“Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast; you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” ~ Eddie Canter
It can be easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life and the ever-increasing pressures and demands. Sometimes I find myself rushing around in attempt to get everything done, and recognize I am literally getting "a-head" of myself. I have to laugh when I realize my posture is reflecting my mental attitude: my head out in front of me, my body lagging behind trying to keep up! The truth is, our minds can think much faster than our bodies can act. In order to do things well, we need to slow down and bring all parts of ourselves - body, heart, and mind - into whatever it is we’re doing. One night many years ago, I was driving home in a blizzard. The road had many sharp turns and hills, and the visibility was such that I could only see a few feet in front of me. A little voice in my head said “Slow down, you’ll get there faster!” Though the uncomfortable situation made me want to rush to get it behind me as quickly as possible, I knew that the only way to get to my destination safely and in one piece was to slow down. I recognized this was a metaphor for life as well, one I really needed to be reminded of just then. In Life, like in that blizzard, it can sometimes feel like there’s so much coming at us at once that we can’t see clearly or get traction under our feet. We may want to speed up to get it behind us, or think we have to rush to get it all done, but in doing so we sacrifice the quality of whatever it is we’re doing, as well as the quality of our own lives. Slowing down and getting present, handling one thing at a time, we do a better job at the things we’re doing, and we “arrive at our destination” with all aspects of ourselves in “one piece" - in unity.
Self Care suggestion: Slow down. Recognize when you are feeling rushed, and give yourself permission to go at a pace that is comfortable for you. Posturally align your head over your heart, your heart over your foundation (seat/feet). Set the intention that whatever you do, you do it as a unified whole: body, heart, and mind in harmony.
“The only way to gain control in a world that’s going too fast, is to learn to slow down.
The only way to spread one’s influence wide, is to go deep. The world we want for ourselves and our children will not emerge from electronic speed, but from a spiritual stillness that takes root in our souls. Then, and only then, will we create a world that reflects the heart instead of shattering it.”
~ Marianne Williamson
