Spiritual Fast

Over the holidays I did a Spiritual Fast for two weeks.

Not a food fast,  but a Facebook fast.

Food would have been easier.

I was increasingly aware that my focus in life had become all forms of social media. Facebook mostly. Don’t get me wrong, I really love social media. I love the internet. I love Instagram, Facebook. Twitter….. not so much. I adore the Huffington Post.

However,  I found myself constantly “checking out”.  Checking out of real life, in person, conversation, and connection.  I found myself dreading the holidays and all the “time” it would take to deal with all of these real people that would be hanging around.

Whoa!  Did I just say that?  Well,  I was thinking it for sure. That’s when I knew that I was having a spiritual runaway headed south.

I didn’t really tell anybody. I just decided to do it. So on Dec 15 I stopped all of the notifications that came to my phone.  The first few days were rough.  I was constantly reaching for my phone or iPad. It must be like quitting smoking.  I had a few mindless incidents where I looked down at my phone that was scrolling Facebook of HuffPost  wondering “How did I get here?”.  Kind of like a blackout drunk. “Where am I and who’s cowboy boots are under my bed?”  You get the picture.

I few days into my Facebook  fast,  I was talking to a friend who mentioned he was 36 hours into a spiritual fast. He going to fast for an indefinite period until he felt some answers came.  I shared with him what I was doing.  We laughed and he said that he hoped that Facebook stock didn’t plummet.

But really, we are after the same thing. A deeper more meaningful spiritual connection to God and others.  Looking to God to fill in the blank instead of food or Facebook or mindless chatter or whatever. To quiet your mind and to listen to the Source.

I ended my fast on New Year’s.  Nothing dramatic happened. During this two week social media fast I read 6 books. I actually went to the library and checked them out.  I wrote several letters.  Real letters, like in the olden days.  I called friends and visited with them on the phone and in person.  I enjoyed the people in our home.  Some neighbors came for a Christmas Lunch at 1PM on Christmas Day. They staid until after 6!  We had a blast. The week after Christmas was spent with family. We played games, talked, spent actual time together.  Made memories.  Real memories ….. not Facebook memories.

Today I’m returning my 6 books to the Library. I think I’ll check out some  more. Then while I’m in town, I think I’ll have coffee with a friend. In person. At the coffee shop.

Love,  Cowgirl-Red   aka  Terah

P.S.  I realized that I took it a little too far when their weren’t any pics on my phone for the last 2 weeks of Dec.  All these pics are from the files.

XOXOXOXO