The Ten Year Game is all about good praxes -- actions that spark the brain. So how do you make one?
A few tips:
Think simple. You should be able to describe a praxis in a sentence or two. People who watch it should be able to get it in a flash, and "hum" right along. You should be able to explain it to a clever 9-year old in under a minute.
Think impractical. Do something with no purpose at all. One 20th-century mystic used to have his disciples wash the dishes after they were already clean, or drop their keys after they've already picked them up. Complex Tibetan sand mandalas are created just to throw away. It helps the brain get out of its practical tracks.
Think conflict. What parts of your brain are all tangled up? Is there an act that's a middle ground? Some say the psychic conflict between compassion and cruelty, death and life gave us the praxis of sacrifice - maybe the most enduring form of worship in history.
Think body. Fasting and yoga and a homecoming parade all have something in common - they are more about what your body is doing than what your brain is doing. If you can make people shift out of their everyday space and smell or listen or move, that's a success.
Borrow! Recycle, recycle, recycle. Even religions borrow their rituals from praxes of the past. Christmas trees, Lent, baptism, the Hajj - these were all around long before Abraham. And actions worn smooth by thousands of years have a kind of a nice feel.
Hack Games. We're in a games-rich culture. Sports, casinos, consoles, board games, apps, schoolyard games, reality TV - all of them are full of little acts that are fun to do together.
Hack Religion. Attend a service from a faith tradition you've never been to. If you're in NYC, come join the Religion Tourbus. Or make friends some online resources.
Use Music. A praxis is a way to think about things either with a group of people or alone and with your body. Music is a powerful way to get bodies thinking.
Don't Stress. Seriously. You're smarter about this stuff than you know.
A few tips:
Think simple. You should be able to describe a praxis in a sentence or two. People who watch it should be able to get it in a flash, and "hum" right along. You should be able to explain it to a clever 9-year old in under a minute.
Think impractical. Do something with no purpose at all. One 20th-century mystic used to have his disciples wash the dishes after they were already clean, or drop their keys after they've already picked them up. Complex Tibetan sand mandalas are created just to throw away. It helps the brain get out of its practical tracks.
Think conflict. What parts of your brain are all tangled up? Is there an act that's a middle ground? Some say the psychic conflict between compassion and cruelty, death and life gave us the praxis of sacrifice - maybe the most enduring form of worship in history.
Think body. Fasting and yoga and a homecoming parade all have something in common - they are more about what your body is doing than what your brain is doing. If you can make people shift out of their everyday space and smell or listen or move, that's a success.
Borrow! Recycle, recycle, recycle. Even religions borrow their rituals from praxes of the past. Christmas trees, Lent, baptism, the Hajj - these were all around long before Abraham. And actions worn smooth by thousands of years have a kind of a nice feel.
Hack Games. We're in a games-rich culture. Sports, casinos, consoles, board games, apps, schoolyard games, reality TV - all of them are full of little acts that are fun to do together.
Hack Religion. Attend a service from a faith tradition you've never been to. If you're in NYC, come join the Religion Tourbus. Or make friends some online resources.
Use Music. A praxis is a way to think about things either with a group of people or alone and with your body. Music is a powerful way to get bodies thinking.
Don't Stress. Seriously. You're smarter about this stuff than you know.
Praxes: How To Make One