My parents used to always tell me that the older you get, the faster that time seems to go.
And ain't that the truth!?
The winter months are definitely the busy season here, often filled with work, waves, and lots of reasons to go, go, go… Now don't get me wrong, this time of year is always super fun, but it's also usually right around this time of year – as winter winds down and we transition into spring – that I'm always like, “Whoa! Where the f*ck did these last couple of months go?”. Time literally seems to fly!
And I know that there are seasons in life when it feels as if time is moving quickly and there are seasons in life when it feels like time is moving slowly. There are moments we may feel the urge to rush through and moments that we may wish could last forever. But time is time, and life is always unfolding.
Just like we can't stop the world from spinning, we also can't stop the passing of time. This moment now will soon be the past and the future will soon become this moment now, so maybe the only way to really sense a slowing down of time is to slow down ourselves – planting ourselves firmly in the present moment, but without gripping so tightly that we cannot grow + flow with that rhythm of the eternal now.
If we spend too much time in our heads – gripping to the past, trying to predict & prepare for the future – we end up missing out on life as its occurring, right before our very eyes. Of course, a bit of reflection & preparation is necessary and helpful for us as human beings, but at least what I notice is that when I'm all up in my head, I start to lose that connection to my foundation, kind of like a boat without an anchor, floating aimlessly out to sea.
Just me or anyone else??
But holy moly, thank goodness for this practice. This wisdom. These built-in tools & techniques. Like a compass or like anchors that help guide us back to the now. Re-centering, recalibrating, reconnecting us to our roots. Not rushing nor distracted, but present and aware. Showing up as we are in this moment now, trusting that we know where we need to go, and giving up all expectations along the way.
The abyhasa and vairagya - the dedication & the detachment - it's only from a steady (& nourished) foundation that we can rise up & grow.
Breathe deep & don't forget to feel your feet underneath you. You carry your home, your foundation, your anchor, your center with you everywhere you go. In this moment now, you are enough. With no destination to reach, each redirection & recalibration only adds experience to the adventure & richness to the journey. Each moment woven together to create a beautiful & unique fabric of your life.
Like my favorite quote by Baba Ram Dass, “Our journey is about being more deeply involved in life yet less attached to it.”
So nourish when needed, continue on when it's time, and remember that the pauses, the detours, & the doing nothing won't ever take away from your progress.
Nowhere to go, nowhere to be, just here. Now.
Root down & rise up.