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There are countless benefits to slowing down. Our overall health improves as we become more aware of how to slow down. It sounds really simple but when we put it into practice it is apparent how challenging this can be. When we slow down we can prepare the body and mind to sit for longer periods of time. Our level of stress can be reduced by slowing down and we can feel more relaxed. This act helps to balance the more active Yang exercises and activities of our life.
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Slowing down helps us to be calm, still, and happy within ourselves, regardless of conditions. We can minimize suffering (wanting things to be different than they are) by slowing down. Most importantly this act of slowing down connects use to our inner reservoir of energy (prana), instead of relying only on external sources like food, friends, facebook, phone, reading, intellect, entertainment, outer validation, etc.) We can gain the ability to deal with life’s difficulties, disappointments, and when things don’t go the way we want them to just by slowing down. (Adapted from Sally Miller’s Teachings)
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A few ways to slow down…
-participate in a practice that helps create a sense of #oneness between #mind, #body, and #breath
-#communicate and listen deeply to your body’s needs
-connect to your breath often as much as you can
-have technology-free time and space
-sit in #meditation
-try types of #yoga for slowing down like #gentle classes, #restorative, and #yin yoga
-understand that by slowing down you’re not being unproductive or lazy
-acknowledge that slowing down helps our whole way of thinking and acting in the world to become more efficient
ABOUT AUTHOR SAMANTHA BARRETT
Samantha Barrett is a 500 hr Advanced Vinyasa Yoga Instructor from Bucks County, PA. She received her 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training from Dragonfly under the direction of Alexis Ridge-Simek in 2015. She also studied with Rolf Gates (500hr), Seane Corn, Mas Vidal, Karl Straub, & Maria Garre. Her classes invite the student to explore the body & breath on the mat in a way that deepens awareness, creates flexibility, and awakens true nature. She is a certified Reiki II Practitioner under the guidance of Valerie & Ian Haag and has completed 16 hrs of Thai Yoga Bodywork training from the Vedic Conservatory. She graduated from Temple University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Education and her passion for teaching has lead her into the light of Yoga.