I had a salutary experience yesterday evening. I was leading Open Soul Space, a facilitated gathering for meditation, contemplative prayer, sharing and teaching that is offered monthly at the London Centre for Spiritual Direction. We had all just settled down for 20 minutes’ silence when a man started talking on his phone in the street … Continue reading Practising kindness
Category: distraction
How to find God in the humblest of things (I)
God reveals himself to the humble in the humblest of things, while the great who never penetrate beneath the surface do not discover him even in great events. de Caussade, p.5 6.51am Why am I sitting at this screen rather than walking out into the morning? I often do this. I am casting about for … Continue reading How to find God in the humblest of things (I)
Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 3)
Not exactly waiting for someone else, he is, as it were, waiting for himself. Adam Phillips, On Kissing, Tickling and Being Bored, p.72 If you are bored, your mind is wandering—away from you—its rightful purpose. Gail Sher, One Continuous Mistake p.30 You long for yourself. Distractions are substitutes, looking for something to fill a hole, … Continue reading Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 3)
Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 2)
Boredom: … the mood of diffuse restlessness which contains that most absurd and paradoxical wish, the wish for a desire. Adam Phillips, On Kissing, Tickling and Being Bored, p.71 It is one of the most oppressive demands of adults that the child should be interested, rather than take time to find what interests [her]. Boredom … Continue reading Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 2)
Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 1)
One of the more distracting things about capitalist culture is that there is no stupor, no time to vegetate. What I would suggest is more time-wasting, less stimulation. We need time to lie fallow like we did in childhood, so we can recuperate. Rather than be constantly told what you want and be pressurised to … Continue reading Boredom: guardian of the Temple (part 1)
Palimpsest
When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. Viktor Frankl (quoted in Simple Marriage) For about 20 years I didn't have a television. One day this quirk came out when I was chatting with some work colleagues. One of them blurted out, "I'd die if I didn't have … Continue reading Palimpsest