Wisdom from Zack de la Rocha & an invitation to carve out daily rhythms during pandemic — Day 28 of 40 Days of Listening

As we continue to journey the wilderness of pandemic, it is essential that we develop new patterns and rhythms to our days.

The Rage Against the Machine song “Bullet in the Head” is a warning about the flood of fear and propaganda that comes through phone and television screen. “So serene on the screen you were mesmerized… The sleeping gas, every home was like Alcatraz…”

There has been an influx in internet and screen usage with quarantines in place. All the more important for us to engage media with discernment (checking sources and attending to a diversity of perspectives). Also, important is that we practice discipline and restraint around screen usage/media consumption.

This is not the time to numb out on Netflix. This is a time to stay awake.

It’s not the time for incessant scrolling, and checking, then three minutes later checking again. We gotta check out of the fear loops and check in with a higher power.

It’s a time to hold space for meditation. It’s a time for real conversations with others — family, neighbors, community. A time for self work. A time to be outside and reconnect with earth. And a time to water the seeds of compassion revolution.

The soil is ready.

The compost of crumbling empire and a way of being built on exploitation and over-consumption will nourish the soil of a re-membered earth community. That is, if we allow it to.

If we stay awake…

Now is a time to develop simple patterns to your days, to set limits and discern the sources of the media we’re consuming. This discipline will grow our power in together.

Time for medtitation/prayer, time to eat, time to work, time to play, time to rest…

As a spiritual community of practice, let’s support each other in developing new rhythms to our days. We get to do this together.