Pause for a Moment (introduction to my new book)

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When I was a teenager, a particular book deeply affected my life. I was an inquisitive boy with a growing interest in the meaning of life, but the society in which I grew up, at least it seemed to me, didn’t care so much about this. I felt alone. I had so many questions and didn’t know anyone who could answer them. That’s when I found the Enchiridion of Epictetus*, a manual for living. It felt like drinking a glass of fresh water when you are really thirsty. I was finally given some answers to my many questions and some guidance on how to live.

Within my possibilities, this is where I would like to go with this book and offer some guidance to those seeking direction. It started with a compilation of some of the thoughts and reflections I have sent to an online group I coordinate, that I later rewrote and elaborated.

In today’s world, we rarely give ourselves time to stop chasing our never-ending desires in order to delve deeper and reflect on life. Who am I, really? What am I doing here? Why all of this? What is its meaning? Why do I suffer? Is there a way out of it?

That was the main reason for having the group: to help people pause for a moment, and either find some silence or go above and beyond everyday practicalities and think about some of these questions. My hope is that this book will have a similar effect, with the added benefit of pulling us away from a screen. Keep it by your bed or take it in your bag and, once in a while, wherever you are, take a brief pause, open it, and read. If a thought doesn’t speak to you, let it go. But if it finds you in the right moment, let your mind briefly rise above your daily problems and ponder its meaning, allowing yourself to discover a different perspective on life.

These reflections are not truths, but rather points of view, and since they are so short they only express one particular point of view. Try to take them as they are, without immediately agreeing or disagreeing and, instead, try to understand the perspective the thought is coming from.

What is written in this book has been written in a myriad of other ways, for thousands of years, in ancient traditions, various religions, and modern teachings. For me, these reflections are not intellectual exercises, nor smart or witty sayings, but rather viewpoints based on lived realities, coming from years of intellectual study, multiple experiences, and lots of suffering. They are the way I learned—and keep learning—to see myself and the world, ways that have transformed the way I live my life as a family member, as a friend, as a teacher, as a human being, as a wave in this amazing ocean of existence.

A few of these thoughts focus on practical, everyday applications, suggesting you to try them out; others give a direct explanation of experiences, encouraging you to open your heart to them. And several of them are thoughts introducing profound ideas, prompting you to reflect on them and dive deeper into the direction they are pointing towards.

We all search for peace and happiness in our lives, and the most obvious way we look for them is by trying to get what we want and avoiding what we do not; but because of the changing nature of life, any satisfaction that comes from this approach doesn’t last. The answer to finding true happiness goes beyond the never ending wants of our body and mind; it lies in the recognition of a dimension that is found at the core of what we are, at the very essence of ourselves. In these pages I call it Being, presence, awareness, soul or several other names.

To recognize this Being, we need to be, to a certain extent, alert, open, at peace. This is the focus of this book – learning how to relax our bodies and minds to recognize the beautiful Being that we are.

I hope you find meaning and guidance in this book. It is made out of love and a sincere desire to be a handy companion on your journey.

With love, Carlos

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*Greek Stoic philosopher (c. 50 – c. 135 AD)