Do we need to slow down?

As the age of technology has given us the ability to live at a quicker pace of life than ever before—instant emails instead of courier telegrams, the internet instead of encyclopedias, the rise of fast food, and even “fast” fashion—our brains and bodies are literally moving at unprecedented speeds. 

Although these advances have propelled civilization forward in so many incredible ways—medical care, transportation, knowledge of climate change, navigation, space exploration, and more—we see the costs of the fast-paced living trade-off in an overall decline of mental health and well-being, and weakening family and community stability. An unsustainable pace of life—when we surpass the threshold of what we have the capacity to give—creates chronic stress within us that can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health. It begs the question, “Can our bodies and minds sustain this pace?” 

What is slow living?

Judging by history, when a societal pendulum swings heavily in one direction, it often has the reaction of self-correcting over time, albeit not necessarily to the same version of its former self (much like fashion), but through the interpretation of a new generation. As the internal pendulum of humanity has swung closer and closer to cultural burnout, everyone holding their breath for a break from the grind of modern life, it’s as though there is a collective rumbling of souls that are pushing back, counter culturally pursuing the need to “breathe out” and reconnect with their core passions, values, and health.   

Some call it the “slow living” movement. It is what it says—not doing less, but doing life slower. It involves an intentional mindset of moving our bodies slower through our day, more slowly checking off our to-do lists, being genuinely present in our conversations, quieting our brains, engaging in play and creativity for its own sake. As we adopt slower rhythms, research has even shown that we experience the passage of time more slowly, where we can truly embrace and savor life.

What does slow living have to do with spirituality?

Some connect slow living with their desire to more deeply connect with their spirituality—what or who is all this life’s work for? The busyness of life often pushes values that seem less tangible and urgent, such as spirituality and even family time, to a secondary tier of priority. Who has time to stop for meditation or to play with the kids when there are looming work deadlines and meals to plan, anyway? It doesn’t mean we do not value these things, it is that we live out of alignment with them, often due to time constraints. When the effects of neglecting our deepest core values reach a tipping point (or even boil over!), we are forced into facing the consequences of this disconnect. This most often comes in the form of relational issues, health struggles, and the inner turmoil of losing sight of our purpose and spiritual connection.

We are spiritual beings. Our spirituality and faith connect us with a bigger meaning to life than our own, with love and hope, and produce outward works in our lives that benefit society—our family, friends, neighbors, communities. Without a rich spiritual connection to provide us with this deep sense of purpose, we can feel lost, anxious, and alone.

A fast pace of life makes us feel we do not have time to spare for activities that don’t cross off a to-do list item or that seem unproductive, like sitting still with our thoughts. But connecting with our spirituality does require being present in a way that is slow, that may appear unproductive in the moment. But…slow is restorative. Slow is invigorating. Slow is transformative. The slow is where we find space for meditation, reflection, breathing, observing our thoughts, emotions, and enjoying the beauty that exists in the world around us. These things are onramps to transcendent experiences that strengthen our spirituality. 

An Inspiring Example: Spirituality in Slow Art

Japanese artist Makoto, “Mako”, Fujimara, has a foundational belief that art is a way to connect with slow, and for him, “slow art” is intrinsically linked to his faith and spirituality—the transcendent. There is actually a Japanese word, “nihonga,” for the philosophy of slow art, and it embraces the beauty in the art-making process, not just the finished work. It is not rushed, not hurried, not goal-oriented. It is art for art’s sake—for beauty’s sake, for inspiration’s sake, for enjoyment’s sake. His art requires countless hours of layering mediums, time for drying, and repeating hundreds of times. 

His embrace of slow allows his art and spirituality to marry, each reflecting and informing the other in a way that makes them incomplete on their own. His processes are philosophical and contemplative, with built-in space for reflection, meditation, and transcendent moments as he connects with God and the complex and exquisite nature of creation and creativity. 

Slowing Down for our Spirituality

Experiencing life at a slower pace is a fully customizable arrangement. The ultimate purpose of slowing down is to live congruently with our deepest beliefs, fully embracing their benefits. 

Slow living isn’t mysterious or complicated—it’s something we can do today. By looking inwards to our values and outwards to our daily lives, we can begin dreaming of ways to slow down and make space to connect with God, our kids and family, for playing, and for new or well-loved (but maybe forgotten) hobbies, and simply slowing the typical routines of our day .

For me, tomorrow morning I think I’ll savor snuggling my kids a little longer in their early morning sleepiness, coffee in hand, rather than rush them to the uniforms and cereal. My value of deeply loving my kids can sometimes lose its expression due to how much forward momentum that parenting involves, but just acknowledging that allows me to choose a moment to infuse some slow motion into. Looking forward to it already.