Slowly and Quietly — Three-Day Intensive

Веретенников Сергей · Monday at 9:20 AM

SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
Day 1 · Stepping out of the rush

In a poll in the Veretennikov School community, you supported continuing the intensive courses on inner states. I took your wishes into account: we’re beginning a three-day intensive based on my practice “Slowly and Quietly.”

Have you noticed that sometimes you hurry even when there’s nowhere to rush?

You hurriedly pick things up, talk, walk around the room. Your body is here, but your attention has already run ahead to the next task.

Today, we’ll try to change that—right in the middle of ordinary life.

In the “Eyes of Love” intensive, we learned to carry a state of love into everyday actions. And in the recent practice of standing up, you could begin moving right from where you were sitting, without looking for a special place to practice.

That’s how my practices are designed: they enter your life alongside what you’re already doing.

Begin right now

Whatever you’re doing right now, try continuing a little more slowly and quietly.

Reading this message? Read it without hurrying. About to put your phone down? Set it down smoothly and quietly. Getting up, walking, getting dressed, preparing food, working—notice your movements and create less unnecessary noise.

Talking? Speak a little more quietly and calmly, with natural pauses.

Move smoothly, gently, and freely. Keep it natural: slowly doesn’t mean sluggishly.

You don’t need to choose a separate activity for the practice. Any ordinary action can become its continuation.

Finish one thing and move on to the next, keeping your attention present. Let “slowly and quietly” accompany you throughout the day whenever circumstances allow.

Notice your inner state

How does your sense of self change when your movements become calmer? What happens to your thoughts? Do you notice things you would usually hurry past?

Don’t demand complete calm from yourself. At first, you may notice inner haste instead—the desire to speed everything up. That, too, is a valuable observation.

Did you forget and return to your usual pace? Simply notice it—and continue again more slowly and quietly.

Share in the comments:
“When I started doing everything more slowly and quietly, I noticed…”

Practice author—Sergey Veretennikov, author of the “Your Yoga” website.

2909 · Monday at 6:37 PM

While reading the information about the intensive, I slowed down, and then began to reflect on how there was a time when I was slow-paced. People even told me that I walked slowly and did everything slowly. Then came a period when I started practically running down the street (which also helped me keep warm), and later I became more rushed in everything I did. Now I am learning to alternate between being quick and being slow in my activities. Perhaps speed still prevails in some areas, although I understand intellectually that it is sometimes unnecessary. During this intensive, I will try to catch the moment when I start speeding up even though I could have chosen not to. Thank you, OM Shanti, for your recommendations and for taking part in our journey!

020882 · 2026-10-27T04:00:10+0000

When I began doing everything more slowly and quietly, I noticed my body relaxing and the tension in me—including psychological tension—decreasing. I became more thoughtful and attentive to what I was doing and how I was doing it, which meant fewer mistakes and more time saved compared with doing the same things at hyperspeed.

7027715 · 2026-10-27T04:03:12+0000

After reading the information about the intensive, I felt that I really am in a hurry. Even while reading, I caught myself thinking about what else needs to be done. There are always many tasks, both small and large. And sometimes I am already doing them in my mind. Now I am learning to do everything unhurriedly, without unnecessary haste, and to keep my thoughts here and now, rather than over there, thinking about what needs to be done next.

142427 · 2026-10-27T04:37:10+0000

After reading the assignment, I can’t even imagine how to put it into practice!? Getting everything planned done and doing it “slowly and quietly” are like two opposite poles. Switch myself to a different speed? Then I should first review my priorities and think: what could I give up, and what should I not do today? Or is it really possible to do everything, but at a different speed?
You’ve piqued our interest, Teacher

. Thank you for the new intensive

5557778 · 2026-10-27T10:15:44+0000

When I slow down, it becomes easier for me to be aware of myself and of what is happening around me. This way, I can remember and maintain, for example, the state I need, while eliminating unnecessary noise. I then understand what I need to do and how to do it. This applies both to individual situations and in general. A sense of calm and a clear vision of the goal and the path emerge. It becomes easier for me to distinguish simple impulsive actions from what I actually need to do right now. Of course, at first it seems that everything comes to a stop and that you are falling behind... However, a little later, when this state becomes familiar, the complete clarity of my actions helps me notice that I need to put much less effort and time into my tasks. Fewer mistakes, less irritation, and gentler control. The most difficult part is at the beginning, when the brain is adjusting and the body is entering a different rhythm. This way, everything becomes easier and calmer. Thank you so much

Веретенников Сергей · 2026-10-27T10:38:02+0000

SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
Day 2 · Noticing the Hurry Within

You have already slowed down your movements. But inside, do you still hear: “Come on, faster”?

Yesterday, we began doing familiar things a little more slowly and quietly. Today, we will continue—and take a closer look at what is happening within us.

You can gently place a cup on the table, while mentally already rushing to the next task. You can speak quietly and still hurry the person you are talking to, waiting for them to finally finish.

It is precisely this inner restlessness and hurry that we will notice today.

Continue with whatever you are doing now

Whether you are walking, working, washing your face, reading, or talking—continue a little more slowly and quietly when circumstances allow.

There is no need to choose a special activity or wait for free time. The practice can accompany any ordinary action.

Feel how you are doing it. How you touch an object, how you move, how your voice sounds.

And notice: Are you here now, in this action? Or are you already mentally trying to finish it?

Don’t rush yourself into calming down

If you notice impatience, don’t scold yourself. There is no need to urgently stop your thoughts or achieve silence in your mind.

Simply notice the desire to speed up—and gently continue what you are doing.

Allow yourself to finish reading the line, hear what the other person is saying, and complete the movement. The next action will follow. For now, your attention can remain incurrent.

Return throughout the day

You may forget about the practice many times. Each return is an opportunity to feel yourself once again amid your usual activities.

“Slowly and quietly” gradually becomes a way to notice how you move through your day: with tension, impatience, curiosity, gentleness.

Today, don’t judge yourself by how long you managed to remain calm. Instead, try to become more familiar with your own haste.

What did you notice: had your movements already become slower while inwardly you still wanted to hurry? When did this feel strongest?

Practice author — Sergey Veretennikov, author of the “Your Yoga” website.

4257 · 2026-10-27T11:25:24+0000

And now it seems to me that, on the contrary, I’ve slowed down too much. I’ve even noticed that I often simply don’t do something this evening, telling myself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” I’m not rushing anywhere—except perhaps when I run for public transport so I can catch it and avoid having to stand around waiting for the next one.
I look at my cat—he’s so laid-back

I’m learning from him, joking.
Of course, at this pace you notice more of the beauty of nature: the smells, colors, habits, and personalities of your neighbors and even random passersby, who, for some reason, have started stopping to talk to me....

2909 · 2026-10-27T18:27:13+0000

Several times during the day, I remembered the practice. It seems that today I did everything more slowly, but I still haven’t caught this slowness in the moment, although I was aware of it for fractions of a second. So there was haste inside. As you wrote, OM Shanti, I need to get rid of the unnecessary in order to free up time for what is important. I’m looking for that unnecessary, but it’s not being found very quickly) I WILL continue to slow down!

7371 · 2026-10-27T20:26:07+0000

Day 1
When I started doing everything more slowly and quietly, I noticed how tension in the body “rose to the surface” and became easy to spot: sometimes the eyebrows draw together at the bridge of the nose, sometimes the shoulders rise, sometimes the neck tenses. And once you notice it, it becomes much easier to relax. It also becomes easier to control your attention, direct it toward your inner state, and feel, “What am I feeling right now?”
It had been a long time since I had returned to this wonderful Practice, although I consider it one of the “right things to do regularly.” Thank you for its Intensive.

7027715 · 2026-10-28T00:34:22+0000

Day 2. I tried to remember that I needed to slow down and do everything without rushing. But I often sped up. Thoughts spontaneously arose that I needed to do this, then that. I was not aware of it. When I remembered the practice, I slowed down. Immediately, some kind of resistance arose, telling me that I would not have time to get anything done. I will keep learning. Thank you for such a useful intensive.

2298298 · 2026-10-28T05:15:53+0000

Day 1. I called it SHIBKO, meaning quickly. Shibko leads to oShibka—mistakes. Why do mistakes appear, along with incorrect, disharmonious actions? The mechanism wears out quickly under stress. Why? Who is in a hurry? Of course, the mind gets ahead of events; it always wants to solve every task and perform every action faster—faster, farther, higher... It suffers from an excess of intelligence; that is its nature: faster, stronger, better, clearer, and... Once again, I’m rushing somewhere—but where? I tell many people, “Don’t hurry—you’re already late everywhere.” How? Stop, ground yourself, think it over, sketch it out, write it down, make a list, lay it out... “Measure seven times and cut once.” Read to the end, listen to the end, finish what you start—slowly and calmly. Not everything works out at once. Pay attention to your actions, emotions, and thoughts... control of consciousness. Without control, I let go and do things slowly. The emotions are joyful and calm. Om Shanti. Thank you for the practice; I’m continuing.

230261 · 2026-10-28T06:17:06+0000

By nature, I’m always in a hurry. I need to do everything quickly—right away and very quickly. I always demanded the same from my children. My older son is just like me, always rushing, while my younger one is the opposite. No matter how much I hurried him, he never gave in—and in the end, he always turned out to be right. I joined the intensive course, but the habit is still getting the better of me, so unfortunately I’m not doing very well yet. I’ll remind myself of this from now on.

142427 · 2026-10-28T06:27:06+0000

Always hurrying everywhere has become ingrained, a habit. You leave work and automatically pick up the pace. I remembered the intensive, slowly inhaled, and ... saw the world around me: the sky, the trees, the space surrounding me. I managed to get homeslowly. But will I be able to incorporate this into every new day ahead?

Веретенников Сергей · 2026-10-28T07:08:34+0000

SLOWLY AND QUIETLY
Day 3 · Practice in Everyday Life

It is easy not to rush anywhere when no one is getting in your way. But can you continue just as calmly when ordinary things are happening around you?

Today, I suggest trying exactly that.

On the first day, we began doing familiar things a little more slowly and quietly. On the second, we looked at what was happening inside: our movements were already calm, but our thoughts were still hurrying somewhere.

Now try carrying this experience from one activity to another.

You were working, then went to prepare food, started talking to someone, got ready to leave the house. The activities change, but you continue to practice. You move just as gently, speak calmly, and notice yourself.

There is no need to choose any special activity. You can begin right now, with whatever you are doing.

It is most interesting when something does not go according to plan. You were distracted, asked to help, or had to put aside what you had started. Notice what happens to you. Did irritation arise? Did you want to do everything as quickly as possible?

Try to remember “Slowly and quietly” in this situation, too. Listen calmly, respond, and attend to what is needed now.

If you forget about the practice and start rushing again, that is all right. Notice it and continue a little more calmly. Without being dissatisfied with yourself and without demanding that you calm down immediately.

Of course, sometimes you need to act quickly. Do what the situation requires. And when You don’t need to hurry again—return to your practice.

Today our intensive comes to an end.

I’d like you to be left with the feeling that you can practice right in the midst of your life. Amid work, household responsibilities, conversations—in everything that makes up your day.

Try to remember this more often today. And notice what changes when you do familiar things a little more slowly and quietly.

What did you notice over these three days? Perhaps you’ve become less restless, more attentive when listening to those close to you, or quicker to notice your own inner haste? And what still feels difficult for now?

Tell us about at least one moment. I’m curious to know how this practice is experienced by you personally.

Thank you for these three days together.

Practice author—Sergey Veretennikov, author of the “Your Yoga” website.

Slowly and Quietly — Three-Day Intensive

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

2909

020882

7027715

142427

5557778

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

4257

Attachments

2909

7371

7027715

2298298

230261

142427

Веретенников Сергей

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

Slowly and Quietly — Three-Day Intensive

ОМ ШантиСергей Васильевич

ОМ ШантиСергей Васильевич

Attachments

ОМ ШантиСергей Васильевич

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич

ОМ Шанти
Сергей Васильевич