We live in a fast world. We are no longer have the microwave mentality, we are the internet mentality. We can get what we want as soon as we can think it. As a result, the way of patience is all but gone away. We no longer have to wait for anything. We want what we want and we want it now.
Time is no longer something we care to contend with. It annoys us. Be honest, when is the last time you visited your local post office without getting a little impatient if not angry? Time is something you have to know how to deal with if you go to a post office - time is something you have to have at the USPS. Do you think we get frustrated at the post office because they are so slow, or do you think we get frustrated at the post office because we are used to being able to point and click our way through life? Maybe it is a little of both.
Anyway, we don't care much about wrestling with time. We rush things - we rush deliveries, we rush decisions, we rush through traffic and we rush through our training. In all of these areas (even with some deliveries) it may be wise to slow down. Going slow, wrestling with time, can be a tremendous asset for us when it comes enhancing the quality of our lives.
I could speak on the benefits of taking our time in every area of our lives, but to keep in line with the original intent of this blog, I will just focus on training. When we train, time - taking our time and exploring the movements can be our friend. All to often we train, or exercise, for the sole purpose of just getting it done. We want to check off today's session. We rush through it. What would happen if we took our time and slowed down the movements? This is what would happen, we would become amazingly strong - in both mind and body.
Take Spider-man crawling for example. We could crawl for 20 yards in 30 seconds, OR we could crawl for 20 yards in 3 minutes. We could crawl SUPER SLOW and we could really own the movement. Owning the movement, having the strength to move at a snail's pace is owning the strength needed to move at any pace.
Moving fast, or even at a normal pace, can often hide weaknesses, or allow you to cheat. Moving super-slow, allowing time to be your resistance, can strengthen your weaknesses and wash them away. Slowing down your movements builds beautiful grace and strength. Being able to move slow, allows one to move fast well.
Being able to move slow, at a snail's pace, also allows one to strengthen the brain and overcome discomfort, boredom, and impatience. It disciplines your mind and teaches you the ability to withstand uncomfortable, unpleasant, mind numbing situations (like finding yourself at the post office).
Give this a try. A couple of times a week, practice being in slow motion. Pretend like you are in Mission Impossible and you are trying to move slow enough to sneak by a motion detector. Use your imagination here and explore your slow strength. If you do this, you will unlock a new world of pure movement.
AND, you will be able to last 5 more minutes at the post office!
Incase you are wondering - I am preparing to go to my local post office today. But it is okay. I will endure it because time is on my side.
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