Humans have never had to deal with this much information. The supermarket. The internet. The notifications. We are bombarded, and we have become a little addicted to it. The next scroll. The next video. Another piece of good advice we will probably forget by tomorrow.
We are always looking for the next thing. And in doing so, we are filling our heads with everything.
There is no space left. No room for our own curiosity. No room for our own thinking. No room for our own peace.
Most of the inner peace I have ever felt, most of the good ideas I have ever had, most of the moments where my suffering quietened down, came from space. From the quietness within. And we are finding that harder and harder to access. More books. More podcasts. More advice from more well-meaning teachers. It is relentless. Even the wisdom is starting to feel like noise.
So here is the question I have been carrying this week. Of everything I am letting in today, what is actually serving me?
Pick a day. Or even five minutes. Leave your phone in another room. No YouTube. No internet. No audiobook playing in the background. Do not even pick up a book.
Just do the one thing in front of you. Or do nothing at all.
Five minutes is enough. You do not have to make it noble.
This week, I will give the mind some space.
I've just come back from a rugby presentation with youngsters.
And it made me think of the escape they get on the rugby pitch and how much good that must do them.
On the way back through the lane, I recorded some of my thoughts and then automatically went to put on the audible book and I stopped and thought, what if I do nothing but drive my chair home.
It was peaceful. It almost felt like the longest outbreath from my mind of relief.
I had forgotten how good it feels to not be taking anything in. To not be analysing, watching, absorbing. Honestly, if my niece sends me a reel from Facebook, I end up watching 40 of them.
There's so much space when we just stop.
There is no new meditation or new podcast from me this week. However, here's a link to one in a similar thread to this: The Art of Slowing Down: Spiritual Timeouts | Stillness in the Storms and a meditation just for a simple timeout: The 5-Minute Reset: A Simple Meditation for Busy Minds | Inner Peace Meditations
To all those that sent me an email last week, I'm still going through them. I will reply soon.
Be gentle with yourself this week. The world will still be there when you pick the phone back up.
Much love, Steven
If you would like to support, listen to the podcast, or just say hello: stevenwebb.uk
Thank you to my monthly supporters who keep this work alive: Audra, Jack, Glenn, Denise, Laurie, Rosie, and Laura. And a special hello to Cheryl, who became a new monthly supporter this week. Thank you, Cheryl.
And to those who supported me with a coffee this week: Elizabeth, Stefan, Cheryl, Katarzyna, Jill, Tracey, Rita, Julie, and Daniel, plus two very generous anonymous gifts. It means more than you know. And there are also a few kind souls on Insight Timer.