THE PACE OF PEACE

I’ve been thinking a lot about pace. What is my pace? What sets my pace? Do I? Do others? How does my pace affect my daily activities and interactions? Does it affect my Well Being?

Pace is an interesting thing. We all live in this ‘fast-paced’ world that is constantly demanding our attention. So when we give our attention to all these demands, and respond to everything, does our pace change? Of course. We move faster, we react faster, rasher, we accomplish more, we engage in everything. We move from one thing to the other without a moment’s breath in between. We fail to connect, reflect or take stock. We lose the ability to be still and find moments of moments of awe and wonder, because we fill up whatever free time we have with schedules, phones, tasks and to do’s. We set our pace and we get used to it.

I just recently returned from Africa. More specifically Tanzania. The pace there is drastically different. Life just moves differently. I wondered why. I mean it was of course obvious. It’s underdeveloped, hot and vast. Tanzania also had different energy. There wasn't as much of a sense of urgency as there is here in the States. I landed, and within the first 30 minutes, even just at the airport, I noticed that my pace had changed. 

But of course, I was on vacation, so no overwhelming demands. But for this trip, we deliberately did something different. We purposely didn’t have much of an agenda. We floated our way through. We had a couple of scheduled safaris, but the rest was a bit unplanned. We wanted to feel the pace of the country. So we immersed ourselves in it. We hung out with locals, asked them where to go. Discovered remote Maasai villages and spent days learning the culture. We ate a traditional banana plantation where the Maasai Mamas cooked meals for their community. We joined them. We embraced their pace.

We learned a lot. Tanzanians are resilient. They live in the authenticity of nature's pace and nature's gifts. Plants were used as medicine, food, sustenance and even shelter.

We discovered a soapberry tree on one of our safari walks. This berry had many properties that they used, but it also created suds, they used the berries as soap! They smoked elephant dung to stave off headaches and toothaches. Because elephants eat so much and digest so quickly, the waste is full of natural herbs and compounds that are beneficial.

They gravitated towards natural remedies over manmade ones. They shared recipes passed down generations upon generations. And in these recipes were stories passed down through time. They took pride in caring for their loved ones. They consumed only what they needed. They were grateful to feed us, interact with us and teach us. People had courage because they were connected to one another. Community made them fearless. Life was hard but simple. They didn’t need much. They lived off the earth. Their days was dictated by the sunrise and sunset. They harvested, they ate, they honored culture and tradition. They taught and learned from their children and one another. They shared their wins, challenges and stories. They worked hard for food and shelter. Community mattered. Support mattered. Grounding and Nourishment mattered. These were their priorities.  They dealt with life's demands and responsibilities, but they didn’t seem to look at them as ‘overwhelming’ or burdensome. They didn’t overwhelm themselves with work, ‘the grind’ or the rat race we tend to find ourselves in. Instead, they made time for play, connection, community and nature. They stayed connected to themselves, to each other and to the earth. They took everything in stride and lived in gratitude. Their way of life was deeply rooted in feeling. They listened to how their minds and bodies felt, and created a lifestly that was synchronized with nature and their overall well being. They trusted their intuition, and that's what set their pace. Their resiliency was rooted in their pace and how they moved. They moved with love, they moved in tune with nature, they moved with intention. They didn’t have the luxuries that many people in the West have. Honestly, do we need them? What they did have was less judgement, less competition, connected hearts, endless smiles and a deep sense of community.

Physically, I felt very different. I weighed less, my inflammation went down, muscle and joint pains that I sometimes felt had totally disappeared. I felt lighter, I felt free, I felt peace. I had experienced the pace of peace.

Upon coming back, I became totally and completely disoriented. I came back and got thrown right back into my life. I was jolted into the pace I had set for myself here in New Jersey. I felt overwhelmed by schedules, routines, appointments, social obligations and responsibilities. I had returned to a pace of speed and expectation. I actually felt scared. I hid for a couple weeks. I couldn't get back into it. I honestly didn't want to. But then it hit me. I have control over my pace. I can move as slowly or as quickly as I want. We all can. 

As I reflect, I wonder...What would happen if we all just chose to move at a slower pace? What if we prioritized things that nourished us instead of depleted us? Do we know the difference? What if we meet our schedules and responsibilities with stride instead of stress? Maybe we wouldn't get burnt out? Maybe our health would be better? Maybe our relationships with others would flourish? Maybe, just maybe we could consistently find joy and sustenance in life's simple pleasures. Life in all it's happiness, sadness, ups and downs, is abundantly beautiful. But the beauty truly appears when we slow down, listen to the lessons and find joy in each moment of the ride.

So as for now, I am going to be true to my authentic self and be guided by my intuition. I'll try to trust it more. I will choose a lifestyle that serves to nourish me instead of deplete me. I will work to elevate the way I live by getting used to a new pace. I'll do my best to move forward rooted in love, be in harmony with nature and live with intention. I am ready to embrace this new pace and I hope you will join me.

Asante Sana

Rubina

Resources:

https://www.tarakwaisafaris.com/