Taking the Electric Sabbath; a weekly pledge to ungoogle and unwind

We may not longer go to church, believe in a white bearded father figure, confess our sins or pay a tithe, but it doesn't mean that there is nothing sacred left in the world. In fact, it could mean that we are taking back what has always been sacred, human and spiritually important for ourselves, in our own right. It's the day after yesterday again with more powerful and tempting Gods wining and dining our subconscience . One of them has ironically taken the form of an apple; my apple PC. What an interesting twist of fate that the tree-of-knowledge allegory has seen such literal and permanent place in our collective consciousness. It got me thinking; it's true, I fill myself up on way too much on information, *burp*, stimulation (omg), and all the five billion things this apple-knowledge can give me. I'm so grateful for it, but honestly- I'm absurdly addicted to it, and I can't imagine my life without it. But today listening to some great music it occurred to me; Janis Joplin, Mississippi John Hurt, John Lennon and a host of my favorite Saints never needed one minute of the cyber-mess. It's become really clear that I need to rethink how I am using my time; I need an Electric Sabbath, a cleansing period of non-use.

A peaceful heart isn't found on a search engine
Because as far as I can tell, being constantly connected certainly doesn't bring any more happiness to most people, but does bring a lot more pressure to everyone to be everywhere at once, answer even the smallest request within 24 hours, and be on call for God-knows-what at the drop of a dime. After all, being human is a pretty far-put experience no matter which way you slice it, and it's hard for me to completely disregard the magic living in the everyday ether, it's just that I can't experience it when I'm glued to the screen. Magic isn't a google-able, and I DON'T need to read every article on 'The Dailybeast' post before I go to bed. There is a great cost to this I am starting to feel, and though my life is an open Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Cera.Impala.Music) wherein I have personal and professional page aside from my own website..(oh brother), I even have a twitter account I've been told is eventually the holy grail of all (https://twitter.com/banjomama) Why? Well, it seems there is no escape,..It's the business, it's what I'm supposed to do, but on top of this I manage three separate email accounts and three bands, engage weekly students, rehearsals, gigs, a strict songwriting regiment I am truly religious about, and most of all we a have child that lives apart from his entire extended family..(imagine the Skype dates we have to keep up with). It's insidious how sometimes small things stack up to one banging reality; I've been sitting at my damn desk ALL DAY! The balance of my work and private life is complicated and I need break. I NEED to spend more physical time with my son, my husband, my kitchen, my books, my music, the artful albeit rare silence I prize beyond all things. I NEED to stretch more, walk more, meditate (at all). It's time for me bring back a sacred space in my own life without the omnipotence of any organized religion. If that means letting go of a few gigs or a few fans, maybe it's all for the best.

The Pledge:
So from now on, for me, this means that once a week for a 24 period
1. I WILL NOT use the internet
2. I will not make phone calls,
3. I will not send or receive emails or
4. I will not watch anything but the occasional family movie
(if that's what the family collectively decides to do in the late evening).

Instead I will focus on my breathing and my family, play music, games, make art, listen to the radio, go on long walks, chat, cook, craft and adventure.

Wish me luck- although with all this free time I may just have my eyes open enough to see the first four-leaf clover of the year.


“We join spokes together in a wheel,
but it is the center hole
that makes the wagon move.

We shape clay into a pot,
but it is the emptiness inside
that holds whatever we want.

We hammer wood for a house,
but it is the inner space
that makes it livable.

We work with being,
but non-being is what we use.”

― Lao Tzu