Timestamps
0:24 – 3:05 = Topic Introduction and Context (Leisure as an expression of Culture)
3:06 – 7:30 = Cultural Expressions of Leisure
7:31 – 12:20 = Virtual Connections and Leisure
12:21 – 13:56 = Exhaustion and fatigue’s effects on Leisure
13:57 – 20:27 = Having a healthier relationship to Leisure
20:28 – 28:11 = Life affirming Leisure’s
28:12 – 29:07 = Book Study Reminder
29:08 – 33:16 = Truth Beauty and Goodness
33:17 – 33:30 = Closing
Leisure is an expression of one’s culture.
If the only way we know how to have fun is by relying on excesses, then we don’t really know how to have fun.
Eg. Drinking culture, video gaming,
In some cultures eg. Australia, excess is the only way to have fun, or relax.
What does the culture’s expression of leisure say about us?
- Escapism – people work hard to get away from their current lives. Most people don’t take time off work to stay home, they take time off work to leave their current life.
- It can be very helpful and it’s not bad – leisure and recharge time. But when it comes to be only about escaping from something, not a positive vision of leisure (to build something, or build positive experiences and virtues), it’s a problem because when we return to normality, it will still be there.
- Same as escaping through technology. The indulgences of a fantasy world.
- We are asked to work in a virtue reality all the time. This leads to Virtual Connections we rely on. When we rely on virtual connections for relationships, it will create loneliness – because of a lack of depth of relationships. Added on that is ‘Social media glam’.
- The biggest is ‘glamour travel’ – and that’s another form of escapism.
- All the weddings Stina went to last year at all these different locations were like mini-get away’s and it was so much fun! but also, by the end of it I was just so over leaving my life behind so much. Can make you feel depleted. Wanted to go back to her life which she enjoyed.
- It’s REALLY hard to go out to a function where at least 1 person doesn’t respond to their smartwatches or pull their phones out for something like ‘let me show you this thing… Leaves the other in an awkward space, as they wait. We find it so hard to STAY connected to the person who is physically in front of us.
- If we are always grasping for something or pouring into externals, rather than pouring time into what we have it becomes exhausting.
Leisure should be about connection with other people.
- If we are only with ourselves e.g. video games, it will lead to a selfish outlook.
- Instead find out about another and rejoice in them – that is a genuine life affirming leisure. Do this rather than merely holding space with each other, only being on phones. Such time does not count as genuine leisure.
- Need to look for connections beyond the roam of the virtual.
How do we engage in life affirming leisure?
- Physical activity – exercise, or even a project that will serve something/ Project around the house
- Reading a book – fictional – and develop a hobby, that can be shared with others.
- Connecting with friends, making new friends
- Organise something – games night, ‘crafternoon’, hiking,
- Invite someone new from church to join a small coffee catch up with others from church
- Being in relationship with others
- Going to church
- Not necessarily to avoid technology but they should not be the sole constitute of leisure
Book study – Starts in 2 weeks. In the School of the Holy Spirit by Jacques Phillippe
- Get it on Google Play Books if it won’t post in time.
TBG
Padre – Integrity Restored. Spare a prayer. And Padre recently written an article for it: https://integrityrestored.com/march-2023-1/
Stina – Missed 10yr friendship anniversary due to illness and feeling really sad – gifts received by others to help her feel better.
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