The Joy of Slowing Down
“In today’s rush we all think too much, seek too much, want too much and forget about the joy of just being.”
I came across this quote recently and it really spoke to me. Pretty much everything that Eckhart Tolle says is full of wisdom and insight, and this phrase is no exception. I read his wonderful book ‘The Power of Now’ early on in my spiritual journey and it had a profound impact on my perception of myself and my role within the world. I always recommend it to those who are interested in learning more about spirituality and yoga philosophy because it provides a clear and relatable narrative about how we can all live in the present a little bit more.
But back to the quote - why did it resonate? During isolation I had been doing lots of research into the breath, and through my research I was reminded of 3 key yogic principles that Patanjali wrote about in the yoga sutras (the earliest published yogic texts). These are non attachment, non judgment and non resistance. The quote resonated because it indirectly addresses all of these things. It felt like perfect synchronicity to me.
What are we doing when we’re thinking too much? We’re resisting the present moment by allowing our mind to take us elsewhere.
What are we doing when we’re seeking too much? We’re judging our current situation as inadequate and wishing it was different.
And what are we doing when we’re wanting too much? We’re attaching our happiness or success with something external (often material).
Modern life is set up to have us rushing around at a million miles an hour, craving sugar and caffeine for that little boost of energy when the body starts to tell us it’s all getting a bit too much. The world learnt a lot about ‘the joy of just being’ during lockdown, and as things start to ease, I hope that for the health of our nation, we remain mindful of the importance of living in the movement. Because learning to slow down and really pay attention to the small but beautiful things in life is truly enlightening. The rich taste of your morning coffee, the gentle breeze against your skin as you walk the dog, the way in which your breath changes depending on the situation you are in. We can all be more present and pay attention to these things if we choose to.
You’ll probably know for my classes that I like to practice and teach yoga in a dynamic and strengthening way, but this doesn’t mean that my practice at home looks like this all the time! Sometimes my practice is 10 minutes in a child's pose, or just sitting and breathing. Because sometimes the most productive thing we can do, is simply be. By doing this we give our mind space away from the constant input of information, and we give our nervous system a break from that fight or flight state that we find ourselves in far too often.
“sometimes the most productive thing we can do, is simply be.”
You may have heard people talking about September being the new January. As the start of the new school year, it’s often a time where people want to ‘start afresh’ and get back into a sense of routine after the (often chaotic!) summer months. That’s why Fabi (MindBalance UK) and I decided to host a 3 hour reset this month, to help you do exactly as the quote above says - ‘find the joy in just being’. The workshop will incorporate both pranayama (breathwork) and restorative yoga to help you slow down, let go of all that energetic weight that is holding you down, and find the space to just be. For me information about the workshop, click here.
We can’t wait to share some useful tools about how we can use our breath and body to be more present and find the joy in slowing down. See you there!