Misinformation Overload
In this new era of constant breaking news interruptions, my brain often feels like it is turning into scrambled eggs.
I’m now conditioned to panic as soon as I see alerts on my phone — or in my inbox, or on a TV ticker, on on the face of a distressed friend — because of the increasing probability that the news will not just be troubling, but an existential threat to our democracy. Even settling on which of a hundred things to be outraged about at any given moment is an exhausting way to expend mental energy.
Just as each of us has to find our own way to fight back against these threats, we also have to hone our own regimen of self-care and spiritual sustenance.
Lately I’ve been reflecting back on the Benedictine practice of developing a “rule of life” as a way of living out our beliefs and priorities with intention and discipline. The Society of Saint John the Evangelist describes how the practice of establishing a “rule of life” for a monastic communities translates for the rest of us:
A spiritual practice with deep roots and a close connection with monastic life is that of creating a personal rule of life. For a community the rule of life is not a rigid law that makes daily life into the working of a machine. Rather, it is a kind of constitution or bill of rights that makes sure that all the different elements of a Spirit-filled life in Christ are valued and given their due place in the whole. A rule recognizes that we are subject to all sorts of pressures that work to make life one-sided, and repress essential aspects of our calling.
Each individual is in some way a miniature community, subject to internal and external pressures to avoid or neglect some aspect of her or his wholeness as a member of Christ. So it is the practice of many serious Christians to make a covenant with themselves, a pattern of practice and discipline to which they commit themselves to live in as full and balanced a way as possible. This personal rule of life is not a rigid law but a constitution that helps hold together the many elements of the whole self.
My own rule of life is a constant work in progress, and on some days it’s more aspirational than practical. As I try to navigate this moment in history with as much peace and grace as possible, the guideposts that I’ve been trying to set are largely about forcing myself to take a beat and experience quietness and stillness:
- Early morning meditation/study/prayer/coffee, and as much yoga/exercise as possible.
- After I’m fully caffeinated and spiritually grounded, I gorge on the print editions of newspapers, reading slowly and deliberately until I feel like I have a handle on what’s happening in the world. Online news too often tempts me toward bouncing from article to article — and Twitter rabbit hole to Twitter rabbit hole — until I’m in full-fledged panic mode.
- News and Facebook blackout during work hours so that my attention isn’t divided between work and anxiety-induced website-refreshing. Exceptions must occasionally be made when a panicked colleague draws my attention to something truly terrifying.
- As much time with family and friends as possible, mindful not to focus on what’s going on in the world at the expense of what’s going on with one another.
- Backyard fetch with my dog, Baxter, whose joy reminds me to be joyful.
- Cooking. I firmly believe it’s good for the soul. While I’m cooking, I rely on The PBS NewsHour and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to fill me in on what I missed during the day: No one is better than Judy Woodruff at delivering the news of the day with depth, perspective, and her trademark calm. (Except for maybe Gwen Ifill, whose warmth and wit I miss every time I watch.) And no one is better than Stephen Colbert at bringing lightness and laughter to the events of the day without making light of them.
Do you have a rule of life? What is helping keep you spiritually grounded right now? We’re planning to discuss these questions on March 7, and I am wholly looking forward to learning from the spiritual practices of others.
