Unplugged Weekend

March 7-9, 2014
As the pace of life on our campus constantly increases, so too does our need to decompress, to find Sabbath and arrive at a set of practices—personally and communally—that will help us restore ourselves in mind, body and spirit. The advent of smartphones and (nearly) ubiquitous wi-fi has changed our lives, fattening our calendars and fooling us into thinking that we must be available at all hours of all days. This way of being is unsustainable at best. It is for this reason that I am reaching out to you, inviting you to join us in The Unplugging.

As a community committed to wellness—of mind, body, and spirit—we have an opportunity to plant seeds for Sabbath practice. The National Day of Unplugging (March 7-8) is the first step of what can be a major shift in how we engage with and prioritize rest and recreation. We expect great things from ourselves and each other on this campus. But to do, and continually do, we must periodically step away from the noise and freneticism to reclaim the roots of peace within us, to still our hearts and minds so that we may listen more clearly, observe more attentively–so that we may just be.

I invite you to Unplug during the weekend of March 7-9 (Friday to Sunday). You choose what works best for you—12 hours or 24 hours or the whole weekend(!). Whether it be a quiet technology-fast or an excuse to explore the city and spend time with friends and family without distractions, I invite you to spread the good news of the Sabbath Manifesto http://www.sabbathmanifesto.org/ and think about how you might slow down. What kinds of technology-free activities might you engage in, with whom will you spend your time?  Unplugging can take as many shapes as there are people—what will it look like for you? How will you contribute to the movement with your personal practice and what would it look like to gather together and unplug with your community?

On Saturday night, March 8th at 9:30 pm, in Goddard Chapel, we will gather for a meal, acoustic music, and a neighborhood walk. And before and after we will share ideas and thoughts about how we unplug—through outreach, photos, Facebook and other ways. This is a chance for us all to contribute—so please share your thoughts and if you would like to co-sponsor let us know. We are encouraging everyone to get involved with planning something in your community/department/residence hall but most importantly, we hope you spread the word. Flyers, media and more information to come. To get involved, please contact Tufts Catholic Chaplain Lynn Cooper at Lynn.Cooper@tufts.edu. Sponsored by the Catholic Chaplaincy and the Office of the University Chaplain.