The last few days I have been thinking a lot about this phrase, slow it down. What does it entail? What does it mean when I tell myself, slow it all down? The phrase came from a book I am reading called “The Shift in Being” by Leon Vanderpol. I am extremely fortunate that I am learning under Leon’s guidance the past one month. Leon’s teachings, presence, coaching style is all I needed at this point in my life and he came into my life at the right time. I was quick to jump into the opportunity to join his course for the year. But since then, I have been slowing down.
The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature. Joseph Campbell.
In the book, Leon says, the rhythms of the ocean are not seen while you’re standing on the beach, watching the waves come and go. That is a surface level experience, it only provides a glimpse of what lies beyond. The rhythm of the ocean is met in its vast depths, the movement of the currents that are its life and breath. I love this so much!
It’s not always easy to slow it all down when we are so used to go,go,go and do, do, do. The modern world is structured like this and to say that you’re going to slow it all down means you’re going against the flow of the world, you’re going to be an outcast, you will have to make a radical change. What will this radical change be? It might mean, reprioritising your day, figuring out your highest values, making changes in your lifestyle, and embodying the slower pace of life as an effect to all the restructuring you do.
When you’re on the path to transformation, which these days I am, one thing that you need to do is rest in your tension, don’t run or hide away from it, because this is where the growth will happen. This is where you will shed off all the parts of you that are not serving you and you will slowly and gradually see a new you blossom. A lot of inner work will be needed and this is where the healing begins. This is where the true journey begins. Slow down in this journey too. Don’t be in a rush to transform. Let it take its natural course. Don’t go against the law of nature. Nature is never in a hurry, so you don’t be either.
Life will not be found in the hustle bustle, it will not be found in intellectually asking a hundred questions, but instead it will be found in slowing down to the natural rhythm of your heartbeat, slowing down to your breath and from this space will be born something magnificent, something creative, something beautiful, something calming and something that you’re really meant to do in this world. Don’t be in a hurry to get anywhere, go anywhere, or achieve anything. The first step in slowing down is sitting with yourself, sitting with all your thoughts, watching them pass by in front of you and if any thought catches your attention, go deeper into it and see what is it asking off you? Thoughts that trouble you, bother you are the places for your greatest healing, these are the places where you really need to dive deep. These are the thoughts and triggers that are asking for you to heal.
To slow down means, to watch your pace as you walk, to watch your speed as you talk, to watch how you eat, to watch every single move of yours from the waking hour to the sleeping hours. How are you behaving the whole day? Do you notice yourself speeding through the day sometimes? Catch yourself there and just notice. Don’t belittle yourself but notice. Do you get stressed in certain situations? Just notice. Which situations are triggering you and making you all nervous and anxious? Slow down in these situations. Just notice.
One of the easiest ways I have found to slow down is to watch my breath through the day. Really feel my breath going in and out of my body, so simple yet so potent. How else can I slow down? I ask myself today. I can slow down by reaching out to the deepest parts of myself, the deepest part of my consciousness and asking myself, Miss Light, Who would you like to be today? Miss Light, Relax and Flow, where would you like to go? Miss Light, Tell me, your deepest yearning today and lets slow down together, this yearning and me, sitting with each other in silence as we figure out the plans for the day, the tasks that need to be done, the goals for my life, the dreams I want to achieve, the lives I want to touch, the things I want to share. Let’s slow down to the rhythm of life. These moments are so invaluable, so beautiful, so sublime and they bring in so much satisfaction into my being, more than anyone or anything can ever bring.
You are me.
I am you.
Let’s slow down to life, my dear.
Let’s slow down to love, my dear.
Let’s not go anywhere. Let’s just sit here in the silence.
Let’s slow down to the slowness. Let’s slow down to the newness.
You and me. Me and you. We were meant to slow down to our heartbeat.
You and me. Me and you. We were meant to meet each other in silence.
You and me. Me and you. We were meant to find ourselves in the void.
You and me. Me and you. We were meant to meet to meet.
We were meant to be to be.
We were meant to see to see.
We were meant to love to love.
You and me. Me and you.
Slow. Slow. Slow.
When you slow down, you bring in so much patience into your life. Patience into every aspect of your life. Patience in love. Patience in waiting. Patience in dreaming. Patience in talking. Patience in happiness. Patience in sadness. Patience in everything.
You decide, would you like to be a Snail or a Cheetah?
I wrote this post as I was listening to my favorite, Shivpreet Singh. This was an unplanned song and yet so beautiful and powerful. Love it!
Lots of Love,
Miss Light
Lightrosh 