Seeking Sabbath

Not too long ago, in the weeks leading up to the Academy Awards ceremony, there was a brief spat in the world of Harry Potter fans when an article in the Los Angeles Times announced that J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer had been asked to present an award together. Both were unavailable. Nevertheless, the news bit drew a horde of criticism from Potter fans, protesting the fact that Meyer had been asked in the first place, thereby placing her on par with J.K.R. in the endless and pointless Harry vs. Twilight battle, and also denouncing Meyer's "excuse" for her unavailability as "lame." Meyer, who, as we well know, is a Mormon, declined to participate because she doesn't work on Sundays. While most people don't have such scruples, it seems churlish to denounce her simply for having a different set of practices from the rest of us.

I am by no means Meyer's greatest defender, and I was inclined to agree with much that was said against her. However, I was saddened to see the levels to which some people stooped in their criticism, by attacking her religious beliefs which they probably don't understand, much less appreciate, to begin with. It also got me thinking about the meaning of Sabbath--that typical day of rest--which few now practice outright, and which seems to have sunk in value or even awareness in our society.

Several years ago, I wrote an essay for a competition that asked us to consider the meaning of Sabbath and its impact on our lives. In my essay, I examined the origins of the word, and its meaning to the Ancient Israelites. I also observed its importance to almost all religious faiths, and the fact that each one of us has inherited different rituals and traditions. My strongest feeling, in regard to the Sabbath, however, is that it is not limited to any one moment, and that the rigors of ritual can occasionally have the effect of limiting our full experience of it. As I wrote,

"This true and pristine Sabbath can be experienced at any moment...We must seek the Sabbath, and cease to barricade our thoughts to the living...Spirit within us, and feel the peace and fulfillment that a true Sabbath offers in our every moment."

For me, this experience is deeply rooted in my religious faith and my belief in God. While I experience my Sabbath through prayer and worship, I think there are many ways, all just as legitimate, to recieve this sense of peace and communion. Many have tapped into this deeply rooted inner resource through meditation, art, observing nature, or simply resting.

What all of these methods have in common, however, is that they are conscious efforts aimed at cultivating that sense of inner peace and simultaneous outward communion, of seeking Sabbath. While we can happen upon rest unawares, as often happens, especially with things of a spiritual nature, there is great value in this concentrated effort to simply BE. This may seem to be a contradiction, but the fact that it is a simple paradox cannot take away from its ultimate truth.

The sad thing is, that many of us nowadays, even the deeply religious, undervalue this time of rest and deep reflection. Our entire collective society is imbued with a sense of urgency, of seizing at the next great opportunity before all is lost. What gets sacrificed is the empty space in between, the times of freedom from schedule constraints and constant communication. What we need is a deeper communication, a time to tap into that great Spirit that is already all around us, but we may not be aware of.

But it is easy to blame society for individual ills. It's time to take responsibility for our own priorities.

That is why I was overjoyed to read about the website http://rebooters.net/, and their project the Sabbath manifesto, at http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/, which aim to restore a meaningful sense of purpose to modern life. The project is the work of Jewish individuals, but their aims are determinedly secular, insofar as something spiritually inspired can be described by that limited modifier. One of their proposals which I took a special interest in is their national day of unplugging, which you can find out more about here: http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/unplug. While I don't seem to have as much of a problem living sans technology as some of the people in the video, I definitely see its value, and I plan to participate. That's why I'm writing this post on Thursday, instead of my habitual Saturday morning. Cell phones are no biggie with me, likewise with television, but the computer is definitely a constant presence that I could do with a break from. Computers are not inherently evil, but we often use them in a way that is shortsighted and distracting, and disconnects us from those around us.

So, I ask that you try it with me. Take this one small step and participate by taking a brief reprieve from your biggest technological distractions from Sundown on Friday to Sundown on Saturday.

This weekend, March 19-20. Goal: Unplug. Translation: Sabbath.