Burst Twenty Seven (For Youth):
Should we slow down?
In this world of tremendous confusion, we get the message, “Speed up; do not miss the bus,” at some places and quite the opposite, “Slow down; put your house in order,” at other places. What are we to do?
“Hasten slowly,” said Swami Chinmayanandaji. That is wonderful indeed but we need to understand this matter thoroughly.
Either speeding up or slowing down cannot be the solution to human conflict when we take it as a formula and are not sure if it is the right thing in a given situation. Suppose we are in a comfortable position to speed up in a certain activity, with no damage of any kind anywhere, it would be foolish indeed to just stick to an idea of slowing down. It would be an artificiality that is not related to the ground reality. In a similar way, to speed up in a situation where there are already self-created pressures and much unnecessary tension is meaningless. Somebody who has made a policy of speeding up everything she takes up would make the mistake of hurrying up in way that adds to the damage and stress.
A proper understanding of every situation is primary in deciding how we need to go about our work. On its foundation alone can we indulge in the luxury of riding on a slogan – be it “Run and Get it” or “Pause and Proceed”.
In our eagerness to hitch our wagon to a star, we very often adopt some ideology too soon. Alas, before we realize what is happening, we are no more ourselves in the process!
Some of us yield too quickly. All are hurrying up and we dare not be different. Others among us resist too frequently. We are perhaps unduly suspicious and would not take even good advice. Fear rules the roost in human life – a fact most people do not recognize.
Do not slow down because of fear of being different. Do not slow down for that is fashionable now. Do not slow down as a reaction to someone (whose authority you dislike) asking you to speed up.
Slow down if you really find you need to pay more attention to details of a given work. Slow down if your understanding of your lifestyle tells you to do justice to more aspects of the whole of life.
Do not slow down because Photon Bursts say so. Slow down if the light within you shows humps (speed-breakers) on the way ahead.
Swami Chidananda
May 1, 2004