December 2025 Week 2

Today in class I read an excerpt from the book - Slowing Down to The Speed of Joy” which prompted us to have a look at ourselves.
“Our lives seem to the the complete opposite (of Slowing Down to the speed of Joy).
Urgent, busy, and hurry are often in control of our lives.
We are always in a rush.
We live hurried lives.
We are a stressful presence.
We are not present to the one person before us.
We give only a portion of ourselves to anything.
We are always somewhere other than the now.
We are always hustling as fast as we can to get from one place to the next.
We are living our lives at an insane pace.
We have no sense of how much activity is enough for a single day.”

What do you think? Does any of this describe you? I identify with #8 and #10. I am for some reason hustling as fast as I can to get from one place to the next, even if I don’t have a timeline I am tied to.
And #10 sums up my whole life! I have no sense of how much activity is enough for a single day. This is a big picture issue for me that spills over into all parts of my life, but that is a story for another day. In the middle of a busy holiday season with my regular day to day responsibilities and the fun gatherings as well as cooking, shopping, wrapping and mailing - it’s tough to decide at what point during the day is it time to shut down. Today I have been up since a little before 5am which I actually love with my fire and Christmas tree quiet time before teaching my meditation and yoga class. My day carried on from there and at 3pm I dipped in the choppy, freezing ocean with my fellow dip chix, took a shower and put on my pjs, yup 3:30pm pjs - love it! After sorting a few Christmas things in the house I am sitting now writing this weekly dharma. Can I stop for the day even though there are many things I could accomplish, even in my pjs at home. Can I see that I have had enough activity for today and shut it down?!

“Joy lives in the spaces we usually rush past. Slow down, and let it walk beside you.”

At the end of class today I read from my morning meditation what I believe is the way to a life well lived. Before I share that with you though I do want to point out the fact that I have come a long, long way. Prior to my spiritual path all of the points from above would have applied to me. I went through so much of life swiftly without being present and always looking beyond who or what was in front of me to something more, better etc. I am so grateful for this journey we are on together and that I can honestly access myself and celebrate the progress while continuing to work on myself to continue to grow.
Last week I gave you my commitment to myself to slow down and continue to make time for my daily sadhana. This is what I said I would do, I can report back and say I did it all and will continue!
My morning will remain sacred. And I will journal my priorities for that one day.
Wherever I am, whatever I am doing - I will be present. No thoughts of the undone to do list, tomorrow’s plan or responsibility etc.
And I promise I will try to move slower and not rush past the Joy!

How about you? Are you moving too fast past the Joy? Which of the above prompts described you the most clearly? With the prompts, where can you see your growth?
What will you do to jump into the Joy of this season, whatever you celebrate!

Finally, here is the meditation:
“Set for yourself the task of growing daily more and more into the consciousness of a Higher Power. We must keep trying to improve our conscious contact with the God of our understanding. This is done by prayer, quiet times, and communion. Often all you need to do is sit silent before God and let him speak to you through your thought. Try to think God’s thoughts after Him. When the guidance comes, you must not hesitate, but go out and follow that guidance in your daily work, doing what you believe to be the right thing.
I pray that I may be still and know that God is with me. I pray that I may open my mind to the leading of the Divine Mind.” Anonymous