Remember to Push the Pause Button...

Detour

   I was watching a dvd recently when the phone rang.  I immediately hit the "pause" button.  I was able to rejoin the movie several minutes later, no problem.  I hadn't missed anything.  It got me thinking about how great it would be if we had a personal pause button that would allow us to put things on hold and then I realized that, in fact, we do.  Like our internal GPS, humans come with a pause button, unfortunately, few of us utilize it.  It brought to mind the old film, Stop the World, I Want to Get Off!   I think we can all relate to that sentiment.

  As often happens, once an idea creeps into my mind I find connections everywhere.  There it was, a post on Huffington Posts wonderful page, GPS for the Soul.  The writer, Dr. Stephan Rechtshaffen, co-founder of the Omega Institute, wrote a great post on ways you can learn to help yourself slow down.  One way he doesn't mention is to practice contemplative photography.

   This image on the right is one I posted on my Pinterest board, Contemplative Photography.  I think it says it all.  You can visit my board for additional inspiration.

   One of the great side effects of practicing contemplative photography is this ability to slow down and just be in the landscape.  Dr. Rechtshaffen says that most people are human doings rather than human beings.  He's so right.  Photographers are no different.  They rush from place to place chasing the shot...looking for the perfect angle, the ultimate subject.  They very rarely take the time to just be in the landscape.  Contemplative photographers make that the focus of their experience.  Through my visual listening exercises I push the pause button so that the landscape, and not my chattering mind, can inform the images I receive.  Read Dr. Rechtshaffen's post below and then, go ahead, push that pause button...I know you want to!

Ways You Can Learn to Slow Down