The Power of the Pause - by Jillian Pransky (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

To achieve connection, peace, growth, and contentment, all that is required is ninety seconds. It just takes a pause to rewrite old and unhelpful narratives and step away from harmful habits and step into a space where listening to the mind and body with kindness is possible. The Power of the Pause teaches how to slow down reactive thought patterns, be gentle, and to take actions that benefit not just the self, but the surrounding community and even the world. Respected yoga and meditation expert Jillian Pransky provides the tools for readers to take advantage of this urgent and essential skill--the medicine we truly need for these chaotic times. Intertwined with testimony from leading neuroscientists, social justice activists, and others who speak to why stepping away from reactivity is the key to breaking down both personal and global conflicts, The Power of the Pause is a crucial resource for those who feel overwhelmed by the myriad difficulties that may seem unsurmountable in our current age.

Review Quotes

"The Power of the Pause is compelling, compassionate, and creatively practical and inspiring."--Daniel J. Siegel, MD, New York Times best-selling author of Brainstorm and co-author of The Whole-Brain Child.

"The Power of the Pause is an absolute gift for anyone who struggles in a world that feels increasingly upside down and inside out. Jillian is like a brilliant friend who so generously walks the path with us, offering simple, yet profound self-care practices of presence, balance, and compassion. Every pause, every conscious breath we take brings us closer to a more loving relationship with ourselves and with each other."--Linda Sparrowe, former editor of Yoga Journal and author of Yoga at Home: Inspiration for Creating Your Own Personal Practice

"The Power of the Pause is a timely book with a timeless message--and such a fun, engaging, easy read. Pausing is a way of inserting a comma in your commentary, opening you to universal wisdom--which is your own innate common sense. There is nothing easier--yet it takes practice. As Jillian says, Pausing is the medicine for our times."--Erich Schiffmann, bestselling author of Moving Into Stillness

"As a clinical psychologist and someone who tends to be driven, I often need reminders to stop pushing and start listening. Jillian Pransky's The Power of the Pause offers exactly that. Her method to Land, Arrive, Relax, Listen, Attend, Respond has become a practical anchor for me. Instead of striving harder, I've found myself practicing the pause: listening to my body, allowing space for what is, and receiving what emerges. This book is both gentle and profound. Seasoned in deep teachings, The Power of the Pause makes stillness accessible for those of us who are conditioned to do more, achieve more, and keep moving. Jillian's book is an immediate path to truth: sometimes our wisest effort is to pause."--Diana Hill, PhD, author of Wise Effort

"Don't act in the heat of the moment. Wisdom passed down through the ages, that's easier said than done. In the face of an emergency, it may seem counterintuitive to pause before you act. But, in the face of a threat or a surge of anger, pausing first is actually a superpower. It increases your capacity to make wise choices. In her book, The Power of the Pause, Jillian Pransky gives us step by step guidance on how to practice doing just that. Don't wait until you're upset to start the practice. This is something you can make a part of your daily routine, any place, anytime, anywhere so that when you are in the heat of a moment you'll be prepared."--Gail Parker, PhD CIAYT, quthor of Restorative Yoga for Ethnic and Race-Based Stress and Trauma and Transforming Ethnic and Race-Based Traumatic Stress with Yoga

"In our relentlessly fast-paced world, Jillian Pransky's The Power of the Pause offers a transformative yet accessible guide to finding calm amid chaos. Drawing on her expertise as a yoga teacher and mindfulness practitioner, Pransky reveals how simple, conscious pauses throughout our day can fundamentally shift our relationship with stress and overwhelm. What sets this book apart is its practical approach--rather than demanding hours of formal meditation, Pransky provides realistic techniques that fit seamlessly into busy lives, whether you're navigating career pressures, family demands, or persistent mental chatter. For anyone seeking greater clarity and connection in daily life, The Power of the Pause is an invaluable companion that proves profound change can come from the smallest moments of awareness."--Shannon Watts, New York Times Best Selling Author of Fired Up

"In this delightful and transformative book (whether through engaging stories or penetrating teachings) Jillian poignantly emphasizes the profound habit of pausing. She opens our hearts and minds to how this inner action can both bring us home to ourselves, as well as coax us to take up residence in the 'wholeness and holiness' of the present moment, and life itself."--Sarah Powers, author of Insight Yoga and co-founder of the Insight Yoga Institute

"In this helpful and easy-to-read book, Jillian Pransky shows how pausing is more than rest--it's an act of self-compassion. By calming the body, resetting the mind, and reconnecting with ourselves, we create the spaciousness needed for resilience, clarity, and genuine well-being."--Kristin Neff, PhD, author of Self-Compassion

"Inviting us to step out of our usual reactivity, Jillian Pransky's The Power of the Pause is a tender guide to total presence. With each practice, we soften tension and open to clarity in order to discover the grace of real responsiveness. If you're seeking calm connection inwardly and outwardly, this book is for you."--Elena Brower, bestselling author of Practice You and Hold Nothing

"Jillian has created a masterful formula for finding inner help and strength in the most trying of moments that seem to arise unexpectedly. Following her simple practices enables one to recover and flourish unscathed in these tumultuous times. You'll enjoy and greatly benefit from this book."--Stephan Rechtschaffen, MD, founder of the Omega Institute and Blue Spirit

"Jillian Pransky shows us that pausing isn't about stopping life--it's about finally being alive for it. Stress, anxiety, and reactivity are not your enemy--they're signals. The Power of the Pause teaches you how to step into those signals, not run from them. Jillian Pransky offers a simple, profound practice that calms your nervous system, sharpens your clarity, and helps you respond instead of react. This is your roadmap to steadiness, presence, and living fully awake."--Sah D'Simone, bestselling author of Spiritually Sassy and Spiritually, We

"Jillian's timing is perfect! Her teachings in The Power of the Pause are just what the world needs right now. And by the world, I mean all of us. Anyone who has had their buttons pushed will be inspired to swap out their old, reflexive responses for these soothing practices. The best part is that Jillian doesn't just tell us what we need to do--be present, breath, open--she shows us exactly how to do it. She reminds us that we already have the tools we need--body, breath and mind--to rewire our relationship with ourselves. And by ourselves, I mean, our whole world."--Cyndi Lee, bestselling author of Yoga Body, Buddha Mind, and May I Be Happy

"Seamlessly blending her wisdom and insights from decades of teaching yoga and meditation, Jillian Pranksy's The Power of Pause supports readers in accessing their internal 'reset buttons' to tap into an embodied experience of relaxation, through practices easily incorporated into daily life."--Sharon Salzberg, author of Real Happiness and Finding Your Way

"The title says it all. The Power of the Pause is a book I'm recommending to all my patients, and here is why: the techniques in this book are the ones I recommend to my clients when they are up in the wee hours of the morning and can't go to sleep. Seriously, get the book, read it, and do the exercises, it will change your life."--Michael J. Breus, PhD DABSM, bestselling author and founder of thesleepdoctor.com

"This book is timely, its subject as pressing as any. The pause is a personal matter, and it's one we need to consider as a collective, probably urgently. Jillian weaves her own story together with those of the people she's helped, brings brain science together with practical guidance, all of it buoyed by a true healer's knowledge and experience. There are a lot of how-to books out there, but what we need right now is a how-not-to book--and this is it. How not to react, how not to give into the 'fear circuitry' that seems to get triggered too fast to be stopped. It can be done. There's a lot of hope in these pages. Clear, gentle, compelling and, in my view, wildly necessary, this book helped me."--Warren Zanes, New York Times bestselling author of Petty: The Biography and Deliver Me from Nowhere

"What a profound invitation to change how we meet the world. Jillian Pransky braids practical instruction, story and science, inviting us into a simple, transformative practice, a lifeline that can help us stay present in our most difficult moments--our most ecstatic moments, too. I love the questions Jillian asks and the examples she offers, leading us again and again toward trusting ourselves and the world that holds us, and developing our ability to respond to what is here with curiosity and integrity."--Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, author of The Unfolding and host of The Poetic Path

"As technology continues to accelerate, many of us are feeling the impact of being bombarded with a seemingly never-ending scroll of frightening information. In this moment, Jillian's work inviting us to pause, land, arrive, and relax is vital. Harbors of peace and deep listening are needed in all times, but particularly in times of profound change and upheaval. For those feeling the call to pause, listen deeply, and live with a full heart, Jillian's work is a precious gift."--Micah Mortali, author of Rewilding and founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership

"Jillian Pransky bestows a timeless, precious gift: the preparation and conditions for listening. Pause allows us to hear the universe to speak, from which the great truth emerges."--Lisa Miller, PhD, Columbia professor and New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and The Awakened Brain

"Jillian's teachings are good medicine for our times. She offers accessible practices that can change the way we listen to ourselves and each other, essential tools at a time when we need them most. I so believe in the work she's doing and have experienced that medicine firsthand."--Dani Shapiro, New York Times bestselling author of Inheritance and host of the podcast Family Secrets

About the Author

Jillian Pransky has taught mindfulness, yoga, and meditation internationally for almost thirty years. She is known for bridging the gap between the body and mind to create immersive experiences that appeal to seasoned yoga and meditation teachers as well as the skeptic who is longing for strategies to reduce pain, trauma, and anxiety in their lives. She has taught at many renowned holistic learning centers including Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health and the Omega Institute, Mohonk Mountain House, and Blue Spirit Retreat Center. Pransky lives in New Jersey with her husband, daughter, and their beloved Muppet-like dog, Sunday.