It’s interesting that when I’m in a classroom with students and challenge them to play The Quiet Game, they all rush to quiet themselves and their peers. It is as if we crave quietude and wish it upon ourselves and others.
I started reading The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra – a book given to me by my father. The first Spiritual Law is “Stillness.” He starts by saying that every once in a while, we should spend a day or so being quiet. He also suggests meditating for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night, so I added an additional 8 minutes to my morning and evening meditation routines. So long, David Lynch TM!
I used to go one day a week without my phone or computer on, but now, I just don’t have the time…
Today, not called into work, I dedicated myself to being as quiet and as calm as I could be. The most intense part of the day was buying some sage. It was about a two-mile walk, in which I discovered a Dollar General (and realized that I pay too much for certain things)…and then chose to buy the more expensive floor cleaner anyway at Walgreens. Shame on me and my Brand-Name Generation.
I don’t think we realize how easily we can become overstimulated over nothing. This world is so overstimulating, and the Western world feels so driven to combat any sense of leisure activity. Did you know that the root of “scholaris” can be traced back to the Ancient Greek word “σχολή” (skholé), which originally meant “spare time” or “leisure”.
So, it was a very scholarly day.
I still had a moment of humanity in there, or rather imperfect pleasure, and I couldn’t help myself but read. Interestingly enough, I came across an article about how 3 days of complete silence has very restorative effect on the brain, while too much noise can be damaging to more than one’s soul, but as well to their psyche. Here is a link to the article:
https://abcnews4.com/news/offbeat/-silence-actually-good-for-you-new-study-shows-quiet-time-can-significantly-impact-health-healthy-mental-physical-memory-meditation-cognitive-training-hippocampus-brain-anxiety-emotional-alzheimer-disease-illness-creative-science-researchers-aging-noise
I’ve been reading a lot more random useless articles, since I “stopped watching YouTube” this past year. My feed used to be Insta Reels, or YouTube videos, but is now just articles Google suggests:
“Joliet isn’t the third most populated city in Illinois anymore?”
“Babies need more of THIS food says Harvard Pediatrician.”
“5 Major cities that are sinking, is it yours? Uh oh, bluble bluble bluble (Help I’m Underwater!!!!) “
I been slipping pretty hard on the Tube for the past two or three weeks though. I wasn’t really watching YouTube per se, but I was on Cinemassacre.com, the website of my favorite creator… I was watching Board James – a series about reviews of outdated board games because I am really cool. That website is one of my guilty pleasures (and keys to my heart!).
I also watched the original Frankenstein last weekend, at like 6 pm (like an old lady), lights off, bowl of pesto pasta, and some Swedish Fish gummies. It was ok, but just a completely different story from the book. smh.
It was more background noise, because I couldn’t stand to be so loud.
And when I say loud, I mean that sometimes, I start thinking too fast, or doing too much and I need to slow myself down. Luckily, I know how. You can’t just go from 100 to 0 really fast. You need something that is like 30 miles per hour (or thoughts per minute) so you can get down to 50 tpm.
Our thoughts can be as sharp or as dull as we wish, but if they are too sharp, beware, you can cut yourself.
But really, I’ve just been sick and withdrawing for the past while (Nicotine and other fun stuff). So I haven’t been damning myself for needing to watch a little extra porn, or Youtube, or eat a few extra sweets, and sleep in, or call out. I know it really seems like I need to grow up, cut my hair, and get a job, but maybe the world needs to realize that what I’m doing is way better for the spirit of the world.
I shouldn’t feel guilty for having a different philosophy than Capitalism at its finest. I can’t be who Big Brother always wants me to be, because if I trust myself when they say I am wrong, at least then I remain human and free, and that is what God wants…just not the Christian one…
Oh, and because, after my long day of doing nothing, a friend called, and I got to talk with him about the loss of his mom and care about what really matters. Oh, and I did many of the things I’m always “trying to do” today.
Ben Bonkoske 