I rolled into my drive way at around 11pm on Friday evening, eyes weary, yawning, a belly full of probably the yummiest pizza I’ve ever eaten (huge call) and a smile stretched across my face after a great catch up with an old friend.
How good is pizza?
And how great is it to catch up with people from your past and realise with some friends, time is an illusion, it’s all about the here and now!
Satisfied, I climbed my apartment stairs and began scanning my mental calendar for the weekend.
‘Oh shit, it’s empty’ I realised.
No plans. Nowhere I had to be. No urgent tasks that needed doing. A complete empty yet clear weekend slate!
My smile stretched further and I can’t be sure but I might have said out loud, or maybe it was just in my head….
‘I’m calling this weekend slow flow‘!
For any beginner or not yet begun yogi out there, there is a style of yoga called ‘slow flow’ and it’s class description includes something like….
‘In a Slow Flow yoga class you will typically do half the amount of poses then a usual flow, the pace is meditative, holding poses for longer and with a focus on improving mindfulness, breath work and balance’.
Almost as yum as pizza right? I hope I did the class description justice.
Although we’ve all been in a pandemic for the best part of 2 years and ‘slow flow’ might have seemed like the flavour of 2020-2021, life has certainly picked up speed again. And, true to our human nature, most of us are filling our schedules with plans, tasks, activities and busyness… which is awesome by the way, it’s been a long time between catch up’s.
But I’d be lying if I said I love busy all the time. I do love busy as much as I LOVE slow flow and I feel like there’s enough room for both- Balance!
So what’s this ‘slow flow weekend’ all about and does it apply to all of us or just some?
Heck Yes it does!
A slow flow weekend is available in various versions and can be accustomed to your specific needs, here’s what it includes:
- There’s zero plan- that’s the fun bit
- There’s an awareness of the urge to fill each minute up and instead… not doing that but rather going with the day like an adventure
- It’s an unfolding kind of experience that emerges as the weekend does
- It’s less is more. Less planning, less thinking, less spending, less filling and more spontaneity in the moment- then doing it.
I woke up Saturday morning and did the first thing that popped to mind and felt good/effortless… I jumped in mama ocean.
From my morning swim to the last phone call of the night, the day grabbed my hand like a tour guide and I just went with it.
From coffee, to bumping into friends, buying a new book, trying a new recipe, zooming with family, unplanned phone chat with a friend, selling some stuff on market place (I think I’m addicted) and then sitting in a random park on Sunday afternoon, writing this blog piece before it disappeared from my heart.
This weekend has been nothing short of simple bliss!
When we create space in our calenders/life- intentionally or unintentionally- we allow for the magic of life to guide us for a moment. I’m not talking about magic that includes wands or glitter or puffs of smoke, I’m talking about the space in between, where we realise if we give life a chance and work with its rhythm and ours, it actually wants to help us out. It wants to support us and lead us forward- easily.
Slow flow has been such a beautiful reminder this weekend of how enough life already is- from the inside out.
Scan your mental calendars coming up and if you have a spare day or weekend soon whether you’re alone, with your partner, with family or whatever your circumstances are, I invite you to keep the space free and see what ‘slow flow’ feels like as a tour guide, one step at a time.
There’s only one rule- if it feels good it is good- go for it!
Sending all my love to the Northern Rivers and may the flow of rain slow down and return to harmony for you all. x
SimBLISSity 