Author Robert Sardello talks about how our experience of time is affected by duration and tempo. We can identify the natural tempo of life in the rhythm of the heartbeat. We experience duration in the rising and setting of the sun, the ebb and flow of the tides and the continual rotation of the seasons.
Today, the mechanical pace of machines and the fitful rhythm of electronics are dramatically altering the tempo of our lives. Artificial light and environments disconnect us from the natural cycles of the cosmos.
What have such changes done to the soul? In Sardello’s words, “The soul requires duration of time – rich, thick, deep, velvety time – and it thrives on rhythm. Soul can’t be hurried or harried…. We may go through many events in the day and experience nothing because the soul has not had the opportunity to…. feel them from many different points of view. [And so the soul] fears being left out of life.” If you remember, we noted that superficiality is one way in which we lose the experience of soul in our lives.
Our sense of accelerating time is real. And with the acceleration, life becomes increasingly superficial and we lose our soul connection. If we hope to achieve quality living in this expanding and unnatural electronic world, we need to intentionally reconnect with our natural rhythms.
Our souls need time to catch up with us. If we seek a spiritual life, we must build time into every day and week so we can slow down and more fully experience ourselves. We need to take time to breathe deeply. Meditation and spending time in nature can help return balance and depth to our lives.
With our spiritual growth and daily spiritual living resources, you are able to understand and bridge the dualities of life – the positives and negatives, the higher road and the lower road.
