Slowing
Remove yourself from the cycle of anxiety, stress, and consumption; take a moment to slow down.
Written by Takuma Ono
How often do you feel rushed? According to a 2015 survey performed by the Pew Research Center, a ton of adults report they “always feel rushed.”
When rushed, many of us are inclined to compartmentalize incoming information—organizing self-similar data into discreet compartments (episodes, categories, etc). Compartmentalizing enables us to circumvent the energy-intensive task of processing information at a deep level. Though compartmentalizing enables us to “shake off” conflicting information and carry on with life, the act of compartmentalizing is actually believed to be a defense mechanism for reducing anxieties that arise from not being able to process conflicting information—not being able to incorporate all data into one’s understanding of the whole. Compartmentalizing is convenient—but convenience is not always healthy.
Though occasional anxiety is considered normal, heightened anxiety is debilitating. What’s more troubling is that according to the World Health Organization, anxiety’s reach is global—in fact, anxiety is the most common mental disorder in the U.S., affecting 40 million* adults (over 19% of the adult population). While there are many root causes of anxiety, our sense of self is considered to be at the center of it all. Can rushing through life diminish our sense of self? Perhaps. Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. What we do know is that over the long run, compartmentalizing breeds anxiety and stress, and this is detrimental to health since anxiety will wreak havoc when allowed.
Well, slowing down is an obvious antidote…but how?
The ever-accelerating pace of the modern era sparked the Slow Movement, a concept that revolves around changing one’s lifestyle in ways that slow the pace of life. The Slow Movement has been gaining traction world-wide—especially in urbanized regions. Since the connection between food and health is immediate and tangible, the slow movement is perhaps most closely associated with the Slow Food Movement—but the concept of Slowing is applicable to nearly all aspects of living in the modern age.
Applied more broadly and holistically, Slowing places less priority on material or physical things and places emphasis on experiences that engage the soul and spirit. One of the best ways of engaging the soul and spirit is meditation—meditation is widely recognized as an effective means for slowing down and combating the stressors of modern life.
Know this: Slowing can be practiced practically anywhere. Slowing can be initiated by simply sitting still, focusing on one’s breathing, and slowing the heart. A space designed for slowing, such as the zen dry garden, can elevate the experience of slowing.
*ADAA statistics
Read my blog post on why forms, textures, and patterns of tidal landscapes are foundational to zen gardens here.