Take it slow

A message came recently from a very sweet messenger … a beautiful snail.  His message is this …

“take it slow”

It sounds simple .. yes.  It is simple … yes.  But then why is it so difficult to do.  Why is it such a hard thing to just slow down and be right where I am.

Distractions

When we are distracted by the cell phones and the computerized gadgets which allow us to walk, text and surf the internet all at the same time;  when we are rushing from one place to another, not in any of them long enough to catch up to our own bodies;  when we’re thinking of where we just came from and stressing about where we need to go next, not fully present where we are at the moment – part of us left behind in the last place we visited and part of us already ahead of ourselves in our future … we can’t feel whole.  How can we feel whole when we are so fragmented.

I think we are trying to do all these things, ultimately for the very purpose of feeling whole, to accomplish our purpose in this lifetime – to get ahead of ourselves so that we’ll make it in time – so that we’ll finish.  But what ends up happening is that we are so busy trying to get there that we miss out on the experience … which IS the purpose.

Racing away from where we want to be

If we want to take it slowly, as our wise friend suggests.  If we want to catch up with ourselves and finally and truly rest, we can look to those of the natural world to show us how. The snail is a wonderful guide when we want to become still and allow ourselves to be where we are – take in our surroundings.  She carries her home with her. She has all she needs. She has no need to rush. To see the world from her perspective, we need only match her pace.

The stone beings are also wonderful guides to slowing down. They are the masters. Look at the path of their formation. They can take millions of years to take shape. That requires a type of patience we as human beings do not understand. Yet they can teach us. They can allow us, if only for a few moments at a time, to experience stillness – they can show us how to move at such a pace as to truly see where we are and all that surrounds us. They can, if we wish, show us to see even deeper into the space we occupy. They can show us how to look into our hearts and through to our soul space. They can help us to see that there is no need to rush. They can show us that when we are so busy running from where we are, we move only further from our true destination. They can show us our world in a whole new way.

Slow your pace

Let snail help you to slow your pace to one where you can see that home is where you are already. Let her help you see that a race against time is not one to win. Let the stone beings help you to take this relaxed stride and draw it out even further. Let them show you how much there is to see here at this placid pace.

Crystals to slow down with

Any crystal can help you to get out of the mad rush. They are the embodiment of patience, growing sometimes for millions of years. But if you're looking for one who is especially focussed on the art of slowing down, try Copal. Before it crystallized it moved at a pace similar to our snail friend. Fossils are another great one to call in--especially snail or turtle fossils.

Originally published August 27, 2011