Secular Sabbath » meta http://www.secularsabbath.org Celebrating a New Day of Rest Sat, 17 May 2008 12:43:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 en How to have a Secular Sabbath http://www.secularsabbath.org/2008/04/02/how-to-have-a-secular-sabbath/ http://www.secularsabbath.org/2008/04/02/how-to-have-a-secular-sabbath/#comments Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:13:44 +0000 admin http://www.secularsabbath.org/?p=3 Having a day of rest ought to be straightforward. Turn off your mobile phone, stay away from the computer, ignore the TV, and settle back with a good book or a conversation with friends.

Sounds simple, right?  Clearly this could make for a more relaxing and less hectic, free of work and constant email or voicemail checking. But then the questions begin. Should I drive in my car? How about cooking a nice lunch? How long should the sabbath last? What if I have a really great idea for work?

The principle behind having a Secular Sabbath is not to make life impossible or annoying - it’s to help you have a single day where you don’t do any work at all, where you have time to unwind and just think. There are answers to these questions, but ultimately, you have to draw the lines yourself. We do have some suggestions though…

  • Consider inviting friends over for a monthly “secular Sabbath” - no TV, phones, computers, just chat, walks and good food
  • Don’t try to overplan the event or put on a wonderful meal - preparation in advance is fine, but the idea is not to do any work during the Sabbath.
  • Think about where you could visit or walk to nearby; maybe you could go to the park for a walk or play frisbee. Anything much more advanced, such as driving or public transport, can easily begin to feel aggravating and like work!
  • Even if you don’t have any friends who live nearby or can come along, doing this on your own or with just one other friend can work well - read a good book, or just chat
  • More coming soon!
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