direction, consider the following:
– On January 21, 2016, National Geographic made the announcement that Bolivia’s second largest lake had officially dried up, yet the top world news story of the day was how plunging oil prices were sending stock markets into a nosedive.
– On October 3rd, 2017, the United States voted against a United Nations resolution which condemned the use of the death penalty as punishment for consensual gay relations, while the internet buzzed hotly from the millions of searches for how rock star Tom Petty died.
– On March 9th, 2018 the official count of vaquita porpoises was released (only 12 remaining), yet Google shows on that day there was vastly more interest in which carriage Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would use for their royal wedding.
– On April 15th, 2019, within hours of the fire that destroyed much of Notre Dame cathedral, donors pledged more than $1 billion to restore the building to its former glory, while the Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan reported receiving only 15% of the required funds necessary to care for 24.1 million people in desperate need of humanitarian aid.
We as a global society are long overdue in directly asking ourselves the question, “Who have we become and where are we headed?” It’s a question that is posed often, yet at most it becomes an editorial in a newspaper or blog, or maybe an interesting debate on a radio show that is witnessed by some, inspires a few, yet mostly goes unnoticed or ignored by the rest of us. Consider the possibility that many of us are not wanting to stop and ask ourselves this crucial question because the honest answer is too scary or painful to admit. For many of us, our response is to make ourselves incredibly busy—too busy to ask this question and too busy to answer it. Day of Pause is about the choice to interrupt that busyness, and find what’s underneath.
What am I supposed to do differently after DOP?
Only you can answer this question, and you might find that it is best answered by letting it go, and waiting to notice how you feel after this day. Keep an open mind, and you may be surprised by the answers that come to you.
Is this some sort of religious movement or a cult?
No. Day of Pause is not affiliated with any particular religion or movement, and we welcome and encourage people of all belief systems and backgrounds to participate.
How should I address this with my employer?
Ultimately, addressing this with your employer will be different for everyone, and depend on many different factors– including how safe you feel to be honest with them. Can you be frank about how your participation in this day is important to you? If applicable to you, you may wish to check with your fellow employees to see if they wish to participate also, which could lend support and/or credibility to your request. It’s possible your employer may also want to participate. And of course, for many this will come as a significant challenge. We stand with you. Reach out to the organizers, or start a conversation in the Facebook group for support.
What time does it start?
People around the globe are invited to begin their pause upon waking on May 20th, 2020, and end it at bedtime. Because it all happens on May 20th, everyone will be “Paused” collectively for twelve hours, beginning at 12PM GMT.
Am I supposed to be alone on this day?
Not necessarily, though you may wish to begin the day being alone, if that is possible and wanted. If being alone is not possible, consider that your interactions with those within your proximity can be part of your experience. Pausing may help you notice how much you want connection with others, or need space from others.
What if it doesn’t change anything?
Consider that, just because you are reading about Day of Pause in this moment, some kind of change may already be taking place for you, and therefore some kind of change may already be taking place in the world. Each and every one of us is a network: If you take into account that each of us is connected, on average, with at least 100 people, and each of those 100 people are connected with another 100, very quickly our own potential to influence the world becomes clear.
At the same time, Day of Pause is not about creating any specific type of change, but to open up space for change to become possible. One way to look at this is as though you have a map in front of you, and you’re drawing a route toward the change you want to see. It’s not possible to plot a course without knowing where you are on that map to begin with. On Day of Pause, we pause in order to better determine our starting point on the map, in terms of who we are and what is most important to us. Rather than rushing off to our next destination, we stop to notice our true surroundings. The idea is that when we pause our conditioned impulse to rush, what is truly important has a better chance of revealing itself.