Slow Down
We often allow our daily existence to vibrate at too high a frequency, leading to stress and the feeling of being overwhelmed. The only path to peace is to pause, and slow way down.
In meditation today, while I was observing my thoughts, I recognized that the primary type of thought passing through my mind was to-do lists, plans, and things I need to take care of. It’s like my mind thinks it’s the boss of me, and its job is to create a constant stream of ideas for tasks that need to be completed.
We should map out the back garden and make a plan on how we’re going to organize it. I need to write this article or that article. I need to order a new part for my bicycle. I need to read the next chapter of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. I should do my laundry this morning. I need to call the Home Warranty company to complain that the washing machine repair people did not come back to finish the job they started. I should check in with my friend to see what time the group ride is on Tuesday. I need to go to the store and resupply staples for lunches and dinners this week.
And so on and so on; an overwhelming list that never ends and that frequently, in cycles, adds up to more than I can handle. Does this sound familiar?
We rush from place to place, from thing to thing, trying to accomplish as much as possible in our given day. It makes us miserable, run-down, and sick. And to what end? Are any of the things we feel are important at the moment that valuable?
We operate on energy, and we each have varying levels of capacity. When we’re awake, moving, doing, and thinking, we’re vibrating (resonating) at a frequency of energy. Humming. The load of all of the things we take on amplifies the pitch of that frequency and increases the accumulated stress on our entire physical system.
The nature of human existence is not stasis, it’s motion. We are always either expanding or conracting...
At any point in time, we have an ideal frequency. And we can all tolerate (in fact it’s quite healthy) to have fluctuating periods of higher-than-ideal frequency and lower-than-ideal frequency. The nature of human existence is not stasis, it’s motion. We are always either expanding or contracting, pushing forward or pulling back. That’s the natural rhythm of this physical Universe. Movement. Energy. Intensity.
When we operate above our current capacity, we feel stress. Stress can make you bend, and that’s not a bad thing. Stress is only a bad thing when you are forced to bend to your breaking point.
When life requires we maintain too high a frequency for too long, we need to lower the frequency. We need to slow down, let everything go, and focus on only the one thing directly in front of you at the moment.
The Zen of Slowing Down
The purpose of Zen Buddhism is to live in the present, in a state of acceptance. It means learning how to let go of living in the future (like my constant planning of future tasks that need to be accomplished). It’s also no good to dwell constantly in the past (reliving traumas, sitting with past criticisms, or feelings of victimhood).
Zen Buddhism, through the simple act of sitting zazen, (sitting, breathing, and letting your thoughts come and go), helps root you to the present.
What I mean by slowing down as a way to manage stress is a very Zen concept. I am advocating that there are times when we need to physically slow down to allow moments of stress to pass.
Slowing down means removing some of the elements in your physical environment that adding to your frequency load. Turn away from excessive demands on your attention. Shut off the media (music, video, internet, smartphone) that are adding layers of demand beyond the task at hand.
When I feel like I’ve taken on too much and I need a reset, I might turn off the TV show that I might stream on a second screen while I follow up on emails rather than try to split my attention. I will take my foot off the accelerator if slow to the speed limit rather than compete with other drivers for space in the road ahead. I may resist the urge to instantly engage or respond when the phone rings, the text chimes, or the social-media app pings. I might pick up a book instead of a remote at the end of the day.
Slow down. Do one thing. Do it well.
Slowing down means stripping away the layers of stress in your life to focus on one single thing at a time. Slowing down lowers your frequency so your mind and your spiritual system can grab some breathing room, adjust itself, and get stronger for the next time the inevitable increase of stress frequency occurs.
So slow down. Think about what you have planned for today and instead, let it all go. Except for one thing. Pick one thing that you can put your attention on without distraction, that you can be completely present for. Let yourself experience that one thing fully. No distractions. No thinking about what’s next. No using it as a stepping stone to something else. No rushing to get it over with to make more room for the other thing you want to do.
Slow down. Do one thing. Do it well. And see what it feels like to lower your frequency for one day.
