The Pressure You Stop Noticing
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” —Isaiah 30:15
I’ve been flying since I was 6 months old (my uncle was technically the pilot-in-command). By now, I should know the basics. But even today, after years of flying, I can level off, set the power, establish my airspeed, and then fly for miles with one hand pulling against the yoke. The airplane needs small adjustments. I answer by applying more pressure. I forget to trim the plane properly.
This works for a while. The altitude stays steady, and my passengers have no idea anything is off. But eventually, my shoulder gets tight or my hand starts to ache, and I realize I’ve been fighting with an airplane that doesn’t need to be fought.
A few turns of the trim wheel, and the pressure is gone. The airplane settles into the position I was forcing it to hold. The relief is instant and, honestly, a bit embarrassing. I could have done that ten minutes earlier.
I have begun to wonder how much of my life I fly this way. I know how to make up for things. I can take on more responsibility, absorb someone else’s anxiety, stay late, fix the problem, or keep the peace. I can keep things steady long after they’ve gone out of balance. Sometimes I only notice the strain when my body aches or my patience runs out.
A lot of us learned this when we were young. We got good at reading a room before we knew how to read ourselves. We figured out which truths would start a fight, which needs would weigh down a stressed parent, and which parts of ourselves to hide. Later, people called us responsible, independent, capable, or easygoing. They didn’t see the pressure we carried to keep up that image. Often, we didn’t see it either.
It’s hard to realize that some of our best qualities started as ways to get by. Those strengths deserve respect. They helped us through tough times. But what once protected us can wear us out if we keep using it after things have changed.
You have to re-trim an airplane throughout a flight. A change in power, a new airspeed, lowered flaps, or a shift in weight all change how the plane flies. What worked yesterday won’t work for today’s setup.
Life changes its setup too. The crisis might be over, but our bodies are still tense. The kids might be grown, but we still try to control everything. We might have left the place or relationship that made us afraid to say no, but every request still feels like a test of our value.
I find wisdom about this in several spiritual traditions. Isaiah talks about strength in “returning and rest.” Jesus invites tired people to take on a yoke that doesn’t crush them. Daoism offers wu wei, which is sometimes called “effortless action” or “non-forcing.” This isn’t about being passive. It’s about acting without pushing too hard, and responding to reality instead of fighting it all the time.
Anyone who’s flown an airplane out of trim knows that not forcing things still takes attention. I have to notice what the plane is doing, make an adjustment, and check again. I’m still responsible for the flight. I just stop using muscle to fix a problem that really needs awareness.
Some pressures can’t be adjusted away. Grief is heavy. Caregiving can wear you out. Standing up to injustice takes real effort. Sometimes, keeping things steady really does take strength.
Still, I know I add stress that doesn’t need to be there. I take on responsibilities that should be shared. I keep trying to prove myself to people who aren’t even asking. I brace for dangers that aren’t there anymore.
Maybe you know something about that too.
Today, notice where you keep pushing or pulling to keep your life in place. Ask yourself if things have changed. Listen to what your body has been trying to tell you.
Try making one small change. Maybe that means letting someone help, telling the truth sooner, letting someone be disappointed, or resting even if there’s still work left.
See what happens when you stop fighting the controls and let your life settle.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
Where in your life are you holding pressure so constantly that you barely notice it anymore?
What strength in you may have developed as a response to an old wound or difficult season?
What has changed in your life that might require a new adjustment?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer For When We Have Been Holding Too Much
Holy One, you know the pressures we carry, including those we have carried so long that we mistake them for part of ourselves. Honor the strength that brought us this far. Help us recognize when an old way of surviving has become a burden we can release. Give us wisdom to make the needed adjustment, courage to ask for help, and trust enough to loosen our grip. When the work is truly ours, sustain us. When it belongs to someone else, help us set it down. Guide us toward a life shaped by grace rather than strain. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Check the Trim
Sit with your hands resting open. Notice where your body feels braced or tight.
Ask yourself: “What am I working hard to keep level?”
Choose one small adjustment you can make today. Ask for help, decline one request, speak one honest sentence, or allow something nonessential to remain undone.
Pay attention to what becomes possible when you loosen your grip.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
My team and I launched a new experiment we are calling “The Commons.” It’s an online space centered around communities of practice: groups of people who share a common concern, set of problems, or passion for a topic, and deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis. Join the community here.
August 11 - September 1, 2026, 12:30-1:30pmET - Book Club in The Commons - FREE - We are reading our next book, “I Eat The Stars” by Sarah Wilson. We will meet each Tuesday for 6 weeks. It’s such great fun. I hope you will be a part. All are welcome! RSVP HERE.
August 20, 2026, 7-8:45pm ET - I will be joining Jackie Sussman for an online session on practicing eidetics as a part of our “Reclaiming the Power of Imagination” monthly series. Eidetic Imagery is a powerful tool for pastors, denominational leaders, coaches, and spiritual directors working with others, and for individuals seeking deeper integration and healing in their own lives. Jackie is a psychotherapist, author, and leading expert in Eidetic Image Psychology, and has spent over forty years helping leaders and individuals unlock creativity, uncover hidden strengths, and move through limiting patterns. During this session, she will lead a live Eidetic process shaped by mythic imagery, offering a direct experience of the work. REGISTER HERE.
September 8, 2026, 7-9pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - I’ll be hosting a powerful online gathering on The Black Madonna: Sacred Wisdom for a World in Crisis with Matthew Fox, Alessandra Belloni, and Christena Cleveland. We will explore the Black Madonna as a symbol of resilience, liberation, sacred feminine wisdom, and healing in a fractured world through conversation, story, music, and spiritual reflection. If you feel drawn toward a deeper encounter with the Divine Feminine and the ancient traditions that continue to nourish movements for justice and wholeness, I hope you’ll join us. Learn more and REGISTER HERE.
September 14, 7-8:30pm ET ONLINE EVENT - I’m delighted to share that Dr. Margaret Wheatley is releasing a newly updated edition of her beloved book Perseverance: A Companion for the Journey this October. Written for those committed to serving the world with compassion in difficult times, the book offers daily wisdom and practical guidance for navigating grief, anger, exhaustion, and uncertainty while remaining rooted in love, courage, and presence. Meg and I will be in conversation to explore what perseverance looks like in this moment of history and how we can sustain ourselves for the long work ahead. I hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a deeply meaningful conversation. REGISTER HERE.
October 6, 2026 - 7-8:30pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - Matthew Fox and I are teaming up again to launch a series called Journeying with the Mystics. The mystics have always emerged in times of uncertainty. They appear when old certainties are crumbling, when institutions no longer provide easy answers, and when people find themselves longing for a deeper experience of the Sacred. Join us for an 18-session exploration of the teachings of St. John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, Hildegard of Bingen, Kabir and Rumi, Meister Eckhart and more. This is more than a lecture series. It is an invitation into a living spiritual journey. REGISTRATION COMING SOON!
October 18-21, 2026 - PREACH! 2026 Conference- I’ll be co-hosting PREACH in Minneapolis with Church Anew, a new gathering for preachers, storytellers, worship leaders, and spiritual communicators navigating what it means to speak with clarity, compassion, and courage in a changing world. If you’ve sensed that the preaching moment has changed and are longing for thoughtful community and renewed imagination for this work, I hope you’ll join us.
Fun Things My Friends Are Up To…
I get to work with such amazing, creative people. This section is my way of celebrating them—no paid promotions, just joy in what they’re creating.
My dear friend and Buddhist teacher, Isa Gucciardi PhD, leads this amazing center call The Foundation of the Sacred Stream. On August 13 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Pacific (8:30 pm – 10:00 pm Eastern), they will be hosting an online event called “Compassion for the Modern Heart with Geshe Gedun Samdup.” In a world that moves quickly and often feels fragmented, compassion is not a luxury—it is a vital practice for staying present, connected, and resilient. This class offers a grounded and accessible exploration of compassion through the lens of Tibetan Buddhism’s three distinct forms of compassion: compassion for all beings, compassion for conditioned phenomena, and objectless compassion. Together, these teachings provide a practical and deeply nourishing framework for meeting the complexities of modern life with clarity and care. LEARN MORE HERE.
I’m delighted to celebrate the upcoming release of Wisdom Church: Abundant Life for Aging Congregations by my colleague, Rev. Dr. Anna Hall. Rather than seeing aging congregations as communities in decline, Anna invites us to recognize them as communities rich with wisdom, purpose, and possibility. Her book offers a hopeful vision for moving beyond anxiety about the future and embracing the unique gifts of older adults as beloved children of God. If your congregation is navigating these questions, this is a resource well worth reading. You can preorder the Kindle edition now, with delivery on August 17: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Church-Abundant-Aging-Congregations-ebook/dp/B0HBXGYTWC
Every Monday, 12pm ET - ONLINE WRITING GROUP - My dear friend, Meryl Marshall-Daniels, is leading a writing group open to all. This is a simple and spacious writing circle for people who want time to listen inwardly and put words on the page without overthinking, performing, or polishing. Meryl offers a prompt designed to invite reflection, imagination, and attunement to what is already alive within you. The practice honors writing as a way of listening, of letting images, memories, questions, and insights surface in their own time. Learn more here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.