Sabbath

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I keep the Sabbath. Yes, with the Sabbath I mean the same thing that orthodox Jews mean – that period from Friday sunset until Saturday sunset. While I am partially of Jewish descent (on my father’s side), my reason for keeping the Sabbath is not cultural (even though there are many Sabbath-keepers in my family).

I keep the Sabbath because I came to believe in the Creator – the Source; the belief that some unfathomably magnificent entity is the Original Source, the First Mover, for all of creation. The only real religious practise that links directly with the Creator is the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a symbol for God’s creative (i.e. Creator) power. Unlike orthodox Jews, my Sabbath observance is much freer. While there are many things I tend to avoid doing on the Sabbath, these are all a choice – not something I believe will anger God if I do or don’t do on the Sabbath. Jesus explained: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

So what don’t I do on the Sabbath. Well, for one, I usually do not do my usual work on the Sabbath and I also avoid doing martial arts on the Sabbath. Many people have told me that since the martial arts is a hobby and a recreation, it seems appropriate to do on the Sabbath. I agree. However, the martial arts is a very big part of my life—a passion really. For this reason I need to put some boundaries in place in order to ensure that it does not become more important than it ought to; that it does not become an idol. Even innocent things can become bad if done in excess. Especially martial art tournaments are something I avoid on the Sabbath. A big part of Sabbath is to keep your mind focussed on spiritual things—on God. With tournaments it is almost impossible to keep focussed on the Spiritual. Tournaments are all about the self; about winning over an opponent. Such a competitive spirit is far removed from the peaceful Sabbath Spirit a Sabbath-keeper pursues.

So what do I do on the Sabbath? Well, for one, I relax. God invites us to relax on the Sabbath and I take it as a Heavenly ordained weekly “vacation.” Especially if I had a long week, or if I have coming deadlines, the Sabbath forces me to relax, to wind down, to recuperate. I would setup my environment for Sabbath differently than other days of the week. On Sabbath evenings (Friday nights) I especially like to dim the lights and may even burn some candles to create a relaxing ambiance. I would also avoid very rhythmic music, and instead listen to calmer music than what I may listen to during the rest of the week. If I’m close to a Sabbath keeping community I would attend church; otherwise I listen to or read spiritual material. I also enjoy spending social time visiting with loved ones and friends in relaxed settings. I may also use the relaxed hours of the Sabbath to do some letter writing to my loved ones. Sometimes the calmness of the Sabbath inspires me to write verses of beauty or draw something. I would give in to such inspiration, but keep in mind that these creative fervours stay moments of relaxation, not of productive exertions. And seeing as the Sabbath is a symbol for the Creator’s creative power, I sometimes enjoy being in God’s creation on the Sabbath; walking outside in nature and enjoying creation’s beauty. Or I’d just watch some programs on nature on my computer. The website Earth-Touch.Com provides beautiful nature footage which I enjoy watching. I may even watch a documentary about issues related to spiritual matters. Whenever I take an afternoon nap during the week I would feel guilty, but not so on the Sabbath. Taking a Sabbath afternoon nap is one of my great indulgences.

Sabbath is an inseparable part of my life. I sometimes wonder how other people get by in life without this once in a week “break from it all”; without this weekly blessing.

Happy Sabbath!