We have entered the season of Lent and for those of us who observe this tradition, it’s a time of reflection and sacrifice. It’s common to give up something during Lent – chocolate, alcohol, meat, junk food, etc. But I’m thinking a bit differently this time. This year, in addition to giving up chips and french fries, I’m actively seeking peace in this season.
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How I’m Seeking Peace During Lent
1. Give up my personal Facebook page. I’ve done this the past few years. I still have to manage several pages and groups but I won’t be reading the newsfeed or posting on my own profile. This not only gives me time for other, more worthy pursuits but it keeps me from reading and sometimes responding to discussions I’d be better off staying out of.
2. Give up posting on my secondary Twitter account. I have a Life With Dee Twitter account and will continue to share my blog posts there. But I also have another account which I use on a more personal level. The feed is largely news and politics, neither of which contribute to a sense of peace. I’m also considering some changes to who I follow and what I share when I do come back after Lent.
3. Which brings up this next one. No news. I don’t watch television news anyway. But I do read several news sources online. For this period of Lent I won’t be doing that. I figure if there is something I really, truly need to know, someone will tell me.
4. Quiet time. This will include daily meditation, prayer, and spiritual reading. I picked up a copy of “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World” by His Holiness The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu from the library and am reading it. I have a couple of other spiritual books to read, as well.
5. Music. I’ve been searching out quiet, peaceful music for a Spotify playlist to listen to the next several weeks. Music speaks to my soul and the right songs can bring calm and peacefulness to my environment.
6. A daily, meditative homemaking routine. A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post – How to Practice Mindfulness While Cleaning House. Too often I find myself rushing through household tasks, fitting them in wherever I have a few minutes. During Lent, I plan to implement a daily cleaning ritual that I will do in a quiet and mindful manner.
I’ll be doing my best to keep the concept of peace at the forefront of my mind during the next several weeks. And hopefully this will become a lifelong habit.
Even though Lent is a Christian tradition, the concept of spring renewal is common to all cultures. Do you observe Lent or some type of spring renewal or ritual? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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I think that’s a great thing to be focussing on, and hope you do manage to make it a habit. I’m attempting to do something similar myself, though I’m not giving up anything during Lent in order to do it. Despite our different methods of attempting to achieve the goal of peace and mindfulness, I’ll be interested to hear how things are going for you.
So far, so good. I just ordered a strand of flags that spell out PEACE to hang on our front porch as an additional reminder for myself. I’d love to hear how it’s going for you, as well.