New Reminders But the Same Call

Since returning from my Benedictine Spirituality Workshop and Retreat in July, I have been making time for 10 minutes of centering prayer every morning. Because I don’t want to be tempted to glance at my watch,  I have been setting the alarm on my phone to go off after ten minutes. This past Sunday, when I got out of bed later than usual, I was surprised to receive a suggestion from “Siri” on my phone: “Would you like me to set the timer for ten minutes?”

It is ironic that a device that sucks up so much of my time is now encouraging me to set aside time to practice self-control and mindfulness! Of course, any suggestions that “Siri” makes are based on my patterns, which I establish myself—a reminder to be aware of how I am using my time. As Annie Dillard said, “How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.”

I have heard of devices such as a “MindWatch” or a mindfulness bracelet such as “MeaningToPause” that vibrate intermittently throughout the day to remind one to be present to God or to one’s breath. Of course, for centuries Benedictines have been using a much simpler technology — the tolling of bells — to call us to set aside whatever is at hand and engage in prayer.

Once we get to chapel or our interior prayer space, we still have the challenge of quieting our mind so we can “just be” with God who loves us regardless of what we accomplish or think about. However, creating a pattern of stopping to turn our attention to God is an essential first step. We can choose to use technology as a tool to help us create that pattern — or we can relinquish “custody of our eyes” to our devices when we remain transfixed by the games, apps, or websites on our screens.

How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.