My journey into slow living began with a deep need to cope with anxiety, an anxiety rooted in burnout and the relentless pace of overworking on things I didn’t truly believe in. A few early seeds were planted: reading Essentialism by Greg McKeown, a life-changing book for me; watching Marie Kondo mindfully fold her clothes; and downsizing to a studio apartment, which inspired me to design my life differently and own less. But slow living isn’t just about how many items we own. It's about how we choose to live, moment by moment.

In January 2023, I found myself in a small teahouse in Hanoi, taking part in a simple Vietnamese tea ceremony with fragrant lotus tea, alongside Dean, my partner, on his first visit to Vietnam. That quiet moment, just us, the tea, and the stillness, was the actual beginning.

Later that year, I attended my first 10-day silent Vipassana retreat. It deepened my awareness and helped me realise that less busyness is truly more freedom, and that I don’t need much to feel content and happy. In fact, it inspired a desire to simplify my life and embrace a slower, more intentional way of living. The retreat gave me the clarity to take more actions, have a plan and commit fully to the path of slow living. For me, this path is deeply rooted in the practice of Cha Dao, the Way of Tea.

The Way of Tea opened a door to a more mindful, grounded rhythm of life and led me to explore the spiritual teachings of Buddhism, Zen Buddhism, and Daoism. Through these traditions, I discovered what I now see as the three essential pillars of slow living: Mindfulness and Presence, Simplification and Essentialism, and Connection with Nature and Community. Though ancient, these principles offer timeless and powerful guidance for navigating the modern world with greater calm, clarity, and meaning.

1. Mindfulness & Presence

At the heart of slow living is the ability to truly be, to show up fully in each moment. This is what mindfulness teaches us: to be present, to observe without judgments, and to experience life without rushing through it.

• In Buddhism, mindfulness is known as sati, a quality of attention that brings us into direct contact with our lived reality. Practicing mindfulness is a path toward enlightenment, helping us wake up from the trance of distraction and dissolve suffering through awareness.

• In Zen Buddhism, mindfulness is often embodied in Zazen, sitting meditation. It’s not just about stillness, but about full presence. Every breath, every sound, every movement becomes part of the meditation. This sharpens awareness and trains the mind to remain calm and receptive.

• In Daoism, presence is not cultivated through effort, but through Wu Wei, the art of effortless action. It’s about aligning with the natural flow of life, acting in harmony with the Dao (the Path, the Way) rather than against it. This effortless presence is deeply calming, and profoundly healing.

Mindfulness invites us to slow down and savor life as it unfolds, moment by moment.

2. Simplification & Essentialism

Slow living is not only about having less. It’s about keeping only what truly matters, spiritually, emotionally, and practically.

• In Buddhism, the Middle Path teaches balance, avoiding the extremes of indulgence and deprivation. A simple life is a free life. Buddhist teachings on Śūnyatā (emptiness) remind us that clinging to things, identities, or outcomes only creates suffering. Letting go brings peace.

• Zen Buddhism embraces Mu, the idea of nothingness. It’s not nihilistic, but liberating: clarity comes when we stop filling our lives with noise. The aesthetic of wabi-sabi, rooted in both Zen and Daoist thought, finds beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity.

• Daoism encourages simplicity through Dao (The Way) and Ziran (naturalness). Living in accordance with nature’s rhythms allows us to return to what is essential, removing the unnecessary and trusting the spontaneous intelligence of life itself.

Through simplification, we create space, internally and externally, for meaning, creativity, and peace to arise.

3. Connection with Nature & Community

The third pillar is about remembering that we are not separate. We are part of a greater whole. True slow living reconnects us with the earth beneath our feet and the people who share our journey.

• In Buddhism, the concept of Pratītyasamutpāda, interdependence, teaches that everything exists in relationship. Nothing arises independently. The Sangha, or spiritual community, is one of the Three Jewels of Buddhism, reminding us that we need one another on the path.

  Thich Nhat Hanh’s book The Art of Living beautifully illustrates this through his teaching on interbeing, the deep, undeniable truth that we are woven into the fabric of all life. With mindfulness, we begin to see the flower in the compost, the cloud in the tea, and the world in ourselves.

• Zen Buddhism expresses this connection through Zazen. When practiced in nature or in community, Zazen dissolves the illusion of separation. Sitting in stillness among trees, birds, or fellow practitioners, we encounter the world not as something outside us, but as a reflection of our own being.

• In Daoism, harmony with nature is fundamental. The Dao flows through all things: trees, rivers, winds, and stars. When we live in tune with the Dao, we reconnect with the natural world and with our own original nature.

Slow living is not a solitary act. It’s a return to the earth, to shared humanity, and to the quiet joy of being part of something larger.

A Slow Way Forward

Slow living is about returning to life, instead of escaping it. With mindfulness, we reclaim our presence. With simplicity, we rediscover our clarity. With connection, we root ourselves in the truth of interbeing. In embracing slow living, we begin to honour the natural rhythm of things, allowing space for rest, reflection, and joy. We start to live more intentionally, choosing depth over speed, presence over productivity, and meaning over excess.

Whether through a cup of tea, a moment of stillness, a walk in nature, or quiet time spent with loved ones, we are already taking the first step. Slow living doesn't require drastic change. In fact, it begins with small, mindful choices that bring us back to what truly matters. The three pillars Mindfulness and Presence, Simplification and Essentialism, and Connection with Nature and Community offer a simple yet profound roadmap to help us stay on this path. They are not separate practices, but deeply interconnected ways of being. Together, they support a way of life that is slower, gentler, and more aligned with our values, helping us live with greater clarity, purpose, and peace.

My practice of Slow Living This Year

Things shift and change with the seasons and life’s circumstances. What I’ve found helpful is having a flexible routine that holds both the yang, the discipline and and the yin, the ability to adapt. In 2025, I’ve been peeling back even more layers of busyness. I don’t do this perfectly; I’m just another human being with my own ups and downs, like everyone else. But ever since slow living became my practice, I’ve been committed to it with all my heart.

Here are a few important things I practice:

- Meditation and mindfulness: are the foundation of everything I do. My meditation is simply at home. I do a lot of tea meditation as well as silent meditation. Mindfulness is a wonderful practice that can be woven in all daily activities. Spiritual practice isn’t limited to temples, retreats, or wellness classes. What matters most is daily presence.

- Self-reflections: I often reflect on what supports me and what doesn’t. Not everything is black and white. Some things are uncomfortable but deeply beneficial, like going for a run or doing my Ashtanga yoga practice. I think willpower is overrated, so if I want something to be part of my routine, I need to design it in the way that is almost effortless to do. 

- Art as a mindfulness practice: I’m obsessed with colouring books. I colour in every single day and have even started creating and publishing my own. When I’m colouring, my mind, body, and soul feel like they’re bathing in love. My nervous system feels regulated, and my mood noticeably improves. My partner, Dean, loves seeing me light up with joy whenever I’m immersed in my colouring books.

- The community: I'm surrounded by grounded, joyful people who are inspired by life. 

I have been hosting The Grounded Circle's mindfulness gatherings for a while and it has truly been an amazing journey building and nourishing a community of like-minded folks who believe in and see the magic in Slow Living. We often come together to sit in meditation, journal, sip tea, share snacks. Life can be so fun yet so simple. And over a period of time showing up together, we bond purely through our shared practices. 

If you would like to join us, info on how gatherings can be found in my website - or sign up to my email newsletter "Sacred Presence" for updates on all events.

Here are what have been supporting and inspiring me with my practices:

• The people I surround myself with.
  There’s an irony in working in the wellness industry as a facilitator. I've seen far too many burnt-out and stressed facilitators. It’s a tough industry, and most people are entrepreneurs trying to make ends meet or keep their businesses afloat. In many ways, it's not so different from the corporate world I often hear about. Despite the different settings, the struggles are surprisingly similar.

  I’ve come to realise the importance of being more intentional about prioritising quality time with people around whom I feel at ease and relaxed. If you haven't heard of the word "trauma dump", it is something that you can be a little more aware of these days when "vulnerability" and "authenticity" is sometimes brought out in the destructive ways. "Trauma dump" typically refers to the act of sharing intense, personal, or traumatic experiences with someone often without their consent or in an inappropriate context, such as in casual conversations or with people who aren't emotionally equipped to handle it. I personally believe that engaging in this doesn’t help the person as I am no therapist. It only adds more fuel to their traumatic stories and strengthens their identification with the trauma.

  I founded The Grounded Circle for the same purpose. We come together simply to celebrate life through the mindfulness & creative practices of tea, journaling and art. 

 

• Books: the three books that changed my life are "Essentialism", "The Power of Now" & "Untethered Soul". I often re-read these books from time to time. I re-read The Power of Now every year at the end of the year.

 

• The only retreat I go to every now and then is Vipassana silent retreat. They have been running these retreats for decades that everything is set up so well to support the meditation practices. I love the simplicity of the retreat and find that is helpful to replicate some aspects of it at home when I am back to my normal life routine.