There is a growing interest in slow exercise, as well – regimens
that slow the body and still the mind are both calming and physically
beneficial. Yoga and Qigong (which includes martial arts like Kung Fu
and Tai Chi), help to improve balance, strength, posture and rhythm,
as well as clear and settle the mind.
Walking, too, can be meditative and conducive to a slower frame
of mind. In fact, Slow Cities, first begun in Bra, Italy, emphasize less
traffic in favor of more walking and biking, and today city planners are
redesigning suburbs to include more pedestrian traffic.
Simple, old-fashioned reading, as in Slow Books, is another way
individuals are slowing down and taking a break. Reading for the pure
enjoyment of it may seem indulgent in our time-crazed world, but
regular reading can lead to reduced stress
levels, along with increasing creativity,
inspiration, and motivation – not to
mention providing entertainment, and an
occasional good, hearty laugh. Reading
broadens one’s perspective and opens the
mind, leading to greater compassion and
understanding.
 In step with the movement, too, is
recognizing and re-establishing our
connection to nature and the outdoors.
Holed up in centrally heated and cooled
homes, offices and cars, we seem to have
forgotten that we are as much a part of the
environment as the trees, the earth and the
other creatures that inhabit the planet. We
feel separate and different from what’s “out
there,” but our lives and our bodies are still
guided by the natural rhythms of nature –
sunrise, sunset, the moon and its cycles, the seasonal changes. In times
past, cultures honored and celebrated the natural rhythms and cycles
of the year with festivals and celebrations. Individuals are restoring
that sense of harmony with nature by hosting meals and other events
with family and friends on special occasions like the equinoxes, and
solstices.
A strong sense of community is an essential part of the movement,
which encourages individuals to adopt a bioregional lifestyle –
living with an awareness of the ecology, economy and culture of the
community one lives in, and making conscious decisions to support
and enhance these features. The focus is on local production of goods
and services for local use, and when production can’t meet local needs,
a source is sought from the next level out – as close to home as
possible.
Think global; act local, and Start in My Backyard (SIMBY)
are Slow Movement mantras. They refer to the need to keep
a big picture view, but to focus on individual action in the
community to foster economic, social and cultural growth. The
aim is to support businesses to accumulate wealth, and to make
the community more creative, inclusive and sustainable. In a
thriving, healthy community local people build organizations and
partnerships that interconnect businesses with other aspects such
as skills and education, housing, health, social connectivity and
the environment.
Individuals shop at locally-owned stores and shops rather
than large chain retailers, national or multinational outlets, and
they support companies that are socially and environmentally
responsible. Banking is encouraged at institutions, preferably
locally-owned and managed, that invest in the local community.
The community’s environment is respected and protected, as
well. Citizens minimize waste, and are knowledgeable about where
waste goes, how it’s processed and disposed. The same is true for
household water, which is used sparingly, and household electricity
with alternative energy sources being used where possible.
Getting to know and support neighbors is an important tenet,
as is becoming directly involved with the education of children –
both one’s own, and the community’s.
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