The Importance of Slowing Down

The act of slowing down gives us access to profound insights and leads to clarity and inner peace and even better physical health.

In our hectic, modern world it can feel like everything is spinning all the time. Our minds racing from one thought to the next. We jump and run from one task to the next and even when we sit down we are scrolling and clicking and being stimulated by a constant feed of information.

We don’t rest. We don’t have time to contemplate. Mindfulness is not a part of our culture.

I feel lucky I stumbled across these practices, and it is my honour to share them with others.

What does it mean to slow down?

Slowing down means ‘doing’ less. Dropping into ‘being’. Less ambition. No hurry.

Whether your eyes stay open or you close them, slowing down means you are connecting consciously to the moment. Slowing down allows us to observe what is happening both around us, and inside of us.

Why is this hard to do?

When we slow down, we begin to notice reality. Which is fleeting. Impermanent. Sometimes it is uncomfortable and we don’t like that.

Other times reality is pleasant and we don’t want to lose that feeling and we cling to it. We hold on to what is in the past rather than letting go into what is happening in the moment.

We have craving and aversion. Our experience on this earth plane is duality. We are always moving between good and bad; pleasant and unpleasant.

To be with the moment means to experience what is, to accept reality and we don’t like that.

We desire to have things as we wish for them to be.

Slowing down asks the ego to settle down. That part of us has a lot of attachments. We identify with who we have been conditioned to be, through our experience.

Letting go feels essentially like death to the ego, so it holds on.

What has Helped me Slow Down

1. Spending time in nature.
2. Yoga.
3. Meditation/ Breath Awareness.
4. Creativity expressed through writing, or painting, or some other means.

I do each of these things EVERYDAY. Some days go better than others.
But I make a practice of doing these things often; daily.

The Pay Off

When you practice slowing down you get to catch the magic of life. You start to notice all that you have; all that you can be grateful for. You appreciate the sparkling reflection of the sun in a puddle. Or revel at the majesty of the raven flying overhead; it's call.  

When you pause to be with your breath you can feel your body. Connection to the body and breath allows us to process what we are feeling. We can use an exhale to help us let go of tension and stress.

If we get good at slowing down we become more present in our lives.

In our relationships we connect more deeply and richly.

When we are at play we are more immersed in it.

We still do our work and contribute, but we aren’t chasing our tails, running around in circles.

We feel landed. Clear. Focused.

Want to learn how to Slow Down?

Developing a Yoga practice is a good way to learn how to slow down.

Through a consistent, mindful movement practice you can learn to connect to the body and the breath. This awareness helps us to be conscious of what is happening in the here and now.

With practice one can take this awareness off the mat and into life.  

It can be challenging to find a teacher or a style of Yoga that works for you, but with perseverance anyone can build a simple mindfulness practice that serves them.

I encourage anyone who knows they need to step away from the buzz of the rat race to give it a try.

If you want a quick taste of what this might feel like, try this Savasana.

If you want to join my Online Yoga Community or take one of my online courses book a call with me to see if we would be a good fit, and what offering might suit your needs best.

I do teach in person, and I am always happy to answer any questions you might have.

Reach out:   [email protected]