We’re hammered, we’re slammed, we’re out of control. Happiness is on the decline in the most affluent country in the world, and Americans are troubled by the destructiveness of a lifestyle devoted to money and status. Yet no one seems to have a clue how to exit from the fast lane. Slow is Beautiful analyzes the subtle consumer and political and corporate forces stamping the joy from our existence and provides a vision of a more fulfilling life through the rediscovery of caring community, unhurried leisure, and life-affirming joie de vivre. The book discusses: • The frantic time poverty plaguing everyone—a poverty that is being challenged by the growing slow life movement whose message is reverberating around the world • The need to build a culture of connection with both people and the planet by challenging the consumer society and re-creating vibrant life in our local communities • The creation of a different experience of time where we live life in slower, more reflective ways, savoring our lives and recapturing exuberance and laughter Offering inspiration and concrete ideas, Slow is Beautiful will appeal to a broad audience of baby boomers nearing retirement, harried professionals with a social conscience, the one-time “middle class,” and twenty- to thirty-somethings who are now facing the sobering realities of constricted choices.

SpaRitual founder Shel Pink's Slow Beauty is all about carving a few moments out of each day to practice the kind of mindful self-care and wellness that makes us glow. Slow Beauty works because it's a lifestyle, not a quick fix. It provides inspiration, support, and tools for working from within toward looking and feeling healthier and more joyful than ever. In this book you'll find: - Ideas on beauty with substance from around the world; - Rituals such as finding and designing your own sanctuary, breathing exercises, meditation, and deepening relationships (and inner strength) through women's gatherings; - Recipes for teas, soups, juices, smoothies, scrubs, body oils, and even how to create your own mantra; - How to incorporate these practices into daily life in the best way for you. Filled with inspirational images and a message that's sustainable for a lifetime, Slow Beauty will harness the power within every woman to physically, mentally, and spiritually nourish their bodies from the inside out.

Chasing Slow models HGTV star Erin Loechner's journey to help you break out of the faster-better-stronger trap and make small changes to refresh your perspective, renew your priorities, and shift your focus to what matters most. You're here, but you want to be there. So you spend your life narrowing this divide, and you call this your race, your journey, your path. You live your days tightening your boot straps, wiping the sweat from your brow, chasing undiscovered happiness just around the bend. And on and on you run. Viral sensation and HGTV.com star Erin Loechner knows about the chase. Before turning 30, she'd earned the title "The Nicest Girl Online" as she was praised for her authentic voice and effortless style. Her HGTV web show garnered over one million fans worldwide, and her client list includes Walt Disney World, IKEA, Martha Stewart and Home Depot. The New York Times applauded her, her friends and church admired her, and her husband and baby adored her. She had arrived at the ultimate destination. So why did she feel so lost? Through a series of steep climbs--her husband's brain tumor, bankruptcy, family loss, and public criticism--Erin learns just how much strength it takes to surrender it all, and to veer right into grace. In Chasing Slow, Erin upgrades her life through downsizing--her stuff, her obligations, her fears, her personal metric of "perfect." And ultimately, her invitation becomes yours: to turn away from the fast and frenzy, and find freedom in a new-fashioned lifestyle defined by grace. Life's answers are not always hidden where they seem. It's time to venture off the beaten path to see that we’ve already been given everything we need. We've already arrived. You see? You'll see.

Breathe deep. Let it out slowly. Imagine you are on a bustling highway in a sleek, speedy car. Traffic is cutting in and out all around you as everyone is in a hurry for some reason or another. Now imagine trading that in for the family car on a winding, scenic country road. There are trees lining one side and a beautiful open meadow on the other. Our culture wraps up a jam-packed schedule and frantic pace and sets it on a silver platter, offering it like a trophy to anyone who wants it. But I propose we take that glittery package back and exchange it for a less traveled road, one that celebrates and enjoys the precious, everyday moments of life. Let's move into the slow lane and unwrap the gifts the Giver of Life bestows on us every day. Won't you join me in slowing? Step into these pages which are a unique combination of personal journal, Bible Study, practical ideas and visual inspiration for slowing down. Start looking for the everyday beauty in slow!

“Thiessen has done her research, and talked to people who truly have insight into the process of making both yarn and clothing.” —Modern Daily Knitting Like the “slow food” movement, Slow Knitting encourages knitters to step back, pare down, and celebrate the craftsmanship of their work. In five chapters centered around the tenets of slow knitting—sourcing carefully, making thoughtfully, thinking environmentally, experimenting fearlessly, and exploring openly—Hannah Thiessen challenges knitters of all skill levels to view their practice in a new way. Each chapter contains explorations of fiber types; profiles of well-known yarn types, makers, and yarn suppliers; and garment patterns inspired by the featured fibers. With contributions from knitting superstars Norah Gaughan, Bristol Ivy, and many others, Slow Knitting proposes an approach to knitting that is both minimalist and all-encompassing, and emphasizes what makes knitting a meditation, a passion, and a unique necessity. “Promotes the concept of ‘slow knitting’ which discards the pressure to produce prolifically and instead, revolves around the idea that thoughtfully produced yarn will result in better projects for you-the crafter.” —MarthaStewart.com

A modern guide to sex and pleasure, showing you how slowing down will help you tune into your body so you can heighten your sense of pleasure and connection.

We live in the age of speed. We strain to be more efficient, to cram more into each minute, each hour, each day. Since the Industrial Revolution shifted the world into high gear, the cult of speed has pushed us to a breaking point. Consider these facts: Americans on average spend seventy-two minutes of every day behind the wheel of a car, a typical business executive now loses sixty-eight hours a year to being put on hold, and American adults currently devote on average a mere half hour per week to making love. Living on the edge of exhaustion, we are constantly reminded by our bodies and minds that the pace of life is spinning out of control. In Praise of Slowness traces the history of our increasingly breathless relationship with time and tackles the consequences of living in this accelerated culture of our own creation. Why are we always in such a rush? What is the cure for time sickness? Is it possible, or even desirable, to slow down? Realizing the price we pay for unrelenting speed, people all over the world are reclaiming their time and slowing down the pace -- and living happier, healthier, and more productive lives as a result. A Slow revolution is taking place. Here you will find no Luddite calls to overthrow technology and seek a preindustrial utopia. This is a modern revolution, championed by cell-phone using, e-mailing lovers of sanity. The Slow philosophy can be summed up in a single word -- balance. People are discovering energy and efficiency where they may have been least expected -- in slowing down. In this engaging and entertaining exploration, award-winning journalist and rehabilitated speedaholic Carl Honoré details our perennial love affair with efficiency and speed in a perfect blend of anecdotal reportage, history, and intellectual inquiry. In Praise of Slowness is the first comprehensive look at the worldwide Slow movements making their way into the mainstream -- in offices, factories, neighborhoods, kitchens, hospitals, concert halls, bedrooms, gyms, and schools. Defining a movement that is here to stay, this spirited manifesto will make you completely rethink your relationship with time.