One place and discipline I’ve recently become acquainted with is centering prayer. It to have a specific power to (among other things) empty in the kenotic sense. The Simone Weil renunciation sense. So when I am moving with my body through the days, it is informed in a non-cognitive way by this pre-giving-up-in-a-good-sense. Not sure if this makes sense, but thought I’d share.
Abbey, the thought of being centered on Christ and letting all else, attention and motion and speech and act, organize itself around that -- even in a way prior to conscious, verbalized intention -- is so powerful. Makes perfect sense to me. And yes, God bless Rilke (which, it's clear, He did, whether or not Rilke saw to the source in this life)
“Some experiences were never meant to become content, as in fodder for the digital maw. They were meant to content us: to fill us, to satisfy us, so that we might in turn have something worth giving.”
Thank you for the perfect thought to exhort me to attention during a vacation week at the lake…. To avoid the temptation of “mining” experience for writing…
So lovely to see you and this essay, Katy! I read it just after reading The Honest Broker's latest (which was good, but dark) so the light, calm "contemplative realism" I think you're providing here is edifying and welcome. I love what you're saying and want very much to cultivate "active receptivity" as well as a "non-reactive attitude toward the surface churn of culture; two, a sort of buoyancy, an ability to float, to ride the waves." I need more intentional practices toward this end, for sure, though I suppose I have my moments of being able? Maybe? If I'm being really kind to myself? Mostly I think I just shut things down and pay less or close to no attention (re: media/online social stuff), but that doesn't mean I don't still need that non-reactive, buoyant attitude--because that stuff still finds you! :-) The other thing I feel I need help with and more intention around is reading and engaging with Substack: So many wonderful things to read but, again, I have no intentional practice around consuming it and don't see a lot of people talking about how to do that. And I'm not sure my current scattershot, distracted, unintentional way of reading it and interacting with it is working for me (and I don't want it to turn into an online distraction experience). No judgement or negativity toward Substack here I just am trying to be aware of my consumption behaviors. But I still have no answers. Finally: It's funny you mention *con*tent vs. con*tent* because I was just talking about my dislike for the flattening that is "content" not 30 minutes before I read your article. Ha! Anyway, just sharing my appreciation and thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Lisa, thank you for this! You're so right that even folks who really restrict their social media behaviors still need some kind of strategy for dealing with the *attitudes* that arise in a social context so driven by the online behaviors of others and the moods and habits of thought that are cultivated there. I do find I have things to say about this, so maybe a future post?
I don't know if you have encountered @ruthgakovski or @augustlamm, both of whom have really interesting things to say about intentionality and focus and swimming against the digital tide. Both are worth a follow, in your limited online time. :)
Oooo! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on social attitudes and etc driven by social media behavior and how to deal with that! Would love to see a post and gladly will read it! And thank you so much for those follow suggestions! I haven't encountered them yet so look forward to checking them out. Thanks again!
Yes.
One place and discipline I’ve recently become acquainted with is centering prayer. It to have a specific power to (among other things) empty in the kenotic sense. The Simone Weil renunciation sense. So when I am moving with my body through the days, it is informed in a non-cognitive way by this pre-giving-up-in-a-good-sense. Not sure if this makes sense, but thought I’d share.
Thanks for this. I love Rilke.
Abbey, the thought of being centered on Christ and letting all else, attention and motion and speech and act, organize itself around that -- even in a way prior to conscious, verbalized intention -- is so powerful. Makes perfect sense to me. And yes, God bless Rilke (which, it's clear, He did, whether or not Rilke saw to the source in this life)
“Some experiences were never meant to become content, as in fodder for the digital maw. They were meant to content us: to fill us, to satisfy us, so that we might in turn have something worth giving.”
Thank you for the perfect thought to exhort me to attention during a vacation week at the lake…. To avoid the temptation of “mining” experience for writing…
Carla, thanks for the kind words -- & enjoy your getaway!
So lovely to see you and this essay, Katy! I read it just after reading The Honest Broker's latest (which was good, but dark) so the light, calm "contemplative realism" I think you're providing here is edifying and welcome. I love what you're saying and want very much to cultivate "active receptivity" as well as a "non-reactive attitude toward the surface churn of culture; two, a sort of buoyancy, an ability to float, to ride the waves." I need more intentional practices toward this end, for sure, though I suppose I have my moments of being able? Maybe? If I'm being really kind to myself? Mostly I think I just shut things down and pay less or close to no attention (re: media/online social stuff), but that doesn't mean I don't still need that non-reactive, buoyant attitude--because that stuff still finds you! :-) The other thing I feel I need help with and more intention around is reading and engaging with Substack: So many wonderful things to read but, again, I have no intentional practice around consuming it and don't see a lot of people talking about how to do that. And I'm not sure my current scattershot, distracted, unintentional way of reading it and interacting with it is working for me (and I don't want it to turn into an online distraction experience). No judgement or negativity toward Substack here I just am trying to be aware of my consumption behaviors. But I still have no answers. Finally: It's funny you mention *con*tent vs. con*tent* because I was just talking about my dislike for the flattening that is "content" not 30 minutes before I read your article. Ha! Anyway, just sharing my appreciation and thoughts. Thank you!
Hi Lisa, thank you for this! You're so right that even folks who really restrict their social media behaviors still need some kind of strategy for dealing with the *attitudes* that arise in a social context so driven by the online behaviors of others and the moods and habits of thought that are cultivated there. I do find I have things to say about this, so maybe a future post?
I don't know if you have encountered @ruthgakovski or @augustlamm, both of whom have really interesting things to say about intentionality and focus and swimming against the digital tide. Both are worth a follow, in your limited online time. :)
Oooo! I would LOVE to hear your thoughts on social attitudes and etc driven by social media behavior and how to deal with that! Would love to see a post and gladly will read it! And thank you so much for those follow suggestions! I haven't encountered them yet so look forward to checking them out. Thanks again!
PS--with apologies if I've used "contemplative realism" incorrectly, for I may not fully understand it yet. :-)
No apologies needed! Thank you for being here!