I lost the use of my computer today and it felt as if my right arm had been cut off! It made me stop and think. I realised I was allowing myself to become so dependent upon a machine, sophisticated though it is, that I was ignoring other things I should be doing and other means of communication. Now fortunately I was able to borrow another computer, which is how I am able write this. That does not alter the fact that I felt so devastated when discovering my computer had crashed and it led me to ponder.
It is fascinating I think that we become so accustomed to certain things in our lives that when we lose the use of them for a while, we feel lost. Most of my life I had no means of electronic communication, even the telephone did not make an appearance there until I was in my thirties! Yet, now after only sixteen years of using computers, I am almost a slave to them! It makes me wonder just how much the electronic revolution, from radio, through telephone and television to computer, has altered the way we look upon ourselves.
My grandparents had no radio or telephone for they had not been invented so what did they do in their spare time? Apart from the fact that they had far less spare time than me; working hours were longer and there were few, if any, labour-saving devices in the home, they were certainly not bored. It could be said we are bored more frequently these days than were they. They read a great deal, using the public library, for they could not afford to buy books and they read chiefly for self-improvement, for basic education in their day was very basic indeed. They interested themselves in people by belonging to a church. Initially it was the Methodist church but later, my grandfather learned about Spiritualism and due to an incredible experience he shared with his eldest son, the whole family switched to Spiritualism.
Almost every evening, except in the summer, after supper was finished, the family formed a circle in front of the fire. They wanted to spend time with relatives and friends in the spiritual world. They did not want to become mediums they just wanted to feel the joy that came from contact with the spiritual world. They were rewarded with the most amazing experiences and some did in fact develop mediumship, although none used their gifts in public. These days there are relatively few home circles operating and when they do, they meet only on a weekly basis. This is understandable for people live further from the workplace today and there are many more calls on their time than was the case with my grandparents.
I cannot help feeling though, that much as we gain from the wonders of electronic communication across the globe we also miss wonderful opportunities to learn more about the spirit side of life, and in the process ourselves and our role on earth. Even though computers have the potential to help us understand spiritual mysteries more clearly and to access great works of art in many different fields, most of us use them for mundane purposes. Also, because of the time taken up in ´´entertaining´ ourselves with them, at the cinema or in front of the television, there is little time left to form home circles and seek the inspiration and joy that comes in such gatherings.
Perhaps we should think more deeply about the uses to which we put the many boons of modern civilization provided by human ingenuity. Instead of using them to enmesh us deeper in the coils of materialism, we should find how they could help us understand ourselves better. Can they further humanity´s eternal search for the solution of the mystery of life? (We must not assume that only scientists should undertake such work). Can they be used by our friends in the spiritual world to draw closer to us and help us? Can they be adapted to help the healing energies from the spiritual world become more effective in treating earthly ills? Wherever such thoughts may lead us, the important thing is to think. Allow our imagination to become free and we will be amazed at the ideas that will flow and the solutions which will occur to us. In this way we may well discover the means to combat boredom and stress, whilst generating untold benefits for future generations.
It´s a thought!
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