Entertainment is something that we usually consider a secular activity, but when it comes to living a spiritual life, everything is part of spirituality, including the entertainment choices that we make.
First, I want to talk briefly about current entertainment choices. With shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and even Grimm, common spirituality topics are becoming more main stream. Now, I just started watching Supernatural and have to say that I really appreciate the way that psychics and other spiritual practitioners are being portrayed very realistically, in my experience. I haven’t watched Charmed at all, but I’ve heard good things about it, even if it can be over dramatic. In addition to TV shows, supernatural thrillers are becoming very popular as well. For instance, in the movie “Insidious” I felt that the psychic was portrayed relatively accurately instead of making her an eccentric character.
I also want to talk about how we use our entertainment. There are some shows that are like popcorn for your brain – they give you something to watch and distract yourself with, but don’t provide any stimulation, education, or discussion topics. Since TV is our primary source of entertainment, we should be mindful of what we watch. Educational shows that teach us about our environment and fellow creatures are wonderful as part of a spiritual practice, other shows can engage your learning and philosophical ideas, such as science shows and the like. They can even provide a source of inspiration.
But TV isn’t the only entertainment. The biggest exchange of energy that we can experience is experiencing live entertainment. Theatre, music, poetry, book readings – these create an amazing collective connection that is very similar to what you might experience in a circle ceremony or group meditation. Anyone who has been to a concert can attest to raw energy that is raised and shared by the crowd. In fact, this is an extremely enjoyable way of studying how energy flows between and affects people. This energy can be absolutely amazing. An interesting experience I’ve had is seeing local bands live. They experience was so amazing and magical and of course I bought a CD. It takes a truly talented band to convey that energy through a recording and I have been disappointed more than once that the CD did not live up to the experience.
What do you think of these supernatural shows and movies that are coming out? What’s your favorite entertainment-spiritual experiences?
