Permaculture in Action

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Slowing Down - Week One

I have been reflecting on what  slow living means to me ever since writing my post yesterday. As I said then, living here is anything but slow. But is it really?

Many years ago ( a life time it seems) we bought a hand operated coffee grinder. It was a conscious decision to slow down. Mark said that if we didn't have time to grind the coffee we didn't have time to drink it. So we would have to do without. Now anyone who knows Mark knows that this isn't an option, so everday we take the time to slow down and grind the coffee. We generally only have this stove top esspresso coffee at morning tea time. And so our morning teas have become more of a ritual,a special time to gather and enjoy each others company as well as the food.

Once a week I will share with you the ways in which we have slowed down. How have you slowed down?

10 comments:

  1. Definitely. What I find interesting about slowing down, is it's not necessarily about doing less, rather being more present in what you are doing. For me simple things like turning the crank of a coffee grinder pulls me into the present moment, and in that moment life feels slow and peaceful.

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    1. Thanks Jason. We have found that to be true also. Another benefit of slowing down.

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  2. i do everything slower know to give Evan the chance to " help" me. love rhonnie.

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    1. And what a wonderful reason for slowing down!

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  3. Hey Kate, what a great little daily ritual and yes, we need to slow down and be more in the present.
    Might keep my eye out for a little coffee grinder!!

    Claire :}

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  4. Yes! I get you! We have a coffee grinder but only kept it up fo about six months. :( I will admit struggling to keep up with my principles. And let me brag on Hubby's behalf but last year he cut ou firewood by hand. An axe, no fossil fuels required!

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    1. Brag away!. Another slow down with added benefits.

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  5. I'm not sure this comes under the same category, however one way I slow myself down is to wash up: hand washing of the dishes at the sink, overlooking the garden. It's a good time to get some thinking in - or not. Sometimes I just blank out my mind and simply focus on the job at hand. I can walk away from the sink feeling quite refreshed. :)

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    1. I'm sure it does fit into the category. I've had similar thoughts myself

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  6. this is such a funny post ; )
    We don't have a hand coffee grinder - but a la pavoni lever machine - which takes as long to operate as the hand grinder.
    We love our coffee - at morning tea - and it is a special time for my husband and I. I make the first coffee - he makes the second one....

    We are a large family and my favourite slow down time is also doing the dishes in the morning - I actually do "oil pulling" at this time as well - it's great not being able to talk and just do the dishes whilst looking out the window...

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