A dear friend of mine is one of the slowest people I know. It's one of the things I most admire about her. Monica moves through life at a slow, easy pace. She's sometimes a little late for things, but never fails in meeting her commitments and responsibilities. When taking a walk with her, I have to slow down to her speed, because she can't keep up with mine, due to a congenital heart defect. Since I'm never in a rush to get somewhere when I'm with Monica, this is just as well. I love walking, and I do my best to take in everything around me, but walking with Monica pulls me right back to the real speed of life - the speed created by Nature, and not the speed of so-called civilized, urban living.My friend has been slow all her life, even though her heart condition didn't manifest until she was a young woman. A few years ago I was watching her wash dishes and noticed how slowly, carefully, and almost luxuriously she did something I would normally consider dull and menial - a task I try to get through as quickly as possible. The way Monica rubbed the sponge on the dishes in leisurely, deliberate circles was almost sensuous. I watched her, fascinated, and wished that I could indulge in such a mundane pastime with so much consideration. Indeed, the manner in which she tackled the simple, domestic chore of washing dishes was almost trance-inducing.
Monica's natural rhythms are well-suited to what I call a magical life. She is a sensitive. (And I mean that as a noun, not an adjective.) Traditionally, when wise-women, witches, widows and spinsters accomplished domestic chores with intention, they were performing trance-inducing exercises. Stirring, spinning, weaving and sweeping were often used as aids in creating spells. Anything done when a person is completely engaged and focussed puts them into a mildly meditative state, or a state of flow. Think of the runner's "high." The feet may be racing, but the mind isn't.
My friend's normal, life-long pace has allowed her to experience the unseen world, where things don't work at the same speed as they do here. I've heard stories from my slow friend, and witnessed strange little events around her that other people don't notice or dismiss as inconsequential, but they're always linked to her quiet, still presence. It's poetic irony that Monica's predisposition towards the wise ways of the turtle (Mother Earth totem of Native North Americans), is how she must live with her heart condition. Ironic, yes. But is it a coincidence? Well, you know what I think.
Turtles, and tortoises, are the longest living animals on the planet. They don't rush through life, so they get to live it longer. They're associated with wisdom because of the advanced years they can reach, and they take their time getting there. Some people make a deliberate choice about learning from these animals, and emulate their slow and steady pace in daily practices such as meditation or yoga. And then there are others, like my friend Monica (who are much fewer and far between), who were born that way. Long live the Turtles of this world.
- G.P.
