As a child of the 60's - life seemed inordinately slow back then. I sometimes wonder whether that was partly from a child's perspective where it took forever to grow up, summer school holidays were endless or whether life was indeed slower for the adults too. I remember that we never had to rush anywhere except for one day of the week when my Mum had the car and had to get us ready for school, drop us to school, Dad to work, shop, do errands and be home in time for us as well as pick up Dad from work. She was a nervous wreck that day and spent another 2 days recovering. 

These days that is life every day of the week for many of us. Weekends too are jam packed with activities - sports, housework, social commitments, getaways.   In defence of now, life is rarely dull - at least there is very little time for dull. 

I started to write this article at the hair dressers making the most of "down time" - letting the creative juices flow while my hair was was being given some nurturing attention. While I was scribbling away, my hairdresser who is also in the autumn of her life like me expressed her frustration at technology - darn computers, phones etc. She commented that if Germain Greer were here she would punch her in the face and lamented "I just want to be at home baking cookies like my Mum did". I am sure many of you have had similar thoughts.

In our efforts to make our lives easier (with new fangled gadgets and space age technology) and more fulfilled (by the flow on effects of the feminist movement in the areas of greater career choices and opportunities, contraception and so forth) we seem to have created other problems, perhaps at times more challenging problems. So how do we marry up the best of both worlds, have our cake and eat it too?

What are we currently teaching our children who have not perhaps had the opportunity to enjoy life in the slow lane? Will they know what the "pause button" is? Will they then never know in adult hood how to be slow, be still? Why is it so important for us to experience slowness and stillness? 

Aside from the many health benefits of "relaxation/meditation" - being still allows us to imagine, to be brilliant and savour and examine life. Many successful and brilliant people (Einstein, Churchill, Ford) had their best and most successful ideas while day dreaming, being still, resting. They didn't get their "light bulb moments" by frantically rushing around and living with constant distractions. 

Author Paul Wilson spoke at a Meditation Conference that I attended in Melbourne last year and at the beginning of his talk he explained that he would give us the secret ingredient to being calm. One word held the secret....just one word......hmmm........mmmm.....one word......and the word was .........Pause. 

Many people fear being still. Why? Because they don't like being alone. They don't like time to think for fear it will bring to light their shadow sides, dark thoughts. Some people are afraid of meditation for this reason. To these people I suggest that meditation actually teaches you to accept yourself as you are, to be less judgemental of self and others and to help you with making changes to improve your life and find inner peace. It can be easier to be still when in and distracted by nature so sitting in the garden or by the sea and being present to the experience rather than thoughts. Train your mind to have a break from it's chatter. 

Similarly you can sit quietly and just observe the breath, the breathing process, the exchange between you and the universe that takes place during respiration. Train your mind to move past life's petty quarrels - going beyond and exploring the bigger picture. Meditation not only helps you to slow emotionally and mentally but can also slow you physiologically - the breathing generally slows and deepens, the heart rate tends to drop as can the blood pressure. 

This year I started going to the gym. Curiously this year has been extremely busy for me as most Oxen would find in a Tiger year (Chinese astrology) and if the membership was like school I would have been expelled by now for truancy. However of course with truancy it is a deliberate inattendance, a lack of desire to attend whereas I often simply have not been able to fit it in to my week. I remind myself of the 70's comedy Flying High where Lloyd Bridges decided that he picked the wrong week to "stop smoking" - I picked the wrong year to go to the gym. The wiser self of course says but hey Pam you have been to the gym 25 or so more times than you did the year before so that is good. 

More relevant to our story however is that I am not your typical gym junkie. I was brought up to believe that it is unladylike to "perspire" and I have not been a strong advocate of physical pain or pushing my body beyond its limits so probably in my fitness trainer's eyes, I have failed miserably. In my eyes though, I have discovered a new enjoyment in visualising my musculoskeletal body as it pounds ever so gently on the treadmill, guessing my heart rate or purposely bringing the heart rate down with the breath. I enjoy sensing the warmth as I stretch my muscles during resistance work and too, their being aware of the fatigue creeping in as I do the repetitions. I do like taking the body out of it's comfort zone at times but more importantly the enjoyment of focusing on me and my needs for an hour out of a busy schedule. 

Thankfully western sports scientists are coming around to my way of thinking being that exercising more slowly can actually yield more benefits. A moderate workout gives our heart the opportunity to beat more quickly, thereby burning off fat when it is beating around 70-75% of its maximum rate. This can be achieved through power walking or light jogging too. So I can still keep my old belief system that perspiring is unladylike as well as less healthy for you. Humour aside, observe the eastern traditions of slow mindful exercise such as Tai Chi, Chi Gung, yoga. In the US there are "Super Slow Fitness Centres" now and we have Pilates which was based on the yogic principles of precise movements, focus and controlled breathing. 

The Slow Food movement began in 1998 in Italy and epitomises our ideas about the European lifestyle of taking time to savour life's pleasures, eating fresh and local produce and being a gourmet manager rather than passive consumer. I am sure this movement would love my Wednesday meditation group who delight in savouring simple fare - a plate of nuts and fruits one week and equal delight in choccies and cakes the next. We talk about the tasks, the look of the food, the patterns in fruit and of course groan with pleasure with each bite. We had the most magical afternoon recently drinking herbal tea, eating fresh fruit in the garden by my magnificent magnolia in full bloom. Meditative mindfulness in everyday living. 

 

 

Knitting is a wonderful past time in the quest for slow. To truly benefit from knitting - the joy is in the journey not so much about the destination. The rhythmical click clack of the needles can apparently lower the blood pressure and induce a peaceful meditative state for the knitter.

Gardening can also slow us down. Our gardens can be our peaceful, private sanctuaries. The act of preparing the beds, sowing the seeds, planting, weeding, watering, raking and then being held captive and captivated by nature to patiently wait for things to grow is such a blessing for us in our fast paced world. It reminds us of our true nature, the good things of life, taking time. Gardening reconnects us to nature and the seasons. 

I guess the aim of this article has been to persuade you to see merit in slowing down, give you ideas for slowing down and perhaps if enough of us join the picket line to "Go Slow" we can tip the balance in our world so that we can advocate societal change to embrace time out. We shouldn't see time as our enemy or that we are slaves to it rather allow it to take more of a back seat in our lives. 

Speed of course can be powerful, energizing and stimulating. Those whose lives are "too slow" can become depressed, unmotivated and lack a sense of purpose. Finding the balance, the middle path might just be the answer for us all.

So ask yourself this - are you a tortoise or a hare?  Perhaps your new goal could be to be a hairy tortoise!

Hairy Tortoises of the World Unite ... Slowly. 

A wonderful Australian Bush flower Essence for slowing the busy person, can assist with sleep problems is Black Eyed Susan. Crowea helps to calm and balance. On the flip side, Old Man Banksia can help with sluggishness and Macrocarpa can help support the Adrenals for those suffering from burn out. 

The Knight of Swords in the tarot reminds us to "seize the day" and that there is a need for speed. The Empress reminds us to experience life and nature using our senses. 

Thank you for your time.

With Many Blessings & Love

Pam xx