Slow Down in August

This summer, I took a pottery class for the first time.

My schedule throughout the year is unbelievably hectic — running from place to place, juggling clients, appointments, family obligations, and working on my book, blog, and a million other things. I feel like I can never come up for air. Like most of you, I live life at breakneck speed.

But thankfully, my pottery class has given me the chance to gain a new perspective on moving through the world. Making pottery forces you to move at a very different pace. And this class has taught me so many skills beyond the shaping of clay on a wheel.

Pottery requires you to be continuously present in a way that is very specific. One stray thought away from the project at hand, and you can throw the whole piece off in an instant. In this day and age, when we are glued to our screens and barrages of short video clips, staying present and focused on one thing for a prolonged amount of time is freeing and wonderfully relaxing.

Of course, I have to be entirely present in my therapy sessions with clients as well. But using the pottery wheel creates the opportunity for a kind of physical meditation, with the immediate feedback of touch as a guide. You can feel, and see, the result of any distraction or moment of inspiration written in the clay in front of you.

And just as meditation has its benefits, staying focused on one specific task, craft, or other pursuit helps us to retrain our brains. It allows us to shut out, or at least turn down, all the other noise going on in the physical world and in our heads.

Working on my pottery this summer has required me to very literally slow down. You cannot rush while working at the wheel and allowing your creation to take form, nor can you rush the rest of the steps, like glazing, painting, and waiting for everything to dry. You are simply forced to take your time. What a refreshing change from my typical work day. Even as I write this, I can feel my shoulders relaxing, my breath slowing, and my mind releasing.

When we slow down, we not only gain the physical benefits of relaxation (such as lowered heart rates, blood pressure, and anxiety levels), we also create the space to become receptive to new ideas, thoughts, and experiences. We become more open to personal inspiration and to input from others. Slowing down allows us to notice things, both in our physical environment and in our own minds – and this noticing, in turn, can lead to a realization, revelation, or reflection.

It's certainly difficult to “turn off” your thoughts, to-do lists, and daily worries. But using your hands to shape something gives you a physical focus and a mind-body transformation. When you eliminate the noise of everyday life, you might be surprised at what you actually hear – and what you can listen to!

This summer’s class truly allowed me to play and experience a sense of joy in completion. I was thrilled and moved to see the finished product. In my line of work, and likely yours as well, we rarely get to see the final results of our efforts. My work as a therapist is process-oriented – and people are always a “work-in-progress.”

Find Your Own Project

I am encouraging all of you to find your own ways to slow down, experience being present, and find joy during these last few weeks of summer — before we make the return to our hectic daily lives in September. I urge you to try something new that activates a different part of your brain than your usual routine. If a pottery class doesn’t seem appealing, there are lots of other things you can try – like learning to cook or bake. Making a pie involves many steps, forces you to focus on what you’re doing, can’t be rushed, and can yield a tasty result! Painting, knitting, or doing a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle offer similar opportunities. Challenge yourself to find a way to relax that doesn’t involve screens.

I wish you a wonderful, playful, and slow month of August.