Airplane Mode Magic.
Sometimes it feels hard to believe that an individual can simultaneously explore their divine nature while still participating in the “normal” day to day activities of being a human. For a lot of people, the idea of starting a practice like prayer/meditation/breath seems outside the realm of possibility due to everyday demands like cooking, carting children around, paying bills, etc.
The reasons why something like a contemplative practice often takes a backseat to daily tasks are layered and vary depending on the individual. However, in this short post, I’m writing about just one simple system that I encourage clients to employ that helps create time and space for something like meditation (or anything for that matter). I’m laughing as I type this but the system is turning your phone on airplane mode and setting a timer (other versions of this system include smashing your phone with a hammer and using a stopwatch).
Trying to develop a new habit or improve efficiency in your day while cruising around with a device buzzing endlessly next to you is an absurd undertaking - priorities become disorganized, simple tasks turn into marathons, and you finish your day feeling exhausted/disconnected and unsure if you actually accomplished anything.
The airplane mode/timer combo solves two issues. The first being that you finally get a break from the buzzing. The second being that you know how long you’re committing to an activity. The two work in tandem to maximize focus while increasing the feeling of intentionality. I also encourage folks to just randomly take an airplane mode break. Even if you are not engaging in a task that feels like it requires deep focus, sporadic breaks from unsolicited stimulation (buzzing/lights/notifications) is just generally beneficial to us as an organism.
Finally, I discourage folks from just silencing their phone. I think the “twitch” (grabbing your phone with little intention) factor is stronger when you know that notifications are still arriving in real time. Something like airplane mode prevents any notifications from arriving while still allowing the use of an app like your timer. Again, airplane mode is just one way to create the space that we’re looking for - you can also just leave your phone in another room and look at a clock. Whatever works for you. On that note however, if you recognize that you have major “twitch” tendencies in regards to your device, keeping it near you (even if it’s in airplane mode) might be too much of a temptation - know thyself.
“The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions. That which is always subject to the direction of another is dead.” - St. Thomas Aquinas