We believe that our relationship with ourselves determines the nature and success of all our relationships. Through simple mindfulness and movement it is possible to reconnect to our full potential as happy and creative people in a successful relationship with life.
Move Pause Restore is an initiative to help people reconnect with themselves in an authentic way through mindfulness and compassionate understanding.
We recognise that everyone's needs and preferences are unique when it comes to reducing stress and enhancing quality of life. That's why we offer a range of personalised services and programs, including mindfulness, movement, massage, and personal development. Our goal is to help you achieve optimal well-being by tailoring our services to your individual needs.
Move Pause Restore
Dear Mindful Community,
Confession time: I almost forgot it was our fortnightly get-together this week. “Forgot” isn’t quite right—I did think about it, but was convinced it was next week. Time flies...
So, here we are, with a late reminder to join us for tomorrow’s mindfulness session. Details are below.
This week’s theme is: letting go.
A little spring clean for the mind.
What ideas or beliefs are we still carrying around that no longer serve us? What unspoken “rules” are we following automatically—rules that, if examined, might turn out to be redundant at best, or harmful at worst?
What limitations could we release, if we truly felt empowered to choose?
There’s no right or wrong answer. It’s personal. And yet, there are some beliefs that show up again and again in many of us. Like:
“I’m not good enough.”
How many of our thoughts and behaviours are quietly driven by this foundational idea?
Or maybe it’s something else for you.
“The world isn’t fair.”
“People can’t be trusted.”
What happens when we operate from these places? How do they shape our decisions, our relationships, and the way we show up?
We didn’t install these beliefs consciously—most of them were written into our operating system when we were very young. But just because we didn’t put them there, doesn’t mean they aren’t ours to work with now.
We do have a choice—every day—to reinforce OR to rewrite them.
It takes time, and effort, but pause for a moment (literally, now) and consider:
How might your life feel different if you truly believed, at your core, that you ARE good enough?
Let that vision become your motivation to start rewriting the old narrative.
What if the world is fair?
What if people can be trusted?
Try on these beliefs like you would a new outfit. See how they feel, and over time, we can gradually build a whole new wardrobe.
Now, I can already hear some of you - along with my own cautious voice - offering the big “buuuut”:
“But the world isn’t fair ALL the time.”
“People can’t be trusted ALL the time.”
“I’m not good enough ALL the time.”
Fair point. But when these thoughts arise, try asking this liberating question:
“Compared to what?”
This takes us away from dualistic comparisons and aligns us with the present moment as it is. When we resist reality, we often assume things should be different. That somehow, in this moment, the universe—with its 13.9 billion years of momentum—has unfolded incorrectly.
This reminds me of a quote from Byron Katie:
“When we argue with the universe, we lose—but only 100% of the time.”
This week the practice is to let your frustrations point you inward. They might reveal a deeper belief worth releasing. And with practice, we can begin to let go of the old, and welcome in the new.
It is spring, after all.
I’d love for you to join us for our live Midweek Mindfulness.
Join Zoom Meeting ID: 683 957 9219
Yours mindfully,
Paul
1 year ago | [YT] | 0
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Move Pause Restore
The themes of these newsletters are shaped by both the world around me and the experiences unfolding within me. This week, it’s a bit of both—love has come up in ways I couldn’t ignore.
Part 1: Love Without Direction
We often talk about loving ourselves or loving others as if they are separate things. Some of us find it easier to be kinder to others than to ourselves while others may struggle to extend love in any direction. These insights hold some truth—we can often be more forgiving, more generous, and judge others less harshly than we judge ourselves.
But real love doesn’t make these distinctions.
There is no love of others that is separate from ourselves, and no self-love that stands apart from the love we extend outward. This idea is captured in a quote that came up this week:
Real love has no direction.
What does that mean? How do we reach that kind of love?
It’s not something we need to chase. It’s already here, beneath the noise—beneath judgment, anger, fear, and division. When all of that falls away, what remains is love. Not a love that moves toward or away from anything, but a love that simply is.
If love has a direction, it’s no longer real love—it becomes transactional, conditional. If we’re pushing love away from ourselves or directing it only toward certain people, we’re caught in a version of love shaped by rules, expectations, and limitations. But real love doesn’t have those layers. It’s already here, just waiting for us to notice it.
Part 2: Love in the Wild
This week, I saw that love in action.
It was in a small group of men who stared fear in the face and spoke their truths with absolute courage—breaking through walls of shame and silence. I witnessed the deep connection that formed in that space, love revealed itself. No judgment. No pretending. Just real people, carrying heavy loads, doing their best.
I truly realised what is meant by the phrase, 'Love Conquers All'.
And I hope if you’re reading this, you know how proud I am of you.
Letting Love In
We will still judge—it’s human, and sometimes even useful. But when we can also let love in, we bring peace not just to our own hearts, but to the world we share.
Take a breath, and let the mind stop dividing—between you and me, between this and that. Love is already here.
Thank you for being here with me.
1 year ago | [YT] | 0
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Move Pause Restore
Dear Mindful Community,
I remember the first time I noticed. I was in a room, alone, reading a book by Eckhart Tolle, ‘A New Earth’. He was talking about ‘presence’, and something clicked. I suddenly realised there was a dimension of experience, or being, that I had been ignoring for my whole life until this point.
For the first time in my life, I felt the life in me.
I recognised that at the most fundamental level, that what ‘I am’, is life itself...
Now the word "spirituality" can often conjure up different ideas - the mystical, the supernatural, or the esoteric. To be honest, I sometimes find myself cringing at the word. It can feel so loaded with preconceptions and expectations. However, the spirituality we're exploring today is much more grounded - it is about directly experiencing the very fabric of our human existence.
The spirituality I am speaking of has nothing to do with gods, ghosts, or gurus. It is simply about recognising and understanding the nature of our own conscious experience.
So rather than get caught up in conceptual definitions, it is best to approach this with fresh eyes and an open mind...
You see, our usual way of navigating the world is through the lens of thoughts, labels, and preferences. We analyse and interpret the sensory information flowing into us through sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. We layer these perceptions with stories, judgments, and emotional reactions.
Significantly, we are operating on a daily basis from a mostly reactionary state and we spend more of our lives in our minds than in the world.
But underlying all of this is something much more fundamental - the very light of awareness itself. Without this illuminating presence, none of our experiences could arise at all. It is the essential backdrop upon which the entire fabric of our reality is suspended.
We can explore this further through a simple exercise. Notice the light around you, light from the sun or artificial sources is lighting up all that you can see. In a moment close your eyes and notice the darkness. You may not have noticed the darkness before, we usually just accept it and switch off. But exploring this we can ask..What is it that is aware of this darkness? What is ‘lighting’ up this darkness?
In the same way that we are more focussed on the words that we're reading than the page itself; we often become so absorbed in the contents of our experience that we overlook the very space in which it all arises. Without the space of this page, then the words have no place to be.
In the same way the sky is the space for the clouds, awareness is the space for experience - and it's so obvious to see, it’s very easy to overlook it.
Yet this awareness has no edges, no boundaries, and no definable qualities. It is not a "thing" that can be grasped. It is the seamless field of consciousness in which all experiences arise and dissolve. And the benefits? Well, next time you encounter a strong emotion or sensation; ask yourself - is my awareness of this pain, in pain? Or awareness of this anxiety, anxious? This isn't to be confused with avoiding or evading difficult experience but it gives us space around them, to be compassionate with them.
This is the essence of what is often called "enlightenment" - not some extraordinary state of consciousness, but the direct recognition of what has always been present. It is the realisation that you are not just your thoughts, emotions, or perceptions, but the boundless awareness in which they all unfold.
The light at the end of the tunnel is not something separate from you, but the very light of your own being. It is not something to be attained or achieved, but rather the most obvious and ever-present reality of your existence.
There's nothing spiritual about this awakening - it is the most fundamental aspect of the human experience. It is not about ascending to some higher realm, but about fully embracing and embodying the nature of what you already are. It is about coming home to the simplicity of your own conscious presence.
So set aside any preconceived notions about spirituality or enlightenment. Instead, become curious about the nature of your own awareness. Explore it, question it, and allow it to reveal itself to you. For in doing so, you may just discover the profound truth that has been staring you in the face all along.
I warmly invite you to join us as usual using the link below, and please feel free to share it with anyone who might be interested.
Yours Mindfully,
Paul
Sign up here: www.move-pause-restore.com/community
2 years ago | [YT] | 3
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Move Pause Restore
🫨 We can all get overwhelmed by negativity at times.
🌍 This is a very common part of the human experience - it may even be something to be grateful for as our tendency to focus on 'What's not quite right' may have been what governed our success as a species through evolution.
😞 But living with a negative mindset can be a drag and it can become habitual.
😳 When our focus slips into 'what's not right' then all we see is that what's not right.
🙏 Fortunately there is an answer.
During our Midweek Mindfulness session this week, we will discover:
1. How to recognise and nurture the innate goodness in ourselves.
2. How this brings about a sense of goodness in our perceptions and behaviours and the world.
3. Why it's so easy to overlook the goodness that we are.
Click the link below to join us - 7pm Wed 28 Jun 23 BST
us06web.zoom.us/j/6839579219
3 years ago | [YT] | 0
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Move Pause Restore
Do something together.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, let's break the stigma surrounding anxiety and take action to #ToHelpMyAnxiety.
Whether it's talking to a friend, seeking professional help, or practicing self-care, let's prioritise our mental health and support each other through the journey. Remember, you are not alone, and there is always hope for healing and growth. Let's spread awareness, understanding, and compassion for those who are struggling with anxiety. Together, we can make a difference. ❤️
Stay tuned for our live and on-demand events - How Move Pause Restore is Supporting the community this MHAW!
#mentalhealthawarenessweek #anxietyawareness #mentalhealthmatters
3 years ago | [YT] | 3
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Move Pause Restore
Improve your mindset?
This week we talk about Rule 2: "Each step I take is an opportunity for growth; there are no wrong turns." This rule reminds us to let go of the past and focus on the present moment to cultivate inner peace and personal growth. We often get caught up in unhealthy emotional relationships with the past, which prevents us from living fully in the present.
Living in alignment with our thoughts, actions, and reality is essential for harmony and inner peace. However, most people do not live in alignment. By treating each mistake and situation as a moment of learning and growth, we can become unstoppable forces for good.
To cultivate this perspective, mindfulness practice can help. Instead of clinging to the past or expecting meditation to follow a straight path, we can observe each moment as it unfolds without preference, expectation, or judgment.
Join us for a free online mindset and mindfulness session this Wednesday at 7pm to learn how to cultivate inner peace and personal growth.
#mindfulness #personaldevelopment #innerpeace #growthmindset #mindsetreset #mindsetmatters #selfimprovement #mentalhealthawareness #meditation #mindfulnesspractice #freeevent
Register for the free online mindset and mindfulness session by clicking the link in our bio. 🙌💻
3 years ago | [YT] | 4
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