Our Technology & Seeking Silence

 

 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.  And Simon and his companions hunted for him.  When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.”  He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.”  And he went throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Mark 1:35-39 NRSVue

 But when the one who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the gentiles, I did not confer with any human,  nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were already apostles before me, but I went away at once into Arabia, and afterward I returned to Damascus.

Galatians 1: 15-17 NRSVue The Apostle Paul

Back in July I wrote about a CBC Radio segment from tech reporter Manjula Salvarajah on Appstinance, the encouragement to reduce or eliminate online life. This might be for a few hours, a day a week, during a focussed retreat, or by getting a "dumb phone" to replace the supposedly smart one. It is essentially a form of fasting and the piece was well presented.

A few days ago Manjulah returned with a related theme, this time seeking out silence in a world where every moment can be filled with noise and sound. While noise-cancelling technology has become very advanced we often choose to tune out extraneous noise while filling the void with podcasts and music. We can stave off boredom and be entertained, but we're never alone with our own thoughts. 

There wasn't anything overtly spiritual about either of these segments but they speak to a hunger in a society where social media have an almost god-like power over our lives. I heard portions of this silence piece three times thanks to Metro Morning, Ontario Morning, and Fresh Air on the weekend and chose to keep listening to the latter two. After the Ontario Morning broadcast the host of the program and the news readers chatted about their own choices for silence, important for two of them. 

I've been on a number of silent retreats through the years in monasteries, convents, and in the Silence House at Taize. Not in recent years, although I still crave the disconnection and the gift of silence. While I travelled thousands of kilometres for these experiences in many beautiful settings, just disconnecting at home or on a walk or paddle can be so beneficial. 

In most major religions there are invitations to "retreat", to fast, and to seek out silence for the good of the soul. In those experiences we may be better attuned to the presence of God the Creator, the Redeemer, and Sustainer. The gospels tell us that Jesus and the apostle Paul spent preparatory time apart before their ministries and Jesus cultivated silence amidst the press of need in each day.  

Way back in 2010 the term "Tech Shabbat" was coined by Tiffany Shlain and Ken Goldberg as a day of rest from the use of all technology, including television. It was based on the traditional Jewish Shabbat or sabbath. 

We need these reminders along the way silence is golden, and good for the body, mind and soul. And maybe we'll cast out some demons in a world that often seems possessed by them these days!