“...this book is about living a mindful, intentional life all day long without ever actually sitting down on a meditation cushion.”
-Shawn Fink
In the fog of my mommy brain, combined with the sea of social media and information on the web, I don’t remember how I came across the Abundant Mama Project. It’s a home study for moms who want to be more intentional about their self-care. I saw that Shawn Fink, who created the project, wrote a book called Savoring Slow. The whole idea behind Savoring Slow is that busy, overwhelmed moms can cultivate certain habits to help them slow down and appreciate every little thing in life. Fink says, “Nothing in life is worth rushing through because all of it is your life, even the dishes and the laundry.” It makes me think of my toddler who stuffs more food in her mouth than she can chew so she can go back to playing.
Anyways, when I read that line, I thought, this woman and I are on the same page. I had already written about how yoga can be practiced while doing simple housework, such as dishes and laundry. So I wasn’t crazy in thinking that such things can indeed cultivate a richer - or even a yogic - experience of motherhood: here was another mom out there recommending this sort of transformation of ordinary, daily tasks. And she was actively working with other moms to help them take their foot off the gas, so to speak and ride the waves that we call the ups and downs of motherhood.
My first impression of this book is that it is almost like a version of Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, but written specifically for moms. It’s the idea that what we need is all here, we just need to wake up to it; that there is actually more wonder in every moment than we often realize, but we can only appreciate it if we slow down. It reminds me of the last Yoga Mama I interviewed, Gordana Vranjes, as she said, “If you make this decision to bring yoga to your life, then you will also never feel like you are not practicing. Every breath can be your practice.” Yoga is everywhere, every moment; it’s not something we just do, it is something we embody. Savoring Slow helps us do that through the most mundane moments in a way that helps us feel that we do, indeed, have time for yoga because it is in every moment and every thing.
The activities she suggests are very accessible; they are more than activities, they are habits to be built over time. But are they yoga? Absolutely! They are not postures on a mat or even breathing practices, but Savoring Slow touches upon what yoga essentially is: a shift in awareness that brings us closer to our true selves, and the true selves of others. Sounds lofty, but it’s as down to earth as noticing the texture the warmth of clothes fresh out of the dryer or the pleasure of drinking coffee with two hands.
I’ve just finished this book, but I will write a follow up post in a few months after I’ve tried Fink’s suggestions in Savoring Slow. Until then, I hope you enjoy some of my Slow-ga techniques. Just like the practices in Savoring Slow, many of them are ways to meditate without even sitting on a meditation cushion.