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“Let the stillness guide you.”
A still, simple life, is created from within. However chaotic and stressful the outside world may seem, you are always guided back to the serene comfort floating above, within and beyond. You sense it, at times you can even touch it, feel it. You are aware of it. You are it. It is you.
You do not have to move to the countryside, declutter your entire home or spend time in solitude 24/7 to embrace a slower and simpler kind of living. You can of course if that is what you want. However, simple living is more about incorporating a more meaningful way of living. In other words, it is something that is highly connectedwith your mindset, hence how you spend your everyday life. How you are interacting with others, and the words you are using when talking to and about yourself.
Slow living is about creating time, space and energy for the things that matter most to us in life. It is about taking the time to do things properly, and thereby enjoy them more. Allowing ourselves to be fully present.
What kind of intentions are you setting for the day ahead? How do you wish to communicate, and interact with the people in your life? Do you dedicate time to yourself? Set some time aside to reflect upon these things.
Find your own pace of living
Slow living has nothing in common with being lazy, and not accomplishing things. Rather, it is the notion of not having to do it all, but to cut things out that does not serve you, and leaving room for the things you love, the things that are necessary and above all – the things that make your heart flourish. Open and expand.
There are many suggestions on how to live a slow, simple life, however, how would you describe it? Find your own pace of living, whether it is moving to a smaller town, embracing a more minimalistic living, spending less, working more effectively, cooking meals with your kids, having deep face-to-face conversations with loved ones, setting time aside for creative endeavours, or simply by spending precious time in nature each day.
You do not have to do it all, some days simply existing is enough. Listen to your breath, step out of your head, and live a little.
Flow with the seasons
” Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
– Lao Tzu
Our fast-paced society often triggers feelings such as not being good enough, anxiety and frustration. We are constantly being bombarded with stimuli from outside sources, whether it is through social media, the news or other peoples’ opinions and judgments. At times it can be very difficult to turn away from all the distractions, however much it would benefit us.
Slow, simple living can in a way be seen as living in accordance with the seasons. Just as every season – each moment you experience in life, every feeling you are feeling – serves a deeper purpose. When we take time to slow down and grasp the meaning behind an event, we gain a better understanding on who we are, and what we want out of life.
It is very difficult to hear oneself when the mind is constantly caught up in the outside world. If we never take the time to just sit with ourselves, we won’t hear the silent, important whispers from the soul. You see, the soul does not usually scream out its desires; usually it is a soft melody, unperceivable to the five senses, nevertheless, something never to be ignored.
Know that it is completely okay, and necessary, to be winter when you are winter, and summer when you are summer. Trust the seasons changing, trust your inner voice, it knows.
The study of self & others
By taking time to slow down you allow yourself to fully appreciate all that is happening within you. In other words, it can be seen as the study of self. Allow yourself to become curious. Curious enough to want to know more about yourself, and the ways in which you can expand. There is so much to discover, and learn about life, about yourself and the people around you. When you spend precious, slow time alone you gain a better understanding of who you are, and what you desire in life. And while self-development and seeking new knowledge and expertise is necessary, it is also vital to ask oneself why one is striving for something all the time. It all comes down to why we choose to do certain things. In addition, you may also come to appreciate other peoples’ company more, after spending hours by yourself.
When it comes to relationships you can be both the teacher, and the student. Therefore, start practising slow living when interacting with other people. What can you teach each other? In what way can you serve one another? How can you both benefit from the interaction? Start by listening without judgment. Listen to understand, not simply to respond. Keep in mind that everything is positive if we learn from it. Learn to forgive yourself, and others. Relationships are our biggest teachers. Humans are social creatures; we are not meant to sit in solitude day in and day out. We are meant to interact with each other. We are meant to evolve and change with the help from one another. You truly get to know yourself while communicating and spending time with a wide range of people. It is a tremendous richness to get to spend time with humans that are different from us – people that have a different outlook on life, speak a different language, as well as people with different life experiences.
With this in mind, I strongly believe we all can benefit from introducing the concept of slow living in our hectic lives. Not only for the sake of our own wellbeing, but in the interest of gaining a deeper connection within our relationships.
Linda Maria Vestman
Turku, Finland 19 December 2022
About the Author
Linda Maria Vestman is an intuitive writer and painter from Finland, with a great passion for human development.
Instagram: @linda_maria_vestman