One of my intentions for 2012 is to consume less... and on Friday night... over to Saturday morning I did just that... I held an 'online fast'. From 1900hrs until I woke at 0815hrs on the Saturday I was offline.
No Twitter, Facebook or this blog... no Wikipedia, Flickr or Tumblr... I was offline.
Instead of being online... I read two longform articles from Loops Journal and watched a couple of Bear Grylls shows with Dayna and Olly. I listened to a live King Crimson CD (The Great Deceiver vol1) and Bon Iver's eponymous album from 2011. I drank tea and let go.
I know 13 hours isn't that remarkable... especially when 8 of them passed with me sleeping... but it is a start.
What did I take from the experience?
- I had time to think... and to consider new ideas.
- I got to spend time with Olly and the we'ans... and was with them... not partly but completely.
- I got to appreciate the 'yin and yang' of contrast... I appreciate more being online for having been offline... I was able to rest.
- I was able to experience 'real time' again... the sense of a hour feeling like an hour.
- I recovered a sense of control... I could say no to my iPhone and it's attractive distractions.
I gained as much as I missed... and I'd do it again.
Yes... I am probably over-analysing the experience but it did work for me... so much so that I believe it could become part of my weekly rhythm.
Tx
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