Slow down when Life slows you down

There are times in Life when the journey may become awfully slow. That's really the time that Life is offering us to enjoy the scenery. But we don't have the attitude to see it that way. Instead we are obsessed with the painful pace and miss the magic and beauty in our lives.

The problem lies with the way we have led our lives so far. Running from event to event, crisis to crisis, trying to make ends meet, earning a living, busy working harder than ever before, meeting targets, paying bills, raising children and doing everything else except living__mindfully. And then as often happens with Life, the game changes. We are put in a spot where we cannot move; we are check-mated, if you like. It could be a health issue, it could be a career stalemate, it could be a bankruptcy, it could be a relationship tangle or it could be a legal quagmire. In such times, there may be a tendency to worry and to wish__pray, plead, hope__that why can't Life fast-forward, why can't we get back to 'normalcy'? So, if you are bogged down in an ICU, you wish you could be back in the hustle-bustle of everyday Life. Or if you are caught in the midst of legalese, you just are hoping why don't you win all your claims and are free to be away from all this disputing and arguing. Interestingly, Life's not a handmaiden that will do what you please. It just may not move.

Know also that there is no fast-forward button on Life's remote. So, when you are pushed to a corner by the cosmic design, the best thing to do is to not worry about not moving or crib about being between a rock and a hard place. Be happy you can breathe. Because being able to sense your breathing is normal. Running so hard that you don't even have the time to notice you are breathing, is not normal. Imagine you are climbing a steep mountain in a vehicle. As it negotiates the sharp hair-pin bends, the engine is finding the going tough. So, the vehicle is down to an agonizing crawl. Now, you can worry about that pace and concentrate on the dreary drone of the engine, or you can look out the window and see what the scenery looks like. This is what enjoying the scenery is all about.

"Smile, breathe and go slowly," advises Thich Nhat Hanh (called 'Thay'), a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. "Sometimes your joy can be the cause for your smile, and sometimes, your smile can be the cause for your joy," he adds. Just being mindful of your being alive__to experiencing whatever you are going through, be it pain, be it joy__is what can make the slowdowns in Life more meaningful. Do all the things that you can joyfully in whatever state you find yourself. And don't worry about what you can't. If you are immobilized by a health issue enjoy the ‘grounding’ with a family member who is nursing you; pining to be able to run around will only cause agony. If you are cashless enjoy being able to live without money; hoping you had money will only aggravate your suffering. If you are caught in a relationship problem where there is much misunderstanding, enjoy practicing patience and forgiveness; craving for understanding from the other person may only accentuate your pain. Thay champions mindful living as a cure to all our ailments coming from merely existing. “Life is available only in the present moment. Even drink your tea, slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world, the earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future,” he says.

Slow down when Life slows you down. It is perhaps with ample reason that this message arrives on a Monday morning. To make a Manic Monday a Mindful Monday is your personal choice. It is only when you go with Life’s pace and flow, do you truly experience the magic in and live each moment!

Polepole through Life

In Swahili, polepole means slowly, gently, softly, quietly; be calm, take it quietly, don't excite yourself! It’s a good way to remember to slow down. Polepole!

To hurry through Life means to ruin your present while trying to get rid of a past that’s over and attain a future, whose form you really can’t predict. Slowing down does not mean you give up doing you many things that you have to do. It means to stay mindful, be present in whatever you are experiencing just now. The frenetic pace of today’s world is a make-believe. It is a deceitful way of kidding yourself. When you say you are too busy, when you say you have no time for yourself, when you say you are chasing your tail, it really means, you are giving excuses. The reality is that you are planning your day, your week and month badly. You are allowing other people and external factors to rule over your time. And that you are not in control of your schedules.

Polepole reminds us that sometimes, at least once every week, it is important to sit down, step back and try to understand why you are doing what you are doing. Ask yourself: 1. In doing this, are you likely to experience joy? 2. Is this part of your agenda for the day or week? 3. Is this an opportunity to add value to your Life’s goals? and 4. Is it a part of the Vision you have for yourself? You need to be answering ‘yes’ to all 4 questions. And only if all answers are ‘yes’ should you allow that intrusion into your schedule. Else, you must award that activity, task, meeting, conversation a fresh slot in a forthcoming period of time __ maybe, next week or even next month!

A lot of Life still happens unplanned. Say, a traffic jam, a heart attack, a sick child or a delayed flight. Obviously, you can’t control all of these events. But you can surely control what you allow on to your calendar, take on to your plate. And for that self-control to come in, make polepole your mantra. Slowly, slowly, journey through Life, enjoying each moment, each meeting, each drive, each meal. Bliss will follow!

Slow down when Life slows you down

When you are pushed to a corner in Life by the cosmic design, the best thing to do is to not worry about it. Don’t even complain about being between a rock and a hard place. Just be happy you can breathe.

There are times in Life when the journey may become awfully slow. That's really the time that Life is offering us to enjoy the scenery. But we don't have the attitude to see it that way. Instead we are obsessed with the painful pace and miss the magic and beauty in our lives. The problem lies with the way we have led our lives so far. Running from event to event, crisis to crisis, trying to make ends meet, earning a living, busy working harder than ever before, meeting targets, paying bills, raising children and doing everything else except living__mindfully.

And then as often happens with Life, the game changes. We are put in a spot where we cannot move, check-mated, if you like. Could be a health issue, could be a career stalemate, could be a relationship tangle or could be a legal quagmire. In such times, there may be a tendency to worry and to wish__pray, plead, hope__that why can't Life fast-forward, why can't we get back to 'normalcy'? So, if you are bogged down in an ICU, you wish you could be back in the hustle-bustle of everyday Life. Or if you are caught in the midst of legalese, you just are hoping, why don't you win all your claims and are free to be away from all this disputing and arguing? Interestingly, Life's not a handmaiden that will do what you please. It just may not move and you can do nothing about it. There is no fast-forward button in Life. In such a time, be happy you can breathe. Because being able to sense your breathing is normal. Running so hard that you don't even have the time to notice you are breathing, is NOT normal. Imagine you are climbing a steep mountain in a vehicle. As it negotiates the sharp hair-pin bends, the engine is finding the going tough. So, the vehicle is down to an agonizing crawl. Now, you can worry about that pace and concentrate on the dreary drone of the engine, or you can look out the window and see what the scenery looks like. This is what enjoying the scenery is all about. "Smile, breathe and go slowly,"advises Thich Nhat Hanh (also called 'Thay'), a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. "Sometimes your joy can be the cause for your smile, and sometimes, your smile can be the cause for your joy,"he adds. Just being mindful of your being alive__to experiencing whatever you are going through, be it pain, be it joy__is what can make the slowdowns in Life more meaningful. Do all the things that you can joyfully in whatever state you find yourself. And don't worry about what you can't. If you are immobilized by a health issue enjoy the ‘grounding’ with a family member who is nursing you; pining to be able to run around will only cause agony. If you are cashless enjoy being able to live without money; hoping you had money will only aggravate your suffering. If you are caught in a relationship problem where there is much misunderstanding, enjoy practicing patience and forgiveness; craving for understanding from the other person may only accentuate your pain. Thay champions mindful living as a cure to all our ailments coming from merely existing. “Life is available only in the present moment. Even drink your tea, slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world, the earth revolves - slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future,”he says.

Slow down when Life slows you down. It is only when you go with Life’s pace and flow, that you truly experience the magic in, and live, each moment!

If you can’t avoid the rat race, at least enjoy the scenery!

We don’t have to wait for the big, dramatic, Life-changing moments alone to learn our lessons. Life offers a teachable point of view in each moment – all the time!

Yesterday I was in a long queue to clear security at the airport. The gentleman behind me, it appeared, was in a tearing hurry. He elbowed past me and even nudged his way ahead of the person in front of me. He did not stop at the yellow line and landed himself in front of the security officer even as the officer was frisking another passenger. The officer was, naturally, irritated and told Mr.Hurry to back off and return to the yellow line. But our man was not inclined to comply. He argued that he was tired of waiting in the queue. An altercation followed. The security supervisor arrived and demanded that the man step back. He physically escorted the man to the end of the mile-long queue! While many passengers smirked, giggled or shrugged their shoulders, the man’s sullen, grumpy look got me thinking.

Why do we hate queues? Aren’t we all in a perpetual queue__waiting to depart, ever since we arrived on the planet?

To be honest, I used to hate queues too. In the years I was a journalist, I would flaunt my “PRESS” identity card and get ahead of others in public places. I have argued with many a cop or officer, like Mr.Hurry, too. When I look back at those times, I do feel ashamed of my conduct. I have learned that getting ahead in Life does not mean elbowing people and being impatient. In fact, many a time, I have wondered what’s the big hurry, the rush? Think about it. Everybody around us is running faster and faster, edging past others, wanting to be the first one to complete the rat race. And then do what? Many people still don’t understand that at the end of the rat race we will still be rats! In wanting to get ahead, beat the queue, be the first to arrive, we are missing the scenery! Life’s beauty, its magic, is not simply in arriving at any point__it really is in enjoying the scenery too. I have, over the years, found that queues are a great place to meditate, to drop anchor, to go within and connect with the source. It’s the time to revisit and relearn patience. It’s when you can reflect on the inscrutable nature of Life!

Jetsun Milarepa, the 12^th Century, Tibetan Buddhist monk has said it so beautifully – “Hasten slowly and ye shall arrive!”. It means keep walking, keep running the rat race if you must, but enjoy the scenery too. Stop and smell the roses. And don’t worry about finishing. For we all must finish our pre-ordained tenure on the planet, every which way, and finally depart. So, next time you are in queue, and are beginning to lose your cool, breathe easy. Think of Mr.Hurry. Think of Milarepa! Enjoy the scenery!