Slow Down the Runaway Train

I have wanted a ‘time turner’ ever since I read about them in ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’. This was the magic I craved: the power to be in two places at once, and to be able to accomplish twice as much every day.

I’m going to share a couple of reflections which expose my relationship with time, busyness, getting things done and the stress that this relationship creates. When you’ve read these, you’ll be happy for me that I found yoga & meditation.

Packing up the desert

I have a recurring dream. The first time I remember having this dream I was 18. Occasionally I still have it. In the dream, I am in the desert and an unknown someone tells me to put all the sand into bags. I watch myself from above, shovelling and packing as fast as I can, striving to put the entire desert into bags. When I have this dream, I wake up agitated and unsettled. Once I’m awake, it’s hard to understand my dream-state compliance. I don’t think we need an interpreter to understand what this dream is about.

The Runaway Train

When I’m doing things, it often feels like I’m a steam train. Picture ‘The Hogwarts Express’ thundering across the countryside! I don’t notice myself gathering speed to begin with. At first, I like the feel of the well-oiled pistons shuttling back and forth. The regularity of the movement feels like a dance. I whistle with pride at my progress, enjoying the sense of jubilation that my increased speed brings. Everything is happening as it should. Destinations are reached. Journeys are completed. I feel a sense of accomplishment as I fly through tasks from my ‘to do’ list on my clipboard.

Then I cross the imperceptible line. Like always, I tip over into ‘TOO BUSY’. The train goes beyond efficiency and sleekness. It’s going too fast. I can’t slow it down. There is no brake. I’m out of control.

Slow-Down December

I hate the feeling that both my recurring dream and the ramping up of out-of-control busyness give me.

We live in an age where busyness is celebrated far too much, despite the detrimental impact that it can have on our health and wellbeing.

And December is a month when, for many of us, the increased busyness and speed at which things are coming at us becomes simply too much.

Things get too fast.

The increase in busyness is accompanied with an equal decrease in time. There are more parties, more shopping, more school recitals, more planning, more organising, more travelling, and more work stacking up around us just so that a holiday can be taken.

Even as I’m writing these words, I can feel the pistons of the train begin to turn.

But I’m learning. I’m learning that, even though I still get stressed about lack of time, the answer is not to try to do more, nor to wish for a time turner, nor to start filling the bags with sand. The answer is to stop, take a moment, breathe, do some yoga, slow down.

That’s why I’m dedicating the month of December to the theme ‘Slow’.

In classes this month you can expect slow flows, plenty of breath work, and meditations on slowing things down and being present.

For the 12 Days of Christmas, my gift to you will be one practical tip a day on how to slow yourself down.

So, look out for 12 ways to take a moment and slow things down over the festive seasons. You will find these in my Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/884145609135129 for slowing yourself down when you feel your train start picking up speed.