“They heard the sound of the Lord walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze.” ~Genesis 3:8
Why are we called the human race?
I personally cannot remember the last time I stood still long enough outdoors to deliberately feel the evening breeze. In the age of technology things are officially moving faster than humans can keep up. We have become a culture that is addicted to rush and speed. With the quantity and swiftness of information at our fingertips, we are literally attempting to digest information at faster rate than our bodies were built for. And we wonder why there is an explosion of attention deficit disorder.
I would bet that cavemen didn’t have this problem. Heck, come to think of it, my grandparents didn’t have it either and they were alive just thirty years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the instant and abundant information that technology provides. In many ways it has made my external life much easier. But then I begin thinking about the cost to my internal life. How does the constant flow of data nurture my spirit?
I read a statistic recently (although I can’t remember where due to the infinite avenues of material I ingest daily), that most Americans spend an average of twenty-seven minutes of quality time each day with family members. I sat bolt upright in front of my computer screen and shuddered at this statistic. It hit way too close to home when I compared it to how much time I devoted each day to my inanimate electronic devices. At least once a day my daughter hears me say, “Just give me five more minutes while I finish this email.” Funny how I never once heard those words flow from my grandmother’s lips.
Over time this frantic pace can take a toll on our relationships, injure the health of our bodies, and starve our spiritual well-being. I find that as I increase my ability to get more done with the finite time I have, I continuously sacrifice my center point of being. I have to wonder if the tradeoff is worthwhile. After all, I was created as a human being, not a human doing.
So, what does the future hold for the human race? That is up to each one of us and lies in how we answer this question: How fast do I really want to live my life? If you are finding an increased desire to slow down and return the natural rhythm that Creation intended, here are three spiritual steps to start the journey.
Step 1: Take a current inventory of how much time you spend plugged into the haste of your daily schedule and the rush of technology. Then think about a time in your life before you were so hurried and distracted. What it would feel like to return to the ease of your natural pace.
Step 2: Increase creativity instead of productivity. If our minds are operating faster than they were built for this barrage of data we process daily we will blow things out of proportion and overreact because of production overload. Nurturing our creative spirit will allow us to switch from the overdrive of our left brain activities to our imaginative right brain that naturally knows how to advance our spirit. Pick up your paint brush, writing journal, musical instrument, or book of poetry. Sit under the night sky, take a hike, play catch with your dog, climb a tree, skip rocks in a pond. Create whatever feels good. Let your Spirit lead the way without the end in mind.
Step 3: Unplug. I have often wondered if I woke up tomorrow and my internet, cell phone and electronic calendar all disappeared and were irreplaceable would I even know how to proceed with my day? Once a week take an electronic holiday to see how you feel spending time away from these devices. Are you anxious? Unsure of what to do with yourself? The result may also surprise you by bringing your spirit back to its center point of being. My weekly electronic holidays have allowed me time to walk outside, have a heart to heart with my daughter, and take more bubble baths. Last night, I even sat in my garden at the time of the evening breeze.
Your messenger, Eva Rose
Eva spent twenty years as a psychotherapist assisting others in understanding the reasons why their lives were off track and how to align with their true purpose. She began writing about her own process of transformation after a spontaneous spiritual awakening dramatically altered the course of her life. She is the author of two books, A Guide for Advancing Your Soul, and The 30 Teachings of Mary Magdalene. Eva holds a Master’s degree and is currently a doctoral candidate in the field of human services.