A space where your soul catches up with you

Many years ago, in an isolated region in Africa, there lived a tribe of people who had never met a Western man or experienced the developments of modern technology. One day, a group of European scholars visited this particular village hoping to document their native behaviours. With the help of a translator, they discussed their cultural differences, finding particular interest with the speed of life. The African’s offered their primitive perspective, expressing their deep connection to mother earth and her animals, by honouring the cycle of nature. They demonstrated how they co-existed alongside temporal change, adjusted their pace of movement based on weather patterns, seasonal needs, fertility of hunting grounds, and availability of food sources. Nearing the end of their investigation, the Swiss scholar suggested they demonstrate their efficient method of transportation, and offered the best hunter a ride in their car to a nearby community. Hoping to experience the concept of man-made speed, the native accepted. Within 30 minutes of driving, their companion asked to stop for a rest. He exited the vehicle and turned to face the direction from which they came. As he stared into the abyss, the scholar and translator gestured whether he could be experiencing motion sickness, offering water for recuperation. The African hunter relayed that the speed of travel was too fast for his soul, and he would wait a few minutes while it caught up.

Imagine if you will the tale of modern man, disconnected from the reality of the primitive man. Instead of walking down the street carrying dirty washing, proclaiming ‘where is your river – I must do some laundry,’ he flicks the switch of his combined washing machine / dryer, and 40 minutes later, the task is completed. Instead of contributing a portion of his unique skills to help build a stone grain mill as a shared resource in his local farming community, he decides to purchase ready made products from overseas at a reduced price. And lastly, instead of choosing a soul-nourishing existence that equally balances sustainable employment practices with the contribution of emotional and physical support for his family members, he directs his time and effort to maximise financial reward at the expense of his health. These examples consider the difference in values; specifically highlighting how the cost of speed impacts meaningful connections in our daily life. As we increasingly cut ties with primitive man and isolate ourselves through individual consciousness, a difficult question must be asked: what is the actual impact of increased speed on human life as we know it?

In recent years, the desire to override natural law through the use of willpower is prevalent in the Western way of thinking. Suggesting that we can conquer unchangeable collective laws through speed has resulted in an unsteadiness or rather ‘soul-sickness’ as an illness. Appearing in the form of stress related conditions, mental and emotional health problems, and nervous system failures, our bodies trigger a variety of defiant responses that forces us to slow down and re-evaluate our self-worth. As someone who has faced these consequences head on after a limitation had been reached, slowing down is extremely difficult because everything catches up with you. When one compromises substance and integrity for external reward, it leaves you with a source of unknown grief that seems to transcends time. No amount of personal effort can reclaim this lost energy, so one must grieve for the interval, recognising their misunderstood addiction to speed.

This basic equation of motion and momentum reminds us that whatever perceived control we believe we have over the trajectory our lives; mysterious unknown forces exist. Anyone who has ever undertaken a journey by plane that requires substantial hours of travel, will experience jet lag that can linger for days at a time. Bumpy journeys by land or sea require continual adjustment of equilibrium to maintain a sense of physical and cognitive balance. Exercise also necessitates a counterbalance of strength and focus to ensure careful movement suitable to the body’s limitations. No matter our determination or increased consciousness, we cannot outsmart the cause and effect of nature, period.

As we re-consider the primitive African standing on the side of the road, I believe we are more like him than we currently understand. No matter your pace of life, basic laws of speed exist for a reason, so next time you become frustrated, tired from over-exertion, give yourself a break and allow your soul to catch up with you.