Slowing down

In a very busy world

Can we be slow in a world that is busy?
Can we be still in a society that never stops?
Can we pause when the day,
not yet begun,
is already full

Full

Full

?

Hello Dearest One

How are you today?

Have you had the opportunity this week to step beyond the threshold of Do-ing to arrive in the Land of Be-ing?

Have you had the opportunity to pause, and sip your tea, while gently gazing into the Land of Hopes and Dreams?

Or maybe you have had the opportunity to simply look up from your computer screen and look outside your window, to see the colours change as the shadows and light of the day moves around your window?

Simply put, have you slowed down today,
have you consciously paused?

We are busy people.

So busy that sometimes we forget to breathe out.

So busy that sometimes we forget to listen to how we are talking in our minds -
to ourselves,

So busy that sometimes we forget to do something for ourselves,
because we are too tired,
too empty.

Sometimes we go through the day and we forget about our own needs,
Our own simple needs that when we listen to them,
we are refilled in ways that deeply nourish us.

My dear friend,

May I invite you to sit with me?

Imagine that we are sitting on my lounge.
You have your shoes off and your cosy socks on (or maybe you have bare feet).
Imagine you are putting your feet up on my lounge and curling up.
I’ve put your favourite herb tea on a little wooden table next to you, and your favourite topping on a hot piece of toast beside the tea.

There is a soft rug.
Feel free to use it.
Place it over your feet,
over your shoulders
over your knees.

Just sit my friend.
Just sit
on my lounge
at this moment in time.

And as you sit on my lounge, I invite you to imagine that where you are sitting you can see outside my balcony.

Imagine you can see all my flower pots.
I have lavender growing and tomotoes,
I have rosemary in a pot and marjoram thriving.
I have mint and shallots
and garlic and basil.

I have geranium plants and succulents,
I have Agapanthus in bloom and an apple tree flowering.

Can you imagine them?
Can you see their beautiful colours, merging and reflecting off each other?

Can you see the different shades of green?

Did you know that the green on rosemary is different to the green on the leaves of lemon trees?
And the green on marjoram is different again to the green of succulents?
And then when the sunlight shines upon them, they change yet again.

I wonder my friend can you imagine seeing the sunlight gently shining upon my little garden?

And maybe you can imagine you can hear the different sounds that come from my balcony?
Maybe you might hear the Ravens cawing or the Magpies singing,
You might hear the Currawongs sharing their song,
or the Kookaburras laughing,
You may hear little birds splashing in the bird bath
or simply clicking their beaks

You might also,
hear the wind.

Sometimes there is no other sound,
not even the birds,
Sometimes it is just the wind.

Sometimes the wind gently blows around the leaves of the trees, like a soft breeze,
like a soft sweet song as it makes the leaves dance and sway.

Sometimes though the wind sings another song.
Like a song from an orchestra,
that begins softly and then gets a little louder,

just loud enough though that you begin to feel it in your bones
just loud enough though that you feel it rise up inside of you,
just loud enough though that you know it will soon peak
and become

wild and passionate,
loud and intense,
hopeful and empowering,
freeing and cleansing,
rustling and breathless
and…

And then
when the body feels that it may just be too much
and too...

whatever

The Wind slows

and quietens

and
and

stops.

And gently waits,
like the musicians in an orchestra who have played the most extraordinary piece,

They wait,

until the last note falls upon them

and then they can release their breath

and then they can look around,
as though they were in different world,

and maybe they were

and maybe we were.

And ever so silently they leave the stage
As the wind has left the balcony

And maybe for this moment in time
there is nothing else there
except the green upon the flowers pots
and you
and me
upon the lounge.

My dear friend,

What would SLOWING DOWN look like for you at this moment in time?
What would pausing feel like for your heart and soul?

What would the sound of the wind be like for you and then the silence of it, when it stops?

I would love to hear your thoughts about slowing down in a busy world.

Until next week,

May you find more moments in your day to be softer, slower and still.

Much love,