I've written before bout incorporating modern things into your practice, as there has always been a sort of technophobic attitude from many on the Pagan path. And while I definitely feel that there are many ways to weave together mysticism and technology, I think that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many ways we can use the technology we have access to that will enable us to practice in ways that weren't viable before.
Many of these technological tweaks aren't going to be the preferred way of doing things for a lot of people. I almost always prefer to be able to take my time, to do things the old fashioned way, or the manual way. I think there is a lot of power in slowing down and doing things by hand. However, I would also much rather add a bit of tech and make a compromise than to forgo my practice entirely.
One of the big struggles for many people is time. We are so busy, that it can be very hard to find time to dedicate to our practice. And yet there is quite a lot of time during our day that we could add a bit of spirituality in on top of what we are already doing.
Commute time is a big one. If you have a long drive to work, take the bus or subway or even bike, you may have up to an hour of time that you can enhance. Even if you are driving your children somewhere, if they are going to be listening to an ipod, watching a video or playing a game on a device, you can also make use of your time. One of the easiest ways is to find music that speaks to you on a spiritual level. I love chants, but there are also a lot of really beautiful songs that I find spiritual (whether that was their intention or not). Music really helps to make a long, tedious commute more pleasant. You could also check out the many books on tape. Many libraries now have audio books as part of their lending library, so you can check them out like you would a book and have access to a much broader selection for free.
Speaking of virtual books, while I am very much in love with my paper books, I have also come to love my virtual books. I have the Kindle app on both my phone and tablet, and that opens up a huge amount of material. While I have and do buy books, I have also found a ton of books for free, in a huge range of topics (including Pagan and Occult books). With a quick web search, you can find many sites that will give you lists of free books (you can even search Amazon directly for free books). Again, most libraries now have a virtual lending library, so you can borrow virtual books also.
The great thing about virtual books is they are handy. I can load a book to my phone, and if I suddenly find myself having to wait for an appointment or unexpectedly with some downtime, I have that book at my fingertips. My tablet has a ton of books downloaded on it, which is great for vacations, as I can take a variety with me (where as before, choosing my book for a trip was an agonizing procedure...trying to find something that would not only interest me, but that I wouldn't necessarily breeze through before I got off the airplane).
If you have a smart phone or tablet and access to app stores, there are lots of really neat applications out there that can be a benefit for adding sacred time in or helping you to keep up with your practice. There are lots of lovely meditation apps that will give you a soothing music as well as keep time for you. These can definitely be used on public transportation, but also, if you have a busy home and just need to be able to tune out the household noises and tune inward, having the headphones in helps you to focus. I definitely find that not having to keep time myself helps me tune in deeper and I am less distracted...I am not constantly trying to decide how long it's been.
For convenience, there are some nice divination apps as well. When I have access to my own tools, I much prefer to use a non-digital deck or rune set, but again, these technological alternatives make great choices for on the go. With a digital deck, no one else needs to know what you are doing (which is also an advantage of virtual books, if you might not want random people to know what you are reading about) and you can keep it on your phone and have it wherever you go.
There are even apps that let you simulate a candle burning. I've used similar websites before, as a way to set up a simple virtual shrine or light a prayer candle. There are even some more elaborate virtual shrines (mostly for Hinduism from what I can find, but these things change so quickly, you never know what you will find!) where you can do virtual temple devotions and prayers.
I have several apps and sites that I use that encourage me to set my own personal goals and work on them daily. These goals can be whatever I want, so I can easily use them to give myself reminders for daily meditation, prayers or practice. I can also set up reminders for more long term things, like full moons or Sabbats. It is easy to get so caught up in day to day life that the bigger observances sneak up on you! There is nothing shameful about having a reminder about these things.
One final, and very simple but lovely thing I like to do is to change my backgrounds on my devices to match the season or my personal goals. I have set an affirmation into my phone lock screen, so that every time I turn it on, I see my affirmation. My tablet often has pictures I've taken of workings as my backdrop, so that they are fresh in my mind. And my computer wallpaper is always seasonal, often about the closest holiday. I spend a lot of time indoors, so bringing that touch of the seasonal change into the things I use every day helps keep me from living in this sort of nebulous 'indoor' space.
Ultimately, technology is just one more tool in our toolbox. It has it's strengths, mostly involving ways to either add to what we are already doing or remind us of things we want to keep track of. It's become quite the catch phrase to say, "there's an app for that," but really there often is! You just have to decide how you want to enhance your life and look for the tools that let you do what you want to do.
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