I was travelling overseas recently and as the airplane took off the pilot reminded us to turn our phones off or put them in 'flight mode'. Flight mode suspends radio-frequency signal transmission on the device, thereby disabling Bluetooth, telephony, and Wi-Fi. As a result, during this time you can't receive any incoming phone calls, messages or email or surf the Internet. In some ways, this is nice. Could 'offline' could be the new nirvana!? Finally, no more inflow of things interrupting us and needing our attention … at least for a while. [Of course, some airplanes are now offering wi-fi for the entire trip so you don't ever have to be disconnected!]
We live in a world where distraction has become the norm. Our senses are over-stimulated. No wonder there is so much talk about meditation and mindfulness, which can help us learn to take time to just BE still and cease our endless activity. After all, hurry leads to skimming and it damages the quality of our relationships and our experience of life.
Maybe it's worth us taking some specific times during our day to intentionally go into 'flight mode'. Turn off your phone, put down your tools, move away from your computer and your task list. Tune out the noise. Cease the activity. Find a quiet place.
King David had a kingdom to run yet he penned these words from God speaking to his own restless soul: "Be still and know that I am God". Now there's a good mantra for a healthy soul in 'flight mode' …
Be still and know that I am God
Be still and know that I am
Be still and know
Be still
Be