Slow down....

and put the kettle on

I want to share a little tale to begin with, Saturday just passed I had one of my campfire coaching sessions. I arrived an hour or so before the client to give me time to set up as well as to get a few things done in my woods. I came into the woods feeling rushed and with a lot of “stuff” I wanted to get done before the client arrived. I was totally in the mentality of rushing and time restrictions meaning I could not engage into the woods as I usually do. Can’t lie, this completely came back to kick me in my arse.

I struggled to concentrate on the things I thought I needed to do, couldn’t find my rhythm and generally felt out of sorts, disconnected and not in the flow of the woods, crashing about like an invasive force not a part of the woods.

I’d forgotten my main rule of entering any woods or spaces in nature, we move to natures pace not our own, by imposing our intentions and speed to the wild spaces we bring “civilisation” into the woods. The woods are far older than “civilisation” and we cannot impose our pace on nature as it will push back, make us realise that in the grand scheme of things we do not dictate what we do in nature we work to what nature is in agreement with us doing. Whilst nature is neutral and impassive as to our wont it also makes itself be known when we are pushing against it.

Usually when I enter any space of woodland and nature I pause, I take a few breaths to slow myself down and move into the parasympathetic system, the slower pace of movement and generally a more attuned to the surroundings speed and mentality.

By missing this I was not in sync with the woods nor was I moving with intention and as a part of the woods, I hadn’t moved through the green wall, instead still carrying the task orientated “civilised” mentality.

Fortunately I soon realised that I had dropped the metaphorical ball and needed to slow down and ease back into the pace of the woods.

Many, many years ago when I first began to return to spending time in the woods I read an article called “survival is all about a good cup of tea” the key takeaway from this article is that when stressed or in an awkward situation the act of making a cuppa will enable you to slow down, carry out a familiar task, make a fire and generally get something done with a positive outcome all of which are good for you when you are in a muddle. Add in the cultural connotations of making a cup of tea for us brits and a cup of tea is always a good idea, whilst I wasn’t in a survival situation I certainly needed to slow down and making a brew would definitely do that.

Gathering the fire wood I instantly began to feel more t ease, the familiar task allowing my mind to wander and consider the tasks I had thought I needed to get done, building the fire lay I continued to dwell on the tasks however I also took time to stop and listen to the bird song and appreciate the crispness of the air as well as feel quite some gratitude that it wasn’t raining, I was becoming more of the woods not visiting it. By the time I had lit the fire, filled the kettle and hooked it over the fire my busy brain had slowed down, removed the “need to get done” urge of tasks that actually didn’t need to be done and was now in a restful state where i could come from a place of connection and service when the client arrived.

I wonder how often we all come into a situation where really what we should be doing is being totally present in the moment we are in yet we find ourselves distracted by thoughts of what we should be doing, what we need to be doing next or what we think needs to be done rather than being in the moment we find ourelves in.

Perhaps we need to make time just to be, to sip our tea and listen to the birdsong, especially as it is returning just like the light is returning for longer each day. Maybe we need to recognise that we are expected to do, constantly think of what it to come, to produce and churn out “stuff” at all times, no matter what effect it is having on our true selves, the selves that are meant to be in the moment, experiencing it with every fibre of our being, responding physically to the prompts and nudges nature is giving us. Living with a sense of gratitude for things that cannot be sold or traded, hoarded like gold in a dragons lair or gloated over by a miser, only experienced in the moment they happen and valued more because they remain only as a memory to those who were there at the time.

There are a multitude of things that happen and can be appreciated only when we are aware and present in the moment, a fleeting flash of antlers in the trees, the way smoke from the campfire catches the suns rays, the cry of the red kite as it circles above us. All of these and many more will not even be noticed let alone appreciated if we are bashing our way through nature with the intention of ticking things off of our constructed time frame but if we take time to slow down we can really see far more just by being in the moment, although a nice cuppa to go with the sit down is never a bad thing.

if you have enjoyed this article you can always buy me a cuppa using the link above- disclaimer it might actually be a coffee or even a slice of cake rather than a cuppa