Slow Living
RITUAL: Slow Living | SOLAR TERM: Xiao Shu | SEASON: Summer
JULY 7 - JULY 22
The eleventh solar term of the Chinese calendar is called Xiao Shu. Xiao Shui is the fifth solar term of Summer. It’s a time just past midsummer in which the weather is hot but not as hot as it will get before Summer is over. Therefore, this term is known as having “lesser heat”. The Chinese say that “torridity comes”, arriving with a warm wind and creating a heat wave.
In China, these long, hot days are known as “Bitter Summer”. Temperatures rise and humidity climbs, making the climate unpleasant, especially for hard work outdoors. Thunderstorms bring hot rains but no cool breezes or respite from the heat.
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
~ song by Hans Bradtke & Hans Carste
These solar terms during Summer were called "Fu" in Chinese, meaning the heat would make people want to lie down. And slow down. So, there’s no better time to practice slow living than the lazy days of summer.
Psychologist say that there’s biological imperative to play hooky from school or leave work early when the weather is nice outside. Our thoughts tend to shift to what we'd rather be doing instead of the list of chores or tasks at hand. We’re more inclined to close up shop or close our laptop and put out the modern day equivalent of a sign that says, “Gone fishing”, instead of, “I’d rather be fishing”.
Slow Living
Slow living is a lifestyle that takes a slower, more leisurely approach to life. Instead of hurrying through your day and rushing through never-ending to do lists, you can adopt a slower pace to completing everyday tasks. Instead of racing through life, with the pedal to the metal, you can downshift out of the higher gears that keeps your life moving at breakneck speeds.
Slow living emphasizes the intentional enjoyment of life. There’s time to really appreciate life’s experiences with all of your senses. It provides the ability to truly live in the present moment.
This slower mode can be applied to many aspects of life, from food to fashion. The slow food movement that begin in Italy, was a response to the popularity of fast food and ensured that traditional food production techniques would not become a lost art. From there, the slow movement inspired slow money and slow work, slow fashion and slow media.
In the cool of the evening, lie down in your backyard and watch as the fireflies come out, mirroring the starry sky above. Think about how you can slow down and shift your values from quantity to quality. For example: instead of speed reading 50 books a year, read for better comprehension, deeper thinking and greater pleasure.
Decelerate. Slow the pace of your life. Shift your priorities from producing and doing, getting and having to being fully present, fully engaged and fully alive!
Live slowly and intentionally, simply and consciously. And enjoy every moment of every day of your life!
Share in the comments below how you plan to practice slow living this Summer.
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Dara Eden is the author of HER Rituals for the Divine Feminine, a periodical guide created in December of 2021. The 8 Elements, her life’s work, provides guidance about how to honor the essential needs and highest values of your personal feng shui element. Inspired by an Internet challenge designed for men, she created 365WISE, a daily self-care practice that supports women in honoring their needs and listening to their inner wisdom.
In HER Rituals, she offers insights, ideas and intuitive guidance about ways to honor your needs, values and unique expression of the divine feminine.
HER Rituals is a Womb Wisdom KeepHER’s guide to cyclical rituals for sovereign women. It provides insightful information, inspirational ideas and intuitive guidance on daily and seasonal rituals you can practice as a form of self-care. Read about ancient wisdom and philosophical principles, holistic approaches and traditional skills, slow work and intentional living, embodiment practices and immersive experiences.
