Slowing Down to the Speed of Life

Copyright 2006, Paula Gregorowicz

Have you ever noticed lately that things seem to speed up almost daily? Ask anyone and they'll tell you that times have changed and in order to succeed in today's fast paced environment, you need to pick up and keep up the pace. What I find most curious about this proclamation of life is that the natural world we actually live IN hasn't gotten that memo.

Have you noticed that whenever you are dealing with nature, it cannot be rushed? It isn't working at warp speed (like the rest of us). For instance, when you have a cold, it seems nothing at all will speed up the recovery process so you can get over it fast enough. If you're feeling the doldrums after a long winter, you can't page somebody and have them rush to usher in spring. There is a rhythm to nature and it isn't prestissimo (that is frenetically fast in music terms).

The speed of life is truly only as fast as the natural world and the timeless space of "now" allows. That means that regardless of what anyone tells you, when you're running frantic and feeling exhausted it is because you're out of the normal rhythms of life. We are natural beings after all. When we ignore these natural rhythms, we experience consequences such as relying on avoidant behaviors to "survive", feeling dissatisfied with the current condition of our life, or experiencing dis-ease.

Getting in Synch with Your Rhythm

The single best way to get in touch with your natural rhythm and the greatest gift you can give yourself is taking time to be quiet and still. I know what you're thinking; I don't have time to be quiet! What if I told you that taking time each day to be quiet meant the difference between a purposeful and a mediocre life? What if taking this time meant the difference between wellness and dis-ease? Would you have a few spare minutes in your schedule then?

When we disconnect from the madness around us and choose a regular time and space to be alone and quiet we are able to re-connect with our source. Depending on your beliefs, source may mean different things to you. What I mean by source is the ability to connect with a power greater than yourself and with the essence of who you are.

While this seems simple in concept, most people experience great resistance to actually doing it. You might think it is all just a little too spiritual, woo-woo, funky, weird, or unnatural, and use this as an excuse. Rest assured you are not alone with how you're feeling and what you are probably feeling is fear.

There are two common fears that act as barriers to taking the time to be quiet. The first is a fear to disconnect from the daily madness and actually be quiet. After all, how will the kids, spouse, family, office, , or world get along without me for 20 minutes? What will I DO in the quiet anyway?

The second is a fear of what you'll discover once you are quiet. It's frightening to imagine what you might discover about yourself and your life if you get quiet enough to hear the subtle messages your higher spirit is telling you.

It is within the quiet, however, that we are able to connect with who we are and what we are all about. Without this knowledge we are really just acting out a script to our life and we're not even sure who wrote it!

A "Quiet" Challenge:

For the next week, take 10 minutes of quiet just for yourself. Find a quiet nurturing spot in your home or outside. The only rule is that there are no interruptions by people, pets, or technology. Simply sit there in the quiet, observe your thoughts, and breathe. Don't analyze or judge your thoughts, simply let them pass through your mind. When you finish this quiet time, take a few minutes to journal about your experience.