The Technology of Being Human
How to Create Sacred Space & Ceremony
We often feel driven (and exhausted) by the relentless force of clocks and calendars. Birds land on our doorstep but we don’t have the space to appreciate them. We don’t notice their beautiful color or hear their wild, ecstatic chirps. No, no time for that! We’ve got places to go and appointments to keep!
As depression and suicide rates rise, we may ask ourselves: Why? What’s going on here? How are the structures, frameworks, and belief systems of our global society contributing to the growing lethargy, frustration, and despair?
These questions don’t have easy answers, yet many of us are courageously ready to explore them.
To Imagine True Healing
As a friend recently reminded me: It is not a mere coincidence that we are called human BE-ings, not human doings.
We are here to be. To simply be. That is the most important thing.
We incarnate onto this Earth, manifesting as glorious beams of light. What a miracle!
We are already beautiful and perfect simply by the sheer fact that we are here.
We do not have to “do” anything to be worthy of respect.
We do not have to prove ourselves worthy of love; we deserve love simply by existing.
As we survey the numerous problems worrying our world today, we can imagine a path out of darkness by simply remembering that we are, quite simply, glorious human beings. It is an honor and a gift to be a human being.
How do we bring our dreams for a more equitable, joyful society to fruition? Well, we must invoke a different kind of headspace — a different kind of operating system— then what is considered normal in our rushed, task-oriented, clock-based way of life. It about slowing down and honoring who we innately are.
Deep down, what we are truly yearning for is a taste of the sacred. We yearn to step outside the limits of tasks, clocks, and calendars — to taste something exquisite, exultant, and new.
This is where we’re headed as a species.
The Simple Joy of Existence
Have you ever enjoyed a totally carefree afternoon? Or an evening of unbridled joy? Maybe you simply rollicked with your kids. Or maybe you took a delicious, solitary bubble bath. Or maybe you took a long hike out into nature. This was an experience that stretched you outside the bounds of normal clock time. You realized, afterward, that for several blessed hours you were unaware of needing to check your email, reply to text messages, make any money, or look at a clock.
In that space, you were simply existing. You simply are.
Since the advent of various governmental policies triggered by Coronavirus, it has been necessary for us to rely more heavily on our technological devices for work, play, and to maintain some semblance of community. And, yet, isn’t it ironic that these connecting devices can often disconnect us from the magic and inherent sacredness of life?
When we fail to use these devices mindfully, they keep us chained to both Clock Time as well as to the driving, hypnotic pulse of “news” — whether that stems from mainstream media channels or from the communications of our friends on social media. All of this can make us feel overwhelmed.
Our nervous system needs periodic breaks from the input. Our bodies and souls need time to regenerate.
Indeed, when we are constantly in the process of “download” — with not enough room for rest and integration — we get exhausted, despairing, and lose our patience with other people.
In this time of global change, in this time of transformation, perhaps our number one priority is to slow down.
Let me be clear here: I am not advocating lockdowns and social distancing. I believe these are harmful policies that destroy true human community. What I am saying, however, is that we can create conditions for healing by simply creating sacred space in our daily lives. We don’t need governments to force us to slow down: We can joyfully intend that this be so. We can make the choice.
Yes, my dear friends, we need time — every single day — to press the Off Button. We need to release the constant pressure to do, to achieve, to succeed. We need to stop shaming ourselves for not being “productive” enough. We need to allow ourselves to breathe, to be.
We need sacred space.
We Want to Wake Up!
Let me be clear here: I am not saying that our phones and laptops are “bad.” What I am saying, however, is that we need to discover the proper balance. For many of us, things have gotten really out of whack.
If we take some space, every single day, to pause our interactions with fast-paced screens and our frantic to-do lists if we allow our hearts to open to the colorful, rich, yet strikingly simple and blissful human experience available to us, we enter the realm of the sacred.
As we patiently explore the taste of our mouth, the scent of our nose, the sound of our ears, the touch of our beautiful fingertips, we enter the realm of deep healing. We reconnect with what is most basic and true. We discover anew the breathtaking beauty of life.
In most settings today, both religious and secular, the sacred has been lost. Instead, robotic rituals and dead ceremonies seem to make a mockery of what used to be a living spirit. Too often we end up repeating what past generations did in a kind of numb way. We don’t really feel too much. Do we truly get invigorated by taking holy communion or throwing up our cap at a graduation ceremony? Probably not.
What’s necessary for us today, in our current world, is to allow ourselves the creativity and freedom to invent ceremonies that help us feel truly alive and connected. We want to wake up!
Exploring sacred space and ceremony is about moving beyond the rush of clocks and calendars, about opening ourselves up to a different kind of space where the heart feels, longs, and knows.
In this space, intuition guides the way and gives the thinking mind permission to take a much-needed siesta.
Yes, dear friends, what we yearn for is a restful, meditative space. Space upon which to (gently) build humanity’s future.
For it is only from the place of calm that true insight shall occur.
An Invitation to Sacred Space & Ceremony
What if you took a few hours, every single day, to unplug from your devices? What if you regularly give yourself permission to ignore your clocks, breathe, and simply BE?
How would that feel?
Does that excite you?
Does that bring up some fears?
Maybe right now you’re not able to commit yourself to a daily practice. That’s okay. But what if you gave it a try — maybe tomorrow night? Or perhaps at some point this weekend?
In the rest of this article, I’ll share some tips for how to slow down, unplug, and embrace the beautiful technology of Being.
My first suggestion is to set an intention every time you enter sacred space. Your intention could be as simple as one word or a few sentences, answering the question: “What do I wish to learn?” or “What do I wish to experience?” Write your intention on a piece of paper and place it in a prominent position in your home, such as near your cooking area or on the bathroom mirror.
If you have children or family that you need to tend to, let them know in advance that you’ll be taking a break from your devices and from a rigid plan of doing.
If you have very young children, you might ask a friend or co-parent to take over your duties for a few hours. This could be an ongoing trade, back and forth, as you help each other carve out some precious, solitary space for peace and healing.
As the morning, afternoon, or evening unfolds, allow yourself to drop into the various feelings that shall surely arise. In one moment, you might feel total ecstasy from watching a leaf blow past your window. In the next moment, you might feel anxiety and an overwhelming urge to turn on your phone.
Remind yourself that all thoughts and all feelings are temporary. Learn to observe them with a gentle sense of curiosity as well as patience for yourself. Your sacred, meditative space will probably not be easy — it will probably hold some moments of uncomfortable growth — but it will probably hold much joy, as well.
During your exploration of sacred space, you could incorporate a ceremony that feels fun and invigorating.
Ceremony is simply a symbolic physical action paired with a creative intention. (Your intention can be the same as the one you set for your sacred space, or it can be different.)
Maybe your ceremony involves placing your bare feet on Mother Gaia, wrapping your arms around the friendliest tree. (In this case, maybe your intention would be, simply: “grounding.”)
Or, perhaps you could light a candle and feel the presence of a deceased loved one. (In that case, maybe your intention could be: “connection.”)
Or, perhaps you could gather your closest friends and have a dance party in a forest or field. (Your intention could be: “play.”)
Or, maybe you want to create a delicious, home-cooked meal for your family, infusing love into every morsel. (Your intention here could be: “sharing.”)
Allow your ceremony to flow from a relaxed headspace. Allow your heart to expand beyond the limits of time. What’s further, allow yourself to feel into the possibility that what you’re experiencing is simply a new type of technology. This is not the technology of screens, clicks, and microchips…rather, it’s the technology of Being, a spiritual science. A method of being fully Here.
Yes, exploring ceremony, exploring the healing nature of sacred space is about radical discovery. We realize that the answers to our deepest crises, both personal and collective, are not to be found “out there.” Everything we need to know lives within us, right now. We simply need to discover it.
