Sloth Speaks
I just returned from a writing retreat in Costa Rica, where we visited a wildlife sanctuary. I knew I had to meet a sloth in person… but I wasn’t prepared for what happened when I sent Reiki to a baby sloth who was very sick.
There were three of them in a group, and as soon as I began sending Reiki, I felt it flowing back to me x10! I was absolutely swooning from the sheer force of the loving energy field surrounding me.
I tried to explain:
“This is for you… you are unwell, please accept it.”
But they didn’t stop. In fact, they amplified it and sent it right back to me. Then I heard them say:
“This is for YOU. We are here as Teachers; we are here for you (humanity). Our slowness is not laziness — it is a slow, measured, thoughtful, and kind way of being on this Earth. We are here to share this teaching and we embody this peaceful wisdom. That is what you are feeling.”
Their powerful and pure presence in each movement was palpable. On a Consciousness Scale, as shared by Dr. David Hawkins in his renowned Power v. Force book on Kinesiology, I would place them in the high 990s — nearly enlightened beings. (For context, Hawkins’ scale placed Christ at 1,000, and the Buddha just below that, based on muscle testing with many volunteers to measure levels of awareness.)
The only other time I’ve felt healing energy mirrored back to me like that was when I sent Reiki to my Spiritual Master. ✨
I shared this teaching with the writing retreatees, and we all spent the week trying to embody and take home this purposeful slowing down. In the quietude of the retreat, without any agendas, deadlines, clients, meetings etc I felt an enormous expansion of time. Each day as I allowed myself this slow flow, I was more productive before 9am than I thought possible! I completed part of a new project in a day that I normally needed a week!!!
I entered more and more a state which I am calling “sacred spaciousness”. It is both something we allow ourselves to have more of, and a state we enter when we receive the gifts of Sloth.
Cultivating Sacred Spaciousness
Sacred Spaciousness really evokes the energy of reverence, calm, and being fully in the moment.
Sacred Spaciousness is a way of being where time slows down, the noise of the world fades, and we return to the rhythm of nature and soul. It is presence without urgency, stillness with intention, and movement guided by inner alignment rather than outer pressure.
This state is not laziness — it’s a conscious, embodied pause… a deep inhale into the present moment. It’s the inner spaciousness that allows wisdom, peace, creativity, and divine connection to emerge. Just as the sloth moves slowly but with gentle grace, we too are invited to live more thoughtfully, kindly, and with reverence for the now.
In this space, we:
- Become attuned to subtle energies and inner guidance
- Allow emotions and insights to arise without rushing to fix or change them
- Make space for healing, inspiration, and spiritual communion
- Live in sync with our natural rhythm rather than artificial timelines
- Prioritize what feels aligned with our heart and Soul v. only to our conditioned mind
Steps to Cultivate Sacred Spaciousness in Daily Life
- Begin Your Day with Stillness
Before reaching for your phone or diving into tasks, lie or sit quietly for 5 minutes. Breathe deeply. Place a hand on your heart. Do Self-Reiki. Or just simply be. Let this sacred pause set the tone for your day. - Create Micro-Moments of Pause
Throughout the day, take 60-second breaks to reset. Close your eyes. Inhale slowly. Exhale even slower. Ask, “What’s needed now?” rather than reacting from habit or stress. - Move at 70% Speed
Practice slowing your physical movements just slightly — walking, eating, even speaking — to bring mindful awareness into your actions. This cultivates grace and grounded presence. - Schedule Spaciousness
Leave white space in your calendar. Don’t overbook. Let your days breathe. Sacred spaciousness needs room — energetically and practically — to thrive. - Finding Your Sacred No
Sit quietly and ask yourself if any current or proposed activity is in your Highest and Best Good and if not aligned, exercise your “sacred No”. It is a complete sentence! - Nightly Sacred Closure
End your day with intentional reflection. Light a candle, journal, give yourself Reiki, or simply lie in bed asking, “Where did I feel most present today?” This integrates and honors your journey. - Learn from the Sloth
When you feel pressured to go faster, remember the sloth’s wisdom: Presence is more powerful than speed. Move with kindness. Pause with purpose. Trust that your Being-ness is enough.
In a world that celebrates speed and hustle, the sloth reminds us of another way — a path of presence, intention, and peaceful embodiment.
Sacred Spaciousness is the inner sanctuary we create when we choose to slow down and live with thoughtful awareness. It is the space between action and reaction, where peace, clarity, and connection reside.
Living in Sacred Spaciousness feels like a freedom to just BE, the freedom to choose how you show up in each moment. It is a delicious sense of enoughness — that you are enough, and there is enough time for all the things that really matter.
Contemplation:
What are some things you could do right now to create more sacred spaciousness in your life? Which things are you currently doing that are not in alignment with your Highest and Best good that you need to let go of?
If you’d like to go deeper into your healing, manifesting and awakening journey, I’d love to help, 
