The Cultivation of Sacred Idleness
It has been raining for the last eight hours and I have some "idle" time on my hands. I won't be golfing this morning or playing tennis and am looking forward to nestling in a chair in a few moments with several books. One has to stay active at Mohonk if one plans not to return home not larger than when one arrived--the food is plentiful and delicious.
During devotions this morning, I used Darryl Tippen's book, Pilgrim Heart, to think about sabbath, or as he phrases it in his book, "sacred idleness." He notes how important rhythm is to life. Concerning human life, rhythm is essential to its flourishing. Yet in our modern 24/7 world we have lost the sense and importance of rhythm. Many physiological and psychological problems are related to the lack of rhythm in our world as some studies have indicated, and we continue to rush at breakneck speed.
He shared the story of an 80 year old orthodox rabbi who stayed with him one time so that he could walk to sabbath service and wouldn't need to drive. Tippens observed how the quiet peacefulness of the rabbi's weekend contrasted with the frenzy of his and his family's own life and wondered who was living the healthier life?
Tippens believes that a proper understanding of sabbath rest is that we receive it as a good gift of God as a way of refreshment, re-creation, "down-time." It can be any day or any part of a day. We need to be intentional, however, or cultivate an attitude of sabbath rest or sacred idleness. The sentence that caught my attention and challenged me the most was, "We have to challenge the dubious assumption that our world or our work will fall to chaos without our constant presence and control" (69). We can become so wrapped up in what we do that we have an unconscious (or conscious) belief that the world depends on us and that it will fall apart if we aren't johnny-on-the-spot.
This is a great reality check for me. How about you? Are you cultivating sacred idleness in your own life?
During devotions this morning, I used Darryl Tippen's book, Pilgrim Heart, to think about sabbath, or as he phrases it in his book, "sacred idleness." He notes how important rhythm is to life. Concerning human life, rhythm is essential to its flourishing. Yet in our modern 24/7 world we have lost the sense and importance of rhythm. Many physiological and psychological problems are related to the lack of rhythm in our world as some studies have indicated, and we continue to rush at breakneck speed.
He shared the story of an 80 year old orthodox rabbi who stayed with him one time so that he could walk to sabbath service and wouldn't need to drive. Tippens observed how the quiet peacefulness of the rabbi's weekend contrasted with the frenzy of his and his family's own life and wondered who was living the healthier life?
Tippens believes that a proper understanding of sabbath rest is that we receive it as a good gift of God as a way of refreshment, re-creation, "down-time." It can be any day or any part of a day. We need to be intentional, however, or cultivate an attitude of sabbath rest or sacred idleness. The sentence that caught my attention and challenged me the most was, "We have to challenge the dubious assumption that our world or our work will fall to chaos without our constant presence and control" (69). We can become so wrapped up in what we do that we have an unconscious (or conscious) belief that the world depends on us and that it will fall apart if we aren't johnny-on-the-spot.
This is a great reality check for me. How about you? Are you cultivating sacred idleness in your own life?
posted by UCC Medfield at 7:03 AM
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