“The Times are Urgent. Let Us Slow Down.”
This is a quote from Bayo Akomolafe, and it speaks perfectly to my heart. The message might sound counterintuitive, but for a writer — or any kind of creative or contemplative soul — this is exactly the heart of things.
I had a chance to meet Bayo at the Spiritual Directors International 2019 conference, where we both presented. He is a poet, philosopher, and the Executive Director of The Emergence Network.
I have often heard Buddhist teachers say something along the same lines when referring to meditation. The schtik goes something like:
QUESTION: “What do I do when my life is so crazy with so many crises to juggle that I can’t even find 30 minutes a day to meditate?”
ANSWER: “Meditate for 60 minutes a day.”
I’ve heard that Mother Teresa said similar things. She was apparently once challenged about the fact that she and her sisters took an hour a day to stop work and pray, in the midst of caring for the many suffering souls they tended to.
The challenger objected: “More people than ever need your help… the lines are long and the halls are full of people seeking aid. Surely Mother Teresa you should adjust your schedule instead of withdrawing to pray for an hour?”
“Yes, you are right,” Mother Teresa replied. “There are more people to care for than ever. We really need to pray for two hours.”
So what does this have to do with writing? I would say that the busier your life is, the more important it is to slow down to attend to your soul work… your creative work.
We cannot keep putting energy out – taking care of the logistics and business of life, supporting our friends, our family – without pausing to refill the well inside us.
When we slow down to write, we are essentially slowing down to listen. We listen to the inner voice that whispers truth to us. If you are spiritually inclined, you might interpret this as hearing the soft breath of God, or the pulsing heartbeat of the universe. We can step out of the bustle and into the flow, the Tao, being present in the moment.
So, I can hear you saying: “That sounds fabulous Tania, but what does that actually mean? What do I do? I have a busy life, bills to pay, everyone needs me, I don’t have time to write!”
I would suggest that if you are THIS bogged down, then you do not have time NOT to write.
This is all assuming that writing is your creative call. If photography is your call, or painting, or knitting, or playing the flute….. well, you get the picture.
How to slow down? Start simply. Slowing down is not meant to be a burden, but a gentle relief.
1) Make an Intention to Slow Down
Decide that you are worth the time, the step back, the pause. Realize that actually if you don’t get the time, the step back, the pause, you will soon be so burned out that you won’t be any use to anyone.
Sometimes this requires some internal discussion and discernment – usually we are our own worst enemies when it comes to our sense of duty. ESPECIALLY women! You women know what I mean. We think the whole world turns according to how much energy we put into keeping the globe spinning. We have to sacrifice ourselves! But this is such faulty thinking and not in the best interests of the people we love and who love us. We are better spouses, parents, and friends when we are rich and refreshed with our own soulful connection to our writing.
2) Make a Commitment: Retreat into your creative work for a few minutes a day.
Block out 15 minutes a day to start with. Perhaps just 4 or 5 days a week. And use that time to write. Sit down and let yourself relax into a freewrite or stream of consciousness write on this prompt:
* “Everything I really want to say.”
The next day do a freewrite on * “Everything I don’t want to say.”
Or pick a prompt from a book like Wild Mind by Natalie Goldberg, or choose a line from a favorite poem, or just start writing and let whatever is waiting inside you pour out.
Be patient and loving with yourself. You don’t have to achieve anything. You don’t have to perform. You only have to slow down for a few brief minutes a day and listen to yourself, hearing what your heart has to say.
Our families won’t notice the 15 minutes a day that you are writing. But I promise you: You will.
Tania Casselle is a writer for magazines, book publishers, and online media and also a developmental editor for publishers and individual authors. She also coaches writers and leads online writing seminars including the successful Write to the Finish online course by Zoom and an online learning platform for writers working on a book. She leads in-person writing workshops and retreats in beautiful places, usually teaching with her husband, the Hemingway award-winning author Sean Murphy. See more WriterMuscle posts or sign up to receive future Writer Muscle updates – down-to-earth advice from a seasoned writer.