Last week I went on various adventures across London – Covent Garden, Kings Cross, St James Park, and Brixton! As I gently meandered through the hustle and bustle of each trip I saw people going to work, going home, and others coming into town to go Christmas shopping. The pace was frantic, busy, and slow, and purposeful.

I always find that the pace of the last week of November is fast so I had to make a deliberate decision to slow down. This time of year feels a bit like a final warm ups before starting the December marathon of work, Christmas/end of year break, social life, increased time with friends and family starts… and let’s not even start about shopping!

How is it that I slowed down my pace?

How can you slow down, or find moments when the tempo is slower, amongst all the busyness of December?

Can I share some thoughts?

This year my December is not just busy, it is super hectic… I have finally arranged the graduation for my PhD, it’s my birthday, and I have a couple of short trips too… as well as all the business as normal of work, family, and other commitments.

And yet, as part of my planning process I have made sure that I slow down.

The transition space is very important.

The deliberate decision to slow down, to change pace.

It is more than how you go from one month to another, or meeting to meeting, or work to home, or weekend to week…

It is about how do you prepare to be in a different quality of space.

What are you doing, how are you being as you move from one space to another?

Moving from November to December is a bit like moving from Autumn to Winter, it is the realisation that things have shifted from a space from renewal to a space for stillness.

Autumn is about the falling leaves, the cold days with blue skys and sun shining through, it is about harvesting, and starting to think about planning.

For me winter is about snow, planning for spring, planning for the next year, it’s about getting ready for renewal.

I slow down by looking for some sense of stillness within. And I invite you to do the same.

…

I am hollowed out like a tree.

Walking into the garden

in splintered fragments

I don't know what on earth

flowers might offer.

Stillness – 

barely a breath of wind no buzzing of mosquitoes

the sky without a wisp of cloud

no one else in sight,

how unlikely on this flawless summer day.

In the silence

a movement

a numinous presence

a gossamer filament

too tenuous.

A goldfinch breaks the silence.

The thread and song begin.

–– I’m The Stillness Author unknown,

shared by Bethel Mennonite Church

I invite you to welcome stillness, welcome silence, and welcome yourself... welcome all of you as you go into the next week...

All my best,

Saiyyidah

The Space

PS – A few things I watched/read/listened/experienced to in the last week:

1. I am reading Board Talk: 18 crucial conversations that count inside and outside the boardroom by Kathryn Bishop. It is giving some really interesting insights on how to improve executives and boards communications.
2. I went to see the book tree in St Pancras station in London.
3. I am finding spaces for stillness, silence, and solitude.

What have you watched, read, or listened to that you have particularly enjoyed and would recommend?

I am looking forward to you letting me know :-)