Friends Forward

Social media invites a curated persona and relies on external validation while the digital noise of constant stimulation deprives our brains of the silence necessary for deep listening and centering down before worship. Furthermore, a systemic dilution of Quaker education into social media-ready "values" or "SPICES" leaves students and teachers without the practices needed to navigate academic stress, anxiety and a general crisis of well-being. Most Upper School students at my Quaker school are so overwhelmed by the extrinsic demands of the college process that they do not participate in soulful engagement during meetings for worship. In fact, they sometimes resent being forced to take a break from the studying that could lead to their definition of success. There are colleagues too who wish they could have that extra time correcting assessments and preparing for class. The tyranny of perfectionism and its accompanying fear of vulnerability make true self-knowledge and compassion for oneself and others feel more like a risk than a prerequisite for a life of meaning and purpose. To what extent is our performance-based culture and our over-scheduled screen-filled lives causing a profound atrophy of our Spirit-filled soulscapes? And what can we do to elevate the soul's importance in our competitive winner-take-all world? There is no single answer, of course. But finding ways to slow down, to enter into silence, embrace nature, inculcate deep listening, discuss love and friendship, lift up our own weaknesses, applaud student kindness and caring, and engage in Spirit-led inquiry and worshipful sharing can at least help to nurture our ever receptive and redemptive Inner Light.

** This session will be repeated on Friday, July 10 during Workshop 4. **