I was talking to a friend today about the tendency to move quickly—specifically, getting involved with someone sexually or romantically before knowing them well enough, and trying to be ultra-productive or ultra-distracted in general.
As sex and love addicts, we certainly relate to moving too quickly into relationships, and as a society we are conditioned and encouraged to live and work fast in a fast-paced system.
Now, however, as our economic movement comes to a grinding halt and we watch many of our usual social distractions crash and burn, many of us are forced to slow down.
As a person who has struggled considerably with addiction and anxiety, slowing down is essential to my well-being and my addiction recovery. A practice focused on breathing—such as meditation, yoga, qigong, or tai chi—is one way of doing this, and is quite essential to optimal functioning for virtually everyone, if you ask me.
When we focus on our natural, relaxed breath, our thoughts begin to slow down, and a sense of peace and ease may arise. Give it a try—breathe deeply in, and then let go, exhale. Do that a few more times.
Rapid, anxious thoughts that cause fear and discomfort are often a precursor to addictive behaviour. I have found, mainly through meditation and meditative movement (for example, yoga), that compulsive, unhealthy behaviour of any kind—including working, eating junk food, or leaping head-first into a relationship—is tempered. When I slow my mind and my body, addiction’s vice-like grip is weakened.
As an addict, I know that addictive behaviour and addictive thinking patterns permeate every part of my reality. Addictive behaviour requires quick, compulsive, action driven by fast-moving and slippery thought processes. Slowing down allows me to become aware of underlying patterns at work that fuel and feed the addictive entity within me.
Slowing down my daily activities and learning to do one thing at a time, thoughtfully, has and will continue to help me manage the addiction I live with. This “management” is basically just becoming aware of myself and my world, and seeking support to maintain and expand this awareness.
So, I encourage you to embrace, as best as you can, this time of slowing down. Perhaps you can be willing to become aware of your own inner world a little more, including your patterns of thinking, your feelings, your deeper needs, and your sensations.
Perhaps together (but apart) we can practice slowing down while the opportunity to do so is upon us; we can get in touch with our breathing, and we can be willing to expand our awareness a little. Then maybe, when the wheels of our society start picking up speed again, we can be a little more present and authentic, and a little less driven by addiction.