Slowing down

Reading from Wednesday, October 16, 2013 yoga class

"It's not easy to walk fast on the beach.  Sand yields so willingly to the pressure of a footstep. With each sinking step you must first unearth your foot in order to take another.  Solid ground requires only momentary contact; sand invites us to linger.  Perhaps this is why people who live in beach cultures have developed a reputation for living slower paced lifestyles.

However, practicing slowing down on a meditation retreat, is quite different from trying to calm the speed of our daily lives.  In 21st century Western culture, having a fully schedule is considered to be a sign of virtue, and taking time to relax, a sign or weakness or sloth.  It is, in fact, fun to engage in activities that stimulate, but living in a state of constant activity, with no time to slow down or stop, is not a state of balance.  It is from the ground of balance--the ever-changing centerpoint between action and rest--that we live most gracefully in the world.  Many of us maintain the lightning pace of our lives via adrenaline.  Whether by caffeine or sugar or purely by the speed with which we must negotiate our schedules, our adrenal glands and nervous system work overtime to keep us on track.  The adrenals are meant to help us through occasional stressful situations, not the steady onslaught of a packed schedule.  Without occasional rest, they wear down.  When they wear down we become tired and feel stressed.

I've observed that slow, mindful, movement awakens the parasympathetic side of my autonomic nervous system, which smooths the jagged flight or fight response elicited by the busyness of my days.  Incorporating even small amounts of slow, mindful movements into our day can align us more closely with our balance point.  It doesn't matter what I do; what matters is that allow myself to visit the moment fully, to experience its richness and beauty.  The amount of work accomplished is less important than the spirit and care I bring to what I do.  Slowing the pace of our lives transforms the mundane into the transcendent.  It teaches us how much there is to appreciate in simplicity."

                         From an essay written by Charlotte Bell

This is why I am teaching this Wednesday evening class with a mix of gentle yoga, restorative yoga and yoga nidra.  It all begins with you and your intention and attention.