I have been working with the idea of slowing down a lot recently. Firstly in my massage practice - I am really trying to slow down so that I can feel where I am at and of course feel what is going on with my clients. Just taking a second more as I walk around the table or as I contact the client’s body can help to really get me grounded and present to the moment.
But more than that, I am really finding the practice of slowing down is rippling out in other ways in my life. Slowing down long enough to take a breath can help me decide how to react to any given situation. I have also been trying really hard to slow down when I eat, firstly so I can really notice what I am eating and secondly as eating is something that that happens on a regular basis so that it can become a trigger to practice being in presence, slowness and awareness. For someone like me for whom food has always been something of a crutch this can actually be a surprisingly hard practice but I trust that the more I practice the more I am going to enjoy my food and my moment )and by extension my life!)
Recently I also went to a forest bathing session run by a friend. In the session we really slowed down, exploring a local forest with our senses, spending time in silence and then moving to a creative practice. The session not only reminded me how healing nature can be, but also how important it can be for our health and wellbeing to really slow down and regulate.
So what is one way you could slow down? Perhaps you can go for a walk and really notice the tree, the leaves or whatever else is around you? Or maybe it’s as simple as getting into the habit of slowly brushing your teeth or stretching or whatever else is part of your normal routine?
