Spiritual Forum

Slow down, you are moving too fast.

Wherever we are, from one day to the next, the Earth is moving at the same speed. Yet in the modern world, we’ve convinced ourselves that the world is moving faster, and that speed is the way to make our life work. Under the pressure of schedules and commitments, we think we can accomplish more if we speed through our day.

Speed gives life a frantic quality. It is an anxious state of mind that keeps us from settling into whatever we are doing. There is always something more important than what we’re doing now. We’re double-parked outside a store, trying to find what we need, while talking to our mother on the cell-phone. Rather than accomplishing our activity well, we are nullifying it, because we aren’t really there for it. That self-generated speed creates its own power and momentum, which begin to rule us. It’s a form of small-mindedness that blinds us to what life really offers—the opportunity to develop wisdom and compassion.

The speedy mind is like an internal combustion engine. So much effort goes into the energy it produces, creating the harmful, wasteful byproducts of exhaustion and pollution. Even when we’re reading a book or watching a movie, the idling mind of speed does not shut off. With a speedy mind we never enjoy the fruits of our labor, our love, or our life. We can’t relax.

‘IMPATIENCE SLOWS YOU DOWN, WHEN YOU FEEL IT, IT IS YOUR PERSONAL SIGNAL THAT YOU DO NOT BELIEVE YOU’LL SUCCED’

Many times we get so caught up in what is next that we forget what we have done. Slowing down is a conscious choice, and not always an easy one, but it leads to a greater appreciation for life. It is when we are relaxed and that we take time to reflect the moments that we achieved greatness that we truly can move forward. What moments of greatness have you not had a time to celebrate as you kept wondering what is next. The idea is take time to celebrate and cherish the moment before you move on the next thing. It’s not how fast you can do things, however it’s how well you do them. Then Grace is born and present moment.

Speed comes from being overly ambitious and mechanical. We aren’t content with our own mind, so we become aggressive in how we conduct our life. In an effort to match a concept of what success might be, we fill our calendars and spend the whole day holding on to our “to do” list. We chase after appointments, phone calls and meetings with jealousy, competition, fixation and irritation—whatever it takes to get us where we think we need to go. When life still won’t match our concept, we get mad—mad that others are late, or mad that we are early. We get mad at getting older, mad at getting sick, and mad at others getting old and sick.

Wisdom tells us that we are meant to enjoy our life and use it in a meaningful way. A successful life is not determined by the speed with which we live. If we’re always flapping our wings, endlessly trying to get what we need with aggression, we will always be exhausted. We’ll never find what we’re really looking for, which is our own contentment. Speed only brings us closer to the next speed-fueled moment.

When we speed around, are we mastering our life or hanging on for dear life? Mastering our life comes from the ability to be content with life as it unfolds. The first step is recognizing that we can be happy and at peace. Wanting to be anywhere but where we are, doing anything but what we’re doing, are unnecessary moves that throw us off balance. We can develop patience, which means not being so aggressive with our life. We don’t have to buy into speed’s game plan. We can slow down. Eating more doesn’t necessarily make the food more delicious. Getting angry over traffic doesn’t make it move faster.

Great masters accomplish a lot without speed, because they are running on the clocks of wisdom and compassion. Wisdom dwells in the moment of endless time, and compassion appreciates that everlasting moment. For the rest of us, aggression fools us into feeling that time is running out before our eyes. Let’s set the clock of aggression back, and the clock of wisdom and compassion forward. We can simplify our lives by canceling our appointment with anger at seven, with jealousy at noon, with pride at five, and with regret at ten. Let’s wake up and realize that we don’t have to speed. With love as our only appointment, we have all the time in the world.

We live in a face-paced world and it is easy to get caught up with the quickness of it. Yet the call of God on our lives is not one in which we are called to rush toward a perceived goal. We are called acknowledge that God is alive and present in this moment. God does not call us to rush to him, as some destination held out for us in the future, but to realize and enter into his presence and activity as it is presently. God is active in us and through us, and his blessings are bountiful. We risk missing all of this when we speed through our lives.

~ Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Shambhala Sun

Slow Down Time

Make a conscious effort to slow down for fifteen to twenty minutes at least once a day, even if you need to schedule this time into your day planner. Use slow-down time to steep yourself in whatever experience you are having — washing the dishes, clearing the clutter, taking a shower. Engage in whatever experience you are having with a sense of ease and full awareness. In the midst of any activity during the day,
Raising a cup of tea to your lips, Reaching out to answer the phone, Continue doing exactly as you have been doing, But slow your movements down. Move at a quarter of the usual speed, or even less. Become aware of the minute details involved: The movements of individual muscles, the thoughts and feelings that accompany each action. Be present. It’s not to just slowing down — you need to actually be mindful of whatever you’re doing at the moment. That means, when you find yourself thinking about something you need to do, or something that’s already happened, or something that might happen … gently bring yourself back to the present moment. Focus on what’s going on right now; On your actions, on your environment, on others around you. This takes practice but is essential. Eat slower and drive slower is a good start as well.