Monday January 23, 2012

News from Slow Down London

It’s hard to believe that we are already into the third week of 2012. Our year is slowly taking shape. We are using the winter months to think, plan and create practical ways to bring the slow philosophy to this speedy city.  There's a sense of uncertainty about how one can survive, let alone thrive, during this time of upheaval; but also a very clear sense that things have to change.

A new book called Slow Finance, which asks if the financial sector is out of scale with the real economy, has inspired our thinking. Written by the award-winning fund manager Gervais Williams, the book outlines how the excessive scale of the financial sector is reliant on globalisation and the expansion of credit.

“Just as the Slow Food movement represents a reaction to the food industry losing sight of its ultimate purpose, Slow Finance explores how parallel trends will soon appear in the investment world.” Bloomsbury Publishing

It’s a thought provoking but accessible read, especially if you don’t know anything about Finance. We met with Gervais at the beginning of the month and he has given us two copies of the book to give away so please email us at slowdown@slowdownlondon.co.uk by 31st January and we will send the books to first two names out of the hat. 

For those of you that have too many books to read you might want to attend a talk that Gervais is doing on 9th February or you can just download an app to help with your investments and savings! 

Slow Down London was created to bring the intellectual ideas behind the Slow Philosophy together with practical ways to implement these ideas in our every day life, so I am very pleased to announce that Tessa Watt, Co-Director at Slow Down London has a new book out on Mindfulness. I found myself reading it from cover to cover on the train last week and was once again reminded of the simple things we can do to help us appreciate life.

It is full of straightforward advice, case studies and step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. The ones that caught my attention are the exercises on how to become mindful of our bodies. I have been doing the “feeling your fingers” exercise every morning, which doesn’t take long but which has really helped me to become more aware of what I am feeling which in turn has led to me being fully present to this moment.

As to our plans, The Slow Down London team is looking forward to the global Slow Living Day an annual event that started in Italy and which will be coming to London this year on Monday 26th March. We will be doing another slow club in the spring - and of course it will be hard to avoid the Olympics if you live in London, and we feel that the slow philosophy will be much needed in the crazy summer months, so we are cooking up some plans around this as well. We will be sending more information in the coming months and hope to see you at our events.

Finally, Slow Down London has a wonderful pool of volunteers who help us with our events, PR, administration, fundraising and other things. If you would have some spare time and would like to come and volunteer with us please email slowdown@slowdownlondon.co.uk

Here’s to all of us finding the tempo gusto (the right speed) for our lives in 2012.

Deepa Patel
Co-director, Slow Down London

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