What is the Slow Movement?
The term “slow movement” might be unfamiliar to many of you, but the concept certainly is not. These days, information comes to us at a mile a minute and trying to pack in as much activity into every minute is the new normal. If you ask me, multi-tasking is just an exhausting and evil set-up. Being a part of the “slow movement” is simply a reminder, (or a movement, if you will) that we need to make a conscious effort to take things slowly.
This “slow movement” involves various aspects of life, from travel to food. While I can’t say call myself a complete subscriber to the movement, it really is one of my life goals. Here what the slow movement is all about and ways you and your family can be a part of it.
Slow Travel
You know the saying, “I need a vacation from my vacation?” This becomes a thing when even your vacations become stressful as you try to pack a million activities into a period of a few days. Slow travel is the opposite – it’s an actual holiday intended to help you slow down. Slow travel usually involves staying in one place for the whole or greater part of the trip. While you’re in your chosen area, you get to know it thoroughly and connect with the local community.
On a slow holiday, you live as if you have moved into the area, going to local shops and restaurants and cooking at “home” in your villa or cabin.
Slow Food
Slow food is basically a form of mindful eating. It’s somewhat of a protest against the fast-paced, fast-food culture, advocating the pleasurable aspect of food and its deliberate consumption, celebrating local cuisine and artisan fare. The slow food approach looks to preserve traditions and heritage, and emphasizes the enjoyment involved in eating well.
Slow Schooling
The slow school approach seeks to connect children with the world, taking pains over the process as much – if not more – than the outcome. Standardized, compulsory education is generally focused on test scores and meeting government standards, but slow schools (or slow education) is concerned with the larger concepts of how children are learning, methods of teaching, and real life experience.
Slow Cities
Originating in Italy, slow cities are made up of 50,000 people or less and consist of multiple towns, cities, and communities that agree to meet slow criteria and adhere to particular principles. Slow cities have a traditional feel and have less traffic and general noise.
Slow Books
“Slow books” is almost redundant! But in this day and age of quick e-books and Facebook, sitting down with a real book is getting more and more unusual. Reading books, in other words, does not necessarily imply slowing down in today’s world. Slow books can be e-books, too; the point is to sit down and read for a period of time that allows for inspiration and motivation to manifest and for stress to be reduced.
Slow Money
Another way in which the slow movement seeks to connect us to our communities is by the use of money. Slow money means investing in local businesses and small enterprises such as farms. Slow money seeks to sustain the local economy.
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That’s the “Slow Movement” in a nutshell. While I’ll be the first to admit, it’s not easy to wholly convert to this movement, it’s definitely worth taking some steps toward. What are your thoughts on this?
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