Ailyak

It’s taken most of my life to learn how not to rush. When I was young, I was always disappointing someone about time, so I learned that I had to speed through things in order to make it to the next class, homework assignment, meeting, rehearsal, job, and on and on. It’s easy for life to become a marathon. 

Stop and smell the roses, someone once advised me. I honestly didn’t understand what that meant. 

Going to France helped to understand the value of not hurrying. It’s a quality over quantity approach that is valued in the French culture. Maybe it was best not to try to do everything. Maybe fewer things given more time was a better way to live. I’ll probably always struggle to be able to do this, but I understand the value now. 

In Bulgarian, there is a word for it. 

Ailyak 

Or in Cyrillic: Айляк

It’s pronounced like the two words would be in English: “ail” + “yak.”

Ailyak is the art of not rushing, of doing everything slowly and enjoying the process.

The word and concept comes from the oldest city in Bulgaria and in Europe: Plovdiv. In Plovdiv, they take pride in strolling the same main streets at a leisurely pace, enjoying the sights, sounds, and experience. There’s even a locally brewed beer called Ailyak. 

I’m able to experience Ailyak best while painting. I’m a terrible painter, so I have to do everything very slowly and think through every step. Time seems to disappear and I feel very relaxed and meditative. 

Whether painting, walking, singing, gardening, reading, or writing, I hope you’re able to build some Ailyak into your day.