The alarm clock rings, you get out of bed with your heart pounding because you have little time. So the races begin, races to wake up the children, to have breakfast in a hurry, the timed turns in the bathroom for the whole family and you leave the house as if you were going to miss the train. And the day has just begun, but you are all going to follow that same rhythm until you end up lying on the sofa at the last minute without strength and without desire for anything else.
And the question is, how was your day? Surely you have done a thousand things, no one doubts that, but have you enjoyed any? It is evident that the obligations must be fulfilled but perhaps we are forgetting the main obligation that is to live. In response to this hectic life, the concept or philosophy of Slow life or slow life arises. You sign up?
The necessity of slow life
- “All the unhappiness of men comes from one thing: not knowing how to be inactive in a room.” This was said by the philosopher Blaise Pascal and is one of the main mottos on which the Slow philosophy of life is based. Try to remember the last time you sat on the couch for the sole purpose of doing nothing. You remember? I sure don’t. Or, have you ever seen your children sitting without doing anything, without the mobile, without the tablet, without the television?
- It seems as if we have to be always doing something, something productive, too. But running and running doesn’t lead to success, it leads to survival. Where are the experiences? They get forgotten under layers of obligations, commitments, English classes, overtime and, why not, also under layers of frenetic leisure activities that you barely have time to enjoy.
- You have to slow down, that’s clear. They tell us the consequences of stress that are already beginning to be noticed. And the looks of our children tell us that they are missing the essence of a peaceful childhood.
Slow life proposals
The Slow philosophy of life proposes precisely to slow down, take control of our time and not let time control us. Taking a few minutes to be aware of everything we are experiencing, open our eyes to the precise moment and not allow the constant presence of the clock and the agenda to prevent us from enjoying a good meal, a walk in the middle of nature, a good wine, an exciting novel, a few laughs with friends or a moment alone with the couple.
Slow food, savor the food
The Slow movement began precisely in the gastronomic field. It happened in the 80s in Italy when the opening of a fast food restaurant in the Plaza de España set off the alarms of what we were missing. We were missing out on the delicious flavors of traditional cuisine and the wonderful pleasure of unhurried food.
Cittaslow, cities to live quietly
Around Slow food, a series of proposals have been created in all areas of life. There is a network of Cittaslow, or slow cities where you can enjoy traditions, nature, with markets and squares full of life and pedestrian areas to ‘live’ the city. In Spain we have some towns such as Balmaseda, Lekeitio, Morella or Rubielos de Mora.
Slow travel
Tourism has also adapted to Slow life with the proposal of trips more aimed at soaking up the local atmosphere than taking photos of a thousand monuments to post on Instagram. It is about traveling to get to know and enjoy the essence of each place, not to stay on the superficial.
Slow Houses
What is a Slow house like? It is a comfortable, relaxed house oriented to the lifestyle of the person who inhabits it. Open and luminous spaces and simple decoration, without fanfare are the most common proposals of the Slow houses, which approaching the philosophy of Feng Shui proposes a more personalized use of the spaces. And let the energy flow.
Slow breeding
Children are the main ones affected by the pace of life we lead. We have imposed on the little ones the tyranny of the clock and that pressure to be constantly doing things and now they no longer have a moment of relaxation. Their few moments of leisure also fill them with stimuli that take them away from that childhood that they should mainly use to enjoy it calmly and without haste.
Slowsex
Slow life proposals could not forget about sexual life and lead us to the now legendary song by Luis Fonsi, “Despacito”. Slowly, this is how they propose unhurried sex, without obsessing with penetration and without pressure to reach orgasm. A slow sex to discover each other calmly.