Slowing Down Part Two

Greetings Yogis and Yoginis,

This week in class we are again considering the topic “slowing down.”

Hurry blocks our access to our deeper resources. One of life’s most precious skills is learning to slow down and live completely in the present moment.

-Eknath Easwaran

In today’s speeded-up ways of working and living slowing down is an important spiritual discipline. In the modern world we are conditioned to live faster and faster with no time for inner reflection or sensitivity to others. We are only beginning to see that speed makes our lives tense, insecure, inefficient, and superficial.

It is not enough to talk about this; we must learn to slow down the pace of our lives. To do this it is a great help to start the day early; that is how you set the pace for the day. Have your meditation (contemplative practice, ed.) as early as possible. Don’t rush through breakfast. Allow enough time to get to work without haste. At any time during the day when you catch yourself hurrying, repeat the mantram (your chosen word, ed.) to slow down.

In order to slow down, it is necessary to gradually eliminate activities outside your job and family responsibilities which do not add to your spiritual growth. At first you may feel at a loss for what to do with your newfound extra time. What we lose in activity we gain in intensity by learning to rest content on each moment. The British poet John Donne says, “Be your own home and therein dwell.” We can find our center of gravity within ourselves by simplifying and slowing down our lives.

It is essential not to confuse slowness with sloth, which breeds procrastination and general inefficiency. In slowing down, attend meticulously to details, giving the very best you are capable of even to the smallest undertaking.

Creating Calm in Difficult Times: Strength in the Storm– Eknath Easwaran

The homework is to create a “To Be” list instead of a “To Do” list. The “To Be” list is for this life. Be specific, something like “Be more sympathetic to Nathan and Megan” instead of something general like “Be sympathetic.” Revise this list as you use it, to make it really work for you. Be honest and put down only things you really care about.

Blessings,

paul cheek
Rushing Water Yoga
The BKS Iyengar Yoga School of Southwest Washington
417 NE Birch St., Camas, WA 98607
360.834.5994

www.rushingwateryoga.com
info@rushingwateryoga.com

Serving Yoga to Camas, Washougal, and Vancouver Washington since 2003