“Everything takes time. Bees have to move very fast to stay still.” David Foster Wallace
Fast food, faster internet connections, and yes, even fast yoga. We live in fast paced world and it is getting faster all the time. When things get stressful, it’s great to slow down and pull back, but sometimes we just can’t. What makes moving fast so stressful?
Can we replay the video of you making sandwiches, eating breakfast, finding the lost sock, getting the kids packed in the car, loosing your keys, finding your keys under the diaper bag and running back out to the car, without the part where you hold your head in your hands about to weep and lean accidentally on the car horn? Is it possible to move that quickly without feeling like you put in a whole day by 7:30 in the morning?
It’s hard, but possible. Think long distance runner, not a sprinter. Think horse running through an open meadow, not cheetah chasing prey, or worse, prey chased by cheetah. The long distance runner is thinking only about her stride, her breath and her feet hitting the ground. She does it because she loves the way if feels. The horse in the meadow is not chasing or being chased, but running for the love of it. The stress of rushing isn’t necessarily from moving fast, but from thinking ahead to the next thing and worrying about being late.
It feels like you are chasing punctuality or being chased by the fear of embarrassment. And in the worrying we misplace things, lose sight of other people, and lose touch with our body. The trick is to move rapidly with absorption in the moment, in our body, and in our actions. Then we can move rapidly without becoming frazzled and stressed-out. But only for short bursts. We need to intersperse periods of fast with periods of slow. We need to take a moment of deep and utter rest after a morning marathon.
On The Mat
After warming up, try a few sun salutations slowly. Then do two full sun salutations twice as fast. Stay aware of alignment and breath, as well as the transitions, especially between Downward Facing Dog and Uttanasana-standing forward bend, as you walk your feet up to meet your hands. Try to keep the pace even and brisk. Notice if you find changes in your emotional body or thoughts as you move from slow to fast. Finish with a slow sun salutation, child’s pose, some slow forward bending and gentle twists before final Shavasana.
Off The Mat
When you find yourself having to meet a time crunch, bring your attention to your breath, body, and thoughts. Simply notice what is happening with compassion. Now, bring your full attention to what you are doing. If your mind wanders to worries of being late, gently bring it back to the task at hand. Imagine the spirit of the beautiful long distance runner or the horse running gracefully in the meadow and bring that attitude to your work right here, right now. Can you find stillness in the buzz of moving fast?
Notice any shift in heart rate, breath, and efficiency. When you have arrived at your own finish line, take some time to appreciate your sleek actions and your need to rest fully and completely. Honor your ability to move at different paces as needed. You are resilient and graceful and you are a beautiful role model for your child. Do you think it is possible for you to move quickly without stress when you have to?
“May we move swiftly safely, may we be happy at any speed, may we be at ease.”
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