Slow down

turtle on rocks in nature

In a boat rushing on a fast-running creek, it seems as if the trees on the bank are rushing by. What seems to be changing around us is rather the speed of our craft leaving this world. Rumi

When we are living in a fast-paced world, everything seems rushed, and it is easy to blame the environment and circumstances for its speed. However, the reality is that it is our choice as to how fast we want to go. We have the choice to stop and spend time for reflection and contemplation.

By slowing down, we are able to differentiate between reality and illusion and have a better chance of getting a sense of perspective and direction in life. What good is it to go fast if we are traveling in the wrong direction? We only get to the wrong place faster. It is better to go slowly but to head in the right direction. We get there, slowly but surely.

When we slow down and remain centered, there seems to be more time. In reality, time cannot increase, but our anticipation and presence are heightened to the point that we feel it is.

Going fast and being busy are not recipes for effectiveness and success. Success is knowing the reality, having a direction, and heading there. If we feel the trees on the bank are rushing by, what is changing is rather the “speed of our craft leaving this world.”

(Excerpt from the book, The One Minute Sufi by Azim Jamal.)

 

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