“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.”
~Mahatma Gandhi
We’re moving way too fast, and it’s time to slooow dooown. Does your life fly by at warp speed? Are you exhausted, always living three steps ahead of yourself?
We think that everything we do is so important. The situations in our lives demand our attention and fuel an agitated, nonstop mind.
How are we ever going to realize the peace and happiness we want if we don’t slow down?
Slow Down and Rest
Over coffee with some friends, we were lamenting the loss of the sabbath. In the olden days (well, the 1960’s), stores were closed on Sundays, and it was a day of true relaxation, a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
It was an opportunity to stop, rest, enjoy, and connect – free of the pressure to do and achieve.
But slowing down isn’t just about taking a break.
Slow Down and Reconnect
When you run at full tilt, you are disconnected from yourself. You are driven by your schedule or your perceived obligations. The mind has taken over, and your life has become built on concepts rather than the true aliveness that allows it to emerge naturally and effortlessly.
You have no time or space to get honest with yourself about the unhealthy patterns you play out.
Until you slow down…way down…nothing will change. Yes, things will happen, but
you will be a victim of your life rather than the enjoyer of it.
There’s no need to make a radical change. You can slow down and speed up as you wish. But consider dipping your toe into the wonder of slowing down. Because when you do, you open to the possibility of unifying yourself and reducing confusion.
You discover that everything you were looking for is already here.
You meet peace, harmony, and contentment – right here in this present moment.
Are you ready to slow down? Here’s what you get. Welcome to sanity, welcome to your life.
Be Here Now
Of course, you are always here – how could you be anywhere else? But when your mind is spinning with thoughts about the past and worries about the future, you feel anywhere but here.
Slow down your activities. Take some time to be quiet. Lose interest in your thoughts so their power wanes.
Let go of analyzing, judging, categorizing, projecting, wishing, and see that things unfold just fine. Whatever needs to happen will happen without your intervention.
Have no expectations, and you can’t possibly be disappointed.
Breathe. Be. Allow rather than do. Rest in the stillness of you.
Observe and Feel
Slowing down creates the space to get very familiar with your automatic programming. Do you smoke, eat too much, keep yourself ridiculously busy? Are you driven by need, lack, or control?
These patterns cannot possibly bring you peace.
When you slow down, you tell the truth to yourself. You feel the effects of these self-betrayals.
You learn so clearly how these habits play out there is the possibility of choosing differently.
I recently spoke with a 95-year-old woman who was still intensely concerned about what people think of her. So painful. Please don’t let this be you. Slow down, and do the work that is required for your precious well being.
Notice
If you slow down, and you’re not filling your mind with a jumble of thoughts about the future, then what?
Ah, this is where living starts. You will notice the array of appearances that come and go.
Open to sounds. Feel sensations. Look around you with totally fresh eyes. Be awake as you drive, clean, cook, laugh.
Feel the essence of people around you so you can meet them exactly as they are – selflessly.
Enjoy the blossoming of life that is inseparable from you.
KISS
KISS stands for “keep it simple, stupid.” I can’t remember the last time I used the word “stupid,” but the “keep it simple” part is filled with wisdom.
When you slow down, you simplify. The most natural way of being emerges, and here’s what you discover:
- Action happens effortlessly based on what is appropriate in the situation
- The veils of your conditioning fall away, leaving you free
- Thoughts release their grip on you
- You are moved by love, not fear
Slow down. Arrive right here where you have never left. You will naturally emanate joy everywhere.
Do you find it difficult to slow down? What have you discovered when you do? We’d all love to hear…
My blogging friend Christopher Foster of The Happy Seeker has just released his lovely book, The Raven Who Spoke with God, on Kindle. Click here to check it out (non-affiliate link).
Christine Hohlbaum says
Yes! Slowing down allows us to see the scenery that is otherwise a blur. Thank you for promoting the idea about the Power of Slow! 🙂
Gail Brenner says
Welcome to you, Christine, and I see why this post resonated as the name of your blog is the Power of Slow.
Yes, slowing down and seeing what is happening rather than moving so fast it is all a blur. We get to choose the quality of our lives in any moment, as slowing down is always possible.
Christine Hohlbaum says
Indeed, we have a choice to go at our custom speed. When we do not, we feel it.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Christine,
Yes, if we our sensitive enough and allow ourselves to truly listen, we will know when we are moving too fast. How often do we ignore these signals?
Listening is the first step, then responding wisely the second.
Noch Noch says
yes slow down and smell the flowers!
Noch Noch
Gail Brenner says
Yes, Noch, and notice everything so we don’t miss our lives, which is not possible if we tear through life.
Galen Pearl says
I’ll be heading up to my cabin tomorrow for a long weekend to slow down without phone or internet. I think about those Sundays, too, when everything was closed. My family always went to the same cafeteria every Sunday after church. Then the afternoons were free for playing with friends, reading, whatever. I have tried to recreate that by having low key Sundays without computers, but frankly I have had little success with that. Being at the cabin is my best chance for success are really slowing down.
Gail Brenner says
Hi Galen,
I know you won’t be reading this comment for a while – because you are slooowing dooown. I love how you are trying to find a way to get away from it all that works for you. Such lovely benefits from stopping for a time. And if the stopping illustrates the urges to do – check email, be connected – then that is instructive as well.
Maybe being at the cabin, disconnected from phone and internet, is something we all can embody at any moment – that recognition of peace and silence that is always here.
David says
Hi Gail,
Thankyou. Observing how you spend your time & being ‘aware’ are keys for me. Time goes quicker when you are doing things that disconnect you from you.
be good to yourself
David
Gail Brenner says
I appreciate your insight, David, about time seeming to go more quickly when we are disconnected. When we are disconnected, we are missing out on our lives – this very life unfolding now.
It is also possible to be so absorbed in the moment that the concept of time doesn’t even apply. Some people call this being “in the flow.” Either way, slowing down is an experiment we can all benefit from trying.
Bonnie Perry says
Really appreciate this post. Just reading it brings a feeling of freshness. “Enjoy the blossoming of life that is inseparable from you”. Truly, the spinning mind chatter will never reveal this. In Ghandhi’s quote above, I like the association of silence with being an attitude.
Sweetness to you, Gail.
Gail Brenner says
I love what touched you from this post, Bonnie. Aaahhh, fresh….
Love to you….
Andrew Schultz says
Gail,
Wonderful post. I’m going to link to it in my daily post and email tomorrow since it was already on a similar topic. I think my readers will really appreciate the sentiment! Great work!
Andrew
Gail Brenner says
Thank you so much for the share, Andrew, and for your comment.
I love how communities of like-spirited people can support each other.
Lori Gosselin says
Hi Gail,
Such a timely post! I’ve been working on this (“working” LOL) WHY is it so hard to slow down!?!? But for the first time in my life I feel I have a handle on it and it feels SO GOOD!
Well said!
Lori
Gail Brenner says
I’m very happy for you, Lori, that you are discovering the power of slow.
Asking the why question – why is it so hard to slow down – feeds distress and agitation, as you have probably figured out. Experiment with not feeding the why thought. Instead, take a breath, take a walk, press pause – even if only for a moment.
Welcome to sanity…
Sandra Pawula says
Hi Gail,
It was interesting to live in Europe for awhile where there are still stores that close on Sunday! I have also enjoyed my visits to places like Puerto Rico and India where the pace and emphasis of life is quite different and has a different flavor.
Often, we don’t realize that we’ve created this sped up world that doesn’t exist everywhere else and generally doesn’t bring us lots of happiness.
Thank you for this needed encouragement to slow down! Downshifting is still an ongoing practice. I find take little chunks of time throughout the day to slow down is a good way to begin to let a slower pace permeate the rest of my life.
Gail Brenner says
Downshifting – what a great word, Sandra.
My experience of slowing down is that it sets the stage for deeper understanding of peace and silence. The true aliveness that is here now is too easily ignored if we are running so fast from thing to thing. For some, slowing down might mean boredom – then that becomes an interesting investigation.
I appreciate your valuing a slower pace – and the enjoyment that comes by truly experiencing the moment.
Carole Lyden says
hmm, you beat me to it. This is a topic that I had on my list to write about. We all need a slow movement. A movement that says we do not always need to be doing, it is ok to just be.
And how we can bring this slower pace of life into our small businesses which are often frantic.
Slowing down allows us to savour the joys of life. And if we can’t slow down we need to ask the question why are we afraid to slow down? I find this article very much in line with my way of thinking. Cheers Carole
Sue says
I love the slowness of my town in Norway. Even when its summer and full of tourists, things are still slow. I am told more than often that I am lucky to be able to get away from the rat race of a big city of my hometown ie Singapore. I am shocked at how people are always so busy and stressed. I can never live such a life even if I tried
Gail Brenner says
Sounds wonderful, Sue. You have already awakened to the power of slow, and those of us in more fast-paced lives can learn from you.
Thanks so much for sharing your commitment to slow.
Barbara Rae Robinson says
I’m glad I found your website. Lee’s Focus had an article by you at the end. And here I am. I’ve been thinking lately that it’s time for me to consciously slow down. I was letting friends push me to write more each day, when my day is already full. I’m getting close to 74. My husband is retired. Yet I have a dream. I’ve published one novel and want to publish more. But I’ve decided to do it at my own speed, not someone else’s. A novel idea. Now I know that making a commitment to slow down is the right thing for me. Thanks.
Barb
Gail Brenner says
Welcome to you, Barb, and thanks so much for your comment.
A big Yes! to going at your own speed. Let things unfold, and they will – perfectly. Slow down and check in. You will know exactly what to do – or not.
Love to you…
Anthony says
Very good advise going to work on it to see the outcome
Gail Brenner says
Beautiful to experiment, then see what happens!