018 Why TV is Spirituality

Hello friends,

No, that subject line was not a mistake. Today we’ll be exploring the use of television as a practice in the healing/spiritual journey.

And not just television, but a whole host of everyday activities than be harnessed – through intention – into powerful tools of self-care.

Last week’s practice can be found here. It’s a guided meditation that activates the healing intelligence of your body. When we allow the body to take the lead role in our healing, we transcend the limited capacities of our ego minds. Our full selves, our fullest potential is found in the body and this meditation will help you get an initial taste.

The Power of Resonance

Here’s a strange truth: When we’re stressed, we tend to seek out activities, relationships, foods, and environments that keep us stressed.

I’m talking about binging IG or Netflix, drinking alcohol or caffeine, eating “comfort” foods, staying up late, overworking, and fueling relationships that are familiar but don’t serve us anymore.

So why do we pursue – doggedly – the very things that perpetuate our suffering?

It’s a big question, one we all ponder on the spiritual and healing path. I won’t take it on here, but I’ll offer a word that you may find relevant: Avoidance

Of course, I can’t know what that means for you, but I know it’s playing a role in what keeps you stuck.

Here’s another word: Resonance

When you’re stressed, you seek activities, relationships, foods, and environments that share a resonance with your stress.

You seek experiences that reinforce and refuel your stress so that you can avoid feeling your stress.

You see, stress creates tension in the nervous system, physical body, emotions, and thoughts. Even though it’s uncomfortable and ultimately destructive, you can use it to bury other, even less desirable feelings (trauma, for example).

So we tend to push on, building our load of stress and making ourselves sick, as a way to avoid the deeper stuff. And that’s actually ok. In the past, it was the most effective, intelligent strategy available to you.

But now things are different.

Ok. So now what?

Let’s say you’re all wound up. You’re stressed because of work and you’ve been coping with TV, your phone, and junk food.

But you’re ready – really ready – to feel better, to show up differently.

In the past, in moments like this, you probably tried sitting meditation. After all, that’s what people do to calm their minds, right?

But chances are, you sat down, closed your eyes, and spent 10-15 minutes feeling completely restless and thinking non-stop. Instead of relief, you ended up where you started – but with an added layer of discouragement and shame.

Of course that’s what happened. The energetic state of your stress istotally differentfrom the state of quiet meditation. They have no resonance whatsoever.

So, unless you’re a highly trained meditator, you can’t go from deep stress to deep calm in one jump. You need to get there in stages.

The Gentle Descent (aka TV is spirituality)

So what are the stages? They’re a series of activities/actions that gradually shift your energetic state, all the way from well-entrenched stress to quiet and spacious calm.

The specific activities and actions are up to you, but here’s the framework to get you started:

Level 5: TV, Phone, Food, Drink
Yes, these are the behaviors that reinforce stress. But, they can also be used as the first step towards genuine relief.The difference is the intention.If you’re highly agitated, these familiar soothing strategies can take off the initial edge. However, you must be willing to move on as soon as you feel capable. Otherwise, you’ll get sucked back into your stress loop.

Level 4: Walking outside, Exercise, Well-chosen podcast, Music
At this level, you’ve toned down the external stimulation. And, while your mind remains active, you’re not feeding your system with more stress. Choose to walk alone or with a buddy, but keep chatter to a minimum. Exercise should be done as mindfully as possible. Listen to music or podcasts that are uplifting – no podcasts about “doing” or “achieving”. Spiritual podcasts are my go-to at this level.

Level 3: Spiritual book, Yoga/Qigong, Journaling
At this level, your choice depends on the nature of your stress. Loosely speaking, a spiritual book will help with turbulent emotions, yoga/qigong will help with physical discomfort, and journaling will help with a cluttered mind. But, because there’s no clear boundary between these three parts of you, opt for a strategy that feels right in the moment

Level 2: Guided or group meditation (Lying down or sitting upright)
At this level, you’re ready for stillness but you want/need some support. Draw on your favorite guided meditations, ask a friend for a recommendation, or reach out to me for some suggestions. A guided practice can be extremely effective when silent meditation isn’t working, doesn’t feel right, or feels unsafe. The same is true of a group practice, whether it’s guided or silent.

Level 1: Silent, solo meditation (Sitting up-right)
This is an excellent practice for deep stillness. Not only does it help resolve the most subtle forms of stress and tension, it feeds your “stillness battery”. That’s your ability to remain still and at ease when new stress comes your way.

At this point, there are a few things I should emphasize. First, you don’t need to do all levels every time. You start where you need to, and continue until you reach your inner goal for that moment.

Second, this process can unfold over any length of time: hours, days, weeks, or longer. If you’re honest about where you’re at and what you need, the process will guide itself. There’s no right or wrong here, no prescribed trajectory. Each day brings unique challenges so be flexible with yourself.

Third, none of these levels or practices are “better” or “superior” than the others. The best choice, the wisest choice, is the one that’s right for you in this moment.The most important part of the process is intention– are you using these activities for healing and presence, or are you using them to check a box, check out, or judge yourself?

Fourth, these activities are only given as examples. You can adapt the underlying principles to your own situation, preferences, and resources. If you’re an athlete, you might use sports as a strategy. If you have a healer, therapist, or massage therapist, a session with them can be incredibly effective.

Bottom line: Let the system work for you.

That’s it! I hope this was helpful. Most of all, I hope this helps you to treat yourself with more acceptance, understanding, and compassion when you’re having a hard time. See you next week!

Warmly,
David