But God can also turn the desert into watery pools,
thirsty ground into watery springs,
where he settles the hungry.
They even build a city and live there!
They plant fields and vineyards
and obtain a fruitful harvest. – Psalm 107:35-37 (CEB)
Can you recognize your spiritual and emotional state by what media you are consuming? I have noticed that I can. For instance, at the busiest and most stressful times I find that I turn on “background” television shows – predictable documentaries, talk shows, shows with minimal plot or scripts. It does not take much effort to follow what is going on with this shows, nor is much intellectual engagement required. They are easily consumable entertainment to help pass the time. If I have a bit more energy, I am more likely to turn to a movie or show where I want to follow the plot and be more engaged emotionally and intellectually. Podcasts fit at this level too for me.
From there the pattern continues, moving to different types of media. The more grounded I am spiritually and emotionally, the more I am able to engage. Thus the next level is listening to familiar music. It can be largely background because I am not listening closely to the details of the music or lyrics; it just washes over me. Perhaps once a week, though, I am ready to really listen to music, taking in the details of the lyrics and instrumentation. That, for me, is a sign of doing well and not simply getting by. Even better than music is reading – at a more basic level newspapers and magazines, shifting to books at my higher functioning time.
What I have realized, though, is that when I am truly grounded in God and in my daily activities, I do not want any media at all. It would lessen the experience of the moment. I am not referring to work hours where I am engrossed in my work and so don’t want to be distracted. Rather, these are moments of simply sitting and being in the moment. When I am truly relaxed and in touch there is no need for anything beyond sitting in that moment.
Do you have a progression of media that you can recognize? Adults in the U.S. spent about 13.5 hours per day consuming various types of media – whether television, physical newspapers, social media on electronic devices, books, etc. Are you aware of which ones you use at what times? I have found that recognizing my patterns has helped me choose how to use my time to better feel connected and engaged in way that help my mind, body, and spirit.