As I was going around the city taking my pictures, it occurred to me that I see so many tributes to the kind of religions that can be celebrated publicly; but what about our private religions, those lights that secretly guide us? When pondering my own inner lights, the old standards—writing, watching, reading, movies, photography, people, poetry—occurred to me, but then came an even stranger one. It struck me that blogging merges all these things that keep me ticking.
A blog can really start to take over your life. You know you’re in trouble when your life becomes a proverb—if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to blog about it, does it even fall? I often talk with a writing friend of mine about how we feel shackled to these little e-universes we have constructed, simultaneously wanting to burrow deeper into and escape them. We recently vowed to take a break from blogging. We made it about three days.
In this blogging life there are also the moments of horror when I suddenly feel so exposed. This happens when I step back for a moment and let the unnatural nature of our mediated, voyeuristic culture really hit me. I pull the blinds down when I change, but flatten parts of myself onto a computer screen, leave bits of my inner life wide open. This is where we get back to the spiritual aspect of blogging.
The act of returning to Culture Sandwich over and over again, giving and giving, and expecting nothing in return; the transcendent quality of expressing myself creatively just for the sake of expressing myself creatively, and having that be enough is, indeed, an act of faith.
What's Your Private Religion?
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Monsieur Chariot
I Love Life
Lyn LeJeune
BetsyRath
My Heart on a String
James M. Emmerling
Salon.com
Comments
to the importance of the 3-day cycle of renewal
prevalent in religions..i.e.
to the crucifxion & resurrection
"We recently vowed to take a break from blogging.
We made it about three days...."
Anything done for the sake of itself...
like creative expression...or music...
is play. Which to me is sacred.
To the "higher" religions, too.
But like the "lower" religions, blogging can also
be an escape from real life.
You're right! I never thought of blogging
as religious activity...thanks for
the insight...
However: every religion , higher or lower,
needs a deity, no?
I can see it would be egoic gratification
for the lower aspect, but what about the higher?
upon the stage raving psychobabble
hoping whoever reads has a laugh
before they sleep sweet dreams.
Sorry to say (kinda) but it does seem to be a religion.. of sorts, this blogging thing. Unbelievable as you may find it I went two plus weeks without posting ('til last night). I'm at a blogging crossroads I think... having a harder time putting forth the effort, in no small part because this site is so boggy these days and I don't post elsewhere like you cuz. I do still participate in the old church of the FFF. Frisbee, fishing and... uh, love. Devoting more time there with the better weather and such :o
I loved the line:
" I pull the blinds down when I change, but flatten parts of myself onto a computer screen...."
Ben Sen: Art has certainly always provided my hope, identity, and sense of security. Well said.
Bellwether: Yes, the audience aspect is certainly complicated.
James: it was inadvertent--how interesting! Thanks for pointing that out.
Elijah: indeed
Nick: What a great way of putting it
Surazeus: rest assured, they do
Leonde: Some very interesting thoughts. Thanks.
Trudge: All hail Loki!
Candace: having that be enough is so hard. Thank you.
Lea: glad to hear it.
Monsieur Chariot: exactly
Linnn: I'd love to hear about any breakthroughs
Matt: thinking about anything blogging related can often provoke a nervous breakdown
trig: I still consider myself to be at a blogging crossroads. I guess we'll just have to see where we end up…
trilogy: blogging is definitely cult-esque
Inspiring
Lives are important. I have never had the opp to have children, so sublimate that instinct to nurture, I try to be a friend that makes life easy for people I love and cherish. I know I can do very very little, but sometimes, just a smile or timely rate goes a long way to bolster faith in a person or his/her sense of wellbeing.
When people feel wellbeing they can be nice citizens and are less likely to hurt others around them and in effect the world becomes a better place.
Er - just my honest opinion. This post is out of the ordinary, thank you for writing this and even as you write this you breing up imp questions about doing everything in life in moderation.
Sex is great but too much of it is like a dis-ease, being caring is good but too much of it smothers and kills, the same way blogging is good only if practised in moderation - you have an identifiable voice in writing, it is a gift, so hope you do not give up writing altogether. Post once a week - which gives your readers time to catch up and also give your material/post quality time in reading - o9therwise one is left out of breath - and people end up trying to skim, do you see what I mean?
Rated with a big hug from overseas,
Regards
Rolling
My whole blog is like that for me. The people I interact with daily, no nothing about who I am, let alone what I write, which is more about who I am...and the circle continues.
My private religion?
Emotions.
I absolutely, unabashedly, whole-heartedly, often fearfully, approach every single one, with all their unique depths and ranges, with the wild abandon that most people only allowed themselves as small children. Not at every moment, not uncontained, but absolutely with full freedom when the time is right. That's my private religion, and I find all types of artistic forms to release that in.
Don't know if that's an act of faith or of something more distressing, like self-worship. But that's how it is.
Tichaona: how about blogging? just kidding
Rolling: Yes, I've been trying to find that impossible balance for quite some time now. Wise thoughts.
Sparking: yes, if the true self is in the writing, who is that walking around all day?
AtHomePilgrim: I have made a life out of being out of step:)
Cranky Cuss: I'm glad they're allowed; otherwise I'd be out on the street
Marissa: great choice
Thanks for expressing this thought...
R+