Slow It Down. Find Your Groove.

Practice Off The Mat

Vol. 1 ISsue 8

I was there. You are where you are. I am now where I am.

I was walking back from the coffee shop the other day and I caught myself once again in an all out rush. For the kabillionth time I tell myself “Slow Down!!”. So I slowed down. “Don’t rush. Just be. There is no reason to haul ass down the sidewalk."

It.

Was.

Excruciating.

It lasted a block. “Nope. I have shit to do.” I told myself as I kicked it into gear and hustled along.

There is a significant amount of irony involved with this. Nobody has ever accused me of moving too fast. On anything. Ever.

An observation that my family, my teachers, coaches, friends, colleagues, more than a few bosses, and most certainly Noreen would echo .

The exception that proves the rule: when I am trying to get some place. Then everything goes out the window. I have to get there NOW!!! It's a whole thing with me. 

Back to my walk: I’m 6’ 5” tall. I can cover a lot of ground when walking. And I walk a lot around town. My stride can’t be long enough, powerful enough, or fast enough. Much to the dismay of Noreen who reminds me she almost needs to run to catch up.

The pattern I have observed is the feeling that I cannot get through the “getting there” part fast enough. I just want to be there. Anything else that gets in my way is a waste, a barrier, a roadblock. An opposing force met with an unwarranted ire. As soon as I get there, I will then be present.

The problem is when we rush through these moments, we miss so much! I already know this of course, as I scold myself “This is what you study! This is what you teach!” These subtle habits and patterns are pretty damn powerful in their effect and impact. They form over a lifetime of living. Exactly the same way functional movement patterns form and impact our physical body.

To resist and rewire the habit takes intentional effort over time.

It is the practice.

So how does one start this process of rewiring the habit and developing the practice?

Simple. By doing it.

And doing so with compassion, kindness, and grace.

And doing so with one breath, one heartbeat, one moment…. one step at a time. Knowing that you can always start over.

A couple of years ago, Molly and I were at Kripalu when we came up with our signature workshop called Slow The Funk Down. The intention was simple: help people slow down. The mind. The emotions. The body. Slow down and reconnect to the present moment.

As I was preparing this week’s thoughts, I went back to some of my earliest notes about STFD. And I had to chuckle as I read my scribbled words “give self a break. life is full of shit. must find the funk and share in the groove. effortless. easeful. present. flow inside each moment we are so lucky to have”.

So today, as I prepared to walk to the coffee shop, I thought about finding the flow in each moment. I left the earbuds at home. I tried to be present for each moment of this small journey.

As I walked, I searched for a connection with each step. I tried to feel my foot connect with the earth. I tried to feel the energy travel the kinetic chain of the body. Feeling the foot strike and each part of my body activating and moving in response. My awareness moved to different sights and sounds. Each time, I took that moment to identify what it was I observed and then moved onto the next thing.

With the late winter sun warm against the still chill air, I laughed. Because out of nowhere, the Simon & Garfunkel tune "59th Street Bridge Song" popped into my head. As I meandered down the way, I gleefully sang to myself: 

"Hello lamppost, what'cha knowing?
I've come to watch your flowers growin'.
Ain't you got no rhymes for me?
Doo-ait-n-doo-doo, feeling groovy!"

A fully present walking meditation. No rush. No hurry. Well. Almost. I made it two whole blocks this time! Then I got to rushing again. (ha!)

But that is okay. Because next time, I get to do it all again. And maybe, I will make it to three blocks!

So my question to you: where will you slow down ? Where will you invite more presence? More connection?

Where will you create some more space to be feeling groovy!?

(conversations with streetlamps optional)

***
Thanks for reading. Thanks for being here. Thanks for being you.

Remember: You are loved. You are limitless. You are epic. And you are all definitely pretty groovy! 

See you on the mat Sunday,

Chris