A Few Ways to Slow Things Down

Dear friends,

Do you often feel like the world has gone mad? As if humanity has become insane? It has! Every day we are presented in the news something of war, turmoil, hatred, violence, climate crises, and political unrest.  The media makes it seem like goodness doesn’t even exist.These negative energies can take a toll on our mental health on top of coping with our own life situations that fire up from time to time.

Dr. Deepak Chopra  said in one of his talks that the term  “mental wellness” is an untruth. The mind by its very nature is fickle. One minute it is happy and the next sad. One minute it is judging and the next accepting. The qualitities of the mind ” are like pairs of opposites” so the sages and great masters have taught. To attempt to control the mind is like trying to grasp a mosquito before it bites. This is why it is a fallicy to say ” I can’t meditate, my mind doesn’t stop thinking”.  The goal is not to control the mind. The goal is to stay ” present” or “witness” the thoughts like the clouds moving across the sky or the waves coming and going in the ocean. Chopra says that by each person raising their vibration, we can collectively become more harmonious. As each individual cultivates higher qualities like kindness, joy, respect, love and acceptance we can have a healthier society. Mental wellness becomes the byproduct and meditation is a way there.

How do we begin to gain access to our inner strength in the midst a rollercoaster ride?

One way that I approach overwhelm is by ” slowing down”.

These are a few ways :

1. Take a rest, a pause from things. Put your feet up, look at the sky, gaze at the moon, thank the trees. These simple acts of seeing and feeling bring joy. Finding joy in simple things is a way of slowing things down.

2.  One of the ways to access a quiet steady state is through “chanting”- repeating syllables that quiet the mind. These sounds have been passed down through millenium as keys or doorways to the inner self. Recently I experienced this while chanting the mantra” om namah shivaya”. The meaning of this phrase is ” I honor the self within”. By chanting this mantra I found myself in a deep place where there was simply nothingness- a place beyond sleep that was sheer peace. When I awoke from the meditation I literally had to ask where I was. I felt so rested and complete. I had touched a transcendant place beyond thought and mind. I felt completely refreshed and able to move through the rest of my day with ease.

3. Make a list of affirmations that you are grateful for. Or writing phrases like ” I am beautiful”, ” I am worthy”, ” I am abundant”, I am grateful for….. This few minute exercise during the day slows the mind and connects to the heart. I like to be prepared by carrying a small pad and pen in my handbag so that I can stop and make a list anywhere. Writing  something down affirms to the universe that you mean what you say.

What are some of the things you do to slow down?

with fierce love,
Gedalia