Slowing Down
My life at a snail’s pace…
I fell over recently in my beloved yoga garden and was not able to walk for a couple of days and when I could it was very slowly. We were booked to go away on a break to Indonesia, and I had booked myself into a luscious yoga retreat, and here I was barely able to move. As I snail walked my way through the airport, I was acutely conscious of how fast everyone was moving. I had to ask my partner to slow down and usually it is the other way around being a typical vata pitta. As I watched everyone zip past me, it felt surreal like I was in a parallel universe, not only did they walk fast they talked super fast and so many people scrolling crazily on their phones. A real eye opener – do I want to be in this world? NO!
Now I know, I have been trying to slow down for years, living a slow life, growing our own food, preserving, pickling, living with the seasons, and yet, I still hadn’t really got this slow living down. I do slow down for a while, then POW, I speed up again as I overflow with ideas and things I want to try all a bit scattered and lacking focus. Falling over despite the excruciating pain was a huge profound earth blessing and teaching for with nose in the earth and unable to move I was forced to reflect, to ponder, to question, to cry, to berate, to wonder.
Imbibe the scent of the earth.
Listen to the secret rustlings of the trees.
Reconnect to the pulse of nature
My partner and I live of the land as best we can, trying to embrace slow living and reducing our reliance on mainstream food chains. Once you are removed from the artificial suburban living with street lights and man made noise, it is amazing how quickly you re-calibrate to the natural rhythms of nature and of life. New moon or the dark moon has become a time of insight – a time to slow down and listen to the stirrings of the heart. If you don’t slow down the universe will help you to do so. This time the shift has really sunk in deep and right through to the marrow in my bones. The slow lane is richer, far more amazing, awe inspiring, and to be blunt, way more intriguing, exciting, rewarding, softer, loving and profound.
Busy is not a badge I wear anymore
Busy is not a badge I wear anymore. It does not satisfy my soul. It is not a sign of my importance or my worthiness. Perhaps I could even go a tad further and suggest, yes just suggest, that it our urge to be busyness selfish and ego connected. In all my busyness, was I trying to be something to myself and to others? Upon reflection, this is not self love, this is not an open-hearted way of being; it truly lacks authenticity. This way of living is not living my truth, it is just filling my oh so precious life with busy busy and stuff to do.
Intriguing, profound slow living.
Try it!
You will love it!
