In today's blog, I want to share with you another great video I stumbled upon and use it as an opportunity to discuss the relationship between mindfulness and the age-old wisdom of 'going slow through life'.
The Video:
This video features Dot Fisher-Smith, an artist, journalist, activist, buddhist, group leader and teacher in Ashland, Oregon who at the age of 95 (and a half) reflects on her life, aging, the unity and diversity of nature, death, and the experience of being - ending with her advice on longevity.
"Going Slow" and Meditation:
"Haste makes waste"
"Take time to smell the roses"
"Slow and steady wins the race."
What is the relationship between these familiar proverbs and the state of mindfulness we discuss and access through meditation? Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, that means aware of our thoughts, feelings, and environment, without judgment.
When we move through life more slowly, we give ourselves the opportunity to engage fully with what’s happening around us. Whether it’s a conversation, a task, or simply being in nature, a slower pace makes it easier to be fully in the present moment, which is at the core of mindfulness. It reduces the rush that often leads to distraction, stress, or automatic behaviors, and encourages intentionality, clarity, and calm.
This slower, more deliberate approach to life also supports mindfulness by reducing the mental clutter that can come from multitasking or always thinking about the next thing. It fosters a state of attentiveness where you can savor experiences and respond thoughtfully, rather than react impulsively.
I often make the statement that mindfulness requires no effort as it is our natural and deepest state of pure awareness. I am then often asked, "What about the effort it takes to have the time to be present?"
There was a very famous Zen monk named Thich Nhat Hanh who traveled all over the world on a regular basis giving talks and attending world forums to share his teachings on meditation. He said that he would always arrive to an airport an extra two hours early so that he would never be rushed and could maintain a state of mindfulness.
Being requires no effort - creating the time and space to access and maintain a state of awareness does. But once we realize that peace, happiness, and our sense of aliveness and connectedness to the universe comes not from anything we do, but from the experience of simply experiencing, we make it a priority in our life to "go slow".
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