The Power to Pause

Chiang Rai’s White Temple – How slowing down reveals what’s always been there.

Chiang Rai’s White Temple, a blend of traditional Thai architecture and contemporary art, invites visitors to pause and reflect on spirituality and wisdom.

I was designated to train a pool of paralegals at a time when I was already traveling. Just as I was beginning to feel comfortable with my role at work, I was assigned a new task, one I found both exciting and daunting: to teach and train people in what I do. Of all moments, why did it have to be when I was on the move, shifting from one place to another?

I imagined the hassle of facing the camera, needing to look prim and proper. At least I could wear pajamas below the screen and a neat top above, comb my hair, and appear professional. I accepted the challenge anyway. At that moment, I realized this was also a chance to shift from being a routine real estate paralegal to stepping into the role of a trainer. It reminded me of my teaching days back at university. As a professor, you put on your act, whether ready or not.

During this phase of travel, I chose to linger in Chiang Mai, which eventually led me north to Chiang Rai and its remarkable White Temple, just over 110 miles, about a three-to-four-hour drive from Chiang Mai. This mirrored the transitions I was making at work. I chose not to rush onward but to stay still - to pause.

I had been cramming, trying to rehearse for my teaching sessions. I had not spoken in front of others in a long time, and the thought of being unable to answer questions haunted me. What could be more humiliating than teaching something and not knowing the answers? All the fears of my past failures seemed to resurrect.

Then my mentor gave me a phrase that changed everything: “Use the power of pause.”

It is okay not to have the answer right away. It is okay to halt, to breathe, to let the universe have its turn. That shifted something inside me. Instead of dreading Q&As, I opened them up. When I didn’t know the answer, I invited others to respond. Suddenly, it became collaborative. I realized that pausing not only gave me grace but also gave space for others’ wisdom to enter.

Fresh marigold garlands and greenery, traditional offerings found outside the White Temple, symbolizing respect and devotion in Thai culture.

Chiang Rai timidly reinforced this lesson. The White Temple stood before me in pristine intricacy, every curve, every detail glowing under the sun. Unlike the gold and reds of other temples I’d seen across Thailand, this one was entirely white, almost otherworldly.

I stood still. I paused.

In that pause, I learned to admire the smallest carvings, the delicate mirrors shimmering in the walls, the artistry I might have missed if I had hurried through. I noticed the labor of love and creativity put into this masterpiece.

As I read about this temple later, I learned that it is not ancient like many others I’d bowed before. It’s a modern creation, designed by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat in the late 1990s. Its pure white symbolizes the Buddha’s purity, while the tiny mirrored mosaics sparkle like fragments of wisdom reflecting light. It is open to the public, to be admired, to invite pause, and to say an intention. In its intricate beauty, I learned that pausing allows us to see details we’d otherwise miss.

Just like in work, just like in life - the details reveal themselves only when we pause long enough to notice. A pause can be as simple as catching the morning air, feeling your skin, or seeing leaves change with the season. Wherever we are, these little pauses root us firmly in the now.

The White Temple reminded me that when we pause, the world has a way of revealing its quiet truths.

Of love, spirits, and travels,

Nisa Opalla

I noticed these yellow-flowered trees while traveling the road to Chiang Rai. It has been a beautiful pause on the journey.

PS: When was the last time you paused long enough to notice something small yet extraordinary?