hurry erodes the very qualities that define humane, evolved living.
- To be civilized means **having time**—deliberate, unhurried time—to make a **lasting contribution** to our families and communities.
We all need time space to give freely of our resources, skills, and capacities.
Most of all, we need time **to reflect** and **to draw closer to the divine core of our being**.
- This "divine core" (or "divine core of our being") refers to the eternal, uncreated spark within each person—the Atman in Indian philosophy, the unconditioned Self nearer than our bodies and dearer than life itself.
It's the unchanging essence connected to the divine, beyond ego, rush, or superficial busyness.
These ideas come straight from **Eknath Easwaran's** teachings, particularly in works like *Take Your Time: Finding Balance in a Hurried World* (also published as *The Wisdom of Slowing Down*) and articles from the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation.
Easwaran, observing the frantic pace of Western life upon arriving in the US, saw hurry as a form of modern famine—not of food, but of **time for depth, love, and spiritual growth**. He warned that constant acceleration leads to tension, superficiality, inefficiency, illness, and disconnection from others and from our innermost Self.
### Why Hurry Undermines Civilization
- **Hurry crowds out reflection**: Without pauses for thoughtful stillness, we can't process experiences deeply, learn from them, or grow wiser. Reflection allows us to draw closer to that divine core—turning inward to access patience, compassion, and purpose.
- **It blocks contribution**: True service to family, friends, and community requires presence and generosity of spirit. In hurry, we give mechanically or resentfully; with time, we give freely and meaningfully—building lasting bonds and legacies.
- **It starves the soul**: Easwaran contrasted physical famine with this "time famine." We may accomplish much outwardly, but inwardly feel empty if we never slow down enough to nourish the divine spark. Meditation (especially his passage meditation and mantram repetition) reclaims this time by training unbroken attention and detachment from the frenzy.
### Tying Back to Your Earlier Notes
This builds directly on your previous insights:
- Speed ≠ efficiency; **unbroken flow of attention** (even amid tasks) enables peak performance and vitality.
- Mantram meditation as a tool at work fosters detachment, active listening, compassion, and decisions for the common good—precisely the "civilized" qualities of presence over hurry.
- Time famine starves us of reflection, meaning, and connection; slowing down restores vitality, reduces greed/selfishness, and fills the "empty inside" with purpose.
In essence, civilization isn't measured by speed, achievements, or busyness—
it's measured by **how we use time** to reflect, love, serve, and align with our divine core. As Easwaran put it, we need time to "make a lasting contribution" and "draw closer to the divine core of our being."
This isn't escapism; it's the foundation for a truly human, fulfilled life.
If this resonates, Easwaran's *Take Your Time* would be a perfect next read—it's practical, compassionate, and full of stories illustrating these exact points.