Media Fast

by Skald

Fasting is an ancient means of purifying and healing the body. When an animal is sick, it usually stops eating and rests. When people fast, their body's focuses on eliminating toxins. A four day fast (water only) will eliminate almost any non-chronic disease. Its also great for the mind... clearing it as powerfully as meditation. Check out Paul Bragg's books on fasting for more about its benefits.

Fasting is great physically,... and it can also have great emotional/intellectual benefits if applied to media. Many folks have difficulty going cold turkey off TV (and other media).

As a first step, I suggest a media fast. Try, for just one week, to eliminate all exposure to media. No TV. No movies. No newspapers. No magazines. No internet. No music. No books. Also... no writing! You may have to read/write... or use the computer.. at work, but otherwise avoid all mediated experience. Focus only on DIRECT sensory experiences... ie. where you are and what you are doing.

Try this for 7 full days. As the week progresses, notice your mind, notice your emotions. Its not uncommon to become extremely agitated in the beginning. We are so used to titillation that resting quietly with our thoughts & senses can seem quite scary at first. But stick with it. By the end of the week, you should notice your mind calming. You may notice you feel less of an urge to buy crap. You may notice less fear, worry, and anxiety.

Whatever you experience, examine it closely..... through this direct experiment, try to gauge just how you are influenced by media... and how you might change if you reduced your exposure to it.

Give it a try.