i’ve been on that slow train for a bit now. i’m very grateful to be able to tap into a slower lifestyle and it can be a battle to stay moving this way. i feel like a lot of the slowness also comes from my effortless action around things. i feel like when we force we create a lot of movement and friction but what if we paused?
i do still fall into the speed and “hustle” that i see all around me. my constant question is, how do i stay here in the slow? by staying here, i mean staying present, staying alive, and practicing detachment from the the objects that steal my joy.
being in the US makes it hard for me to understand what being around a slow society and culture is like. i watch movies, videos, and read books around living slowly and really taking my time to savor every moment. having also grown up in the cuban culture of cafecitos and being in community while drinking a cup of espresso - i have always viewed the coffee experience as a way to put the brakes on. but seeing a whole city in a slow format really hit home for me. i went to rome last year and felt the effects of the city. i felt no rush, no need to optimize, no need to talk fast or make fast decisions, and i felt welcome to just sit, enjoy, and savor. this all without judgement or comparison.
it’s not only the cuban culture or italian community that value a slower life. i think a lot about japanese culture and the values there around ‘ukino’, which translates to live in the moment and be far from common life matters, align to the art of slow living.
is there 1 action you can take today to slow it down? i’m planning on stretching for 5 mins and really focusing in that moment, in that stretch, in how it feels.
peace. paz.
-irms