Sex, the Ring and the Eucharist: Reflections on Life, Ministry and Fighting in the Inner-City

Beyond method, there are two aspects worth taking seriously: content and synchronization. Regarding content, we suggest you pick a word to focus on for a month. It should be a word YOU think is worthy of being considered once an hour, as many hours as you can, for a month. The power of really coming to terms with what the word means in your life won't be apparent until the repetitions have been experienced.

Just have the word. Notice what comes up for you when the chime beeps. This method is about simplicity; just let a word circulate through your brain once an hour. Yes, you can be more active than that, but, at least initially, just let the thought of the word be enough. You can enter the Olympic chiming events later.

Let's take the word "present" for an example. Everyone can profit by becoming more present, by living more in the now. As has been said many times, many ways, the past is past and the future has yet to get here. All we really have is this moment. Yet we all tend to live anywhere but right here, right now. So many of the goodies in life are only available in the present moment and the more we remain present, the greater the access to our real lives we really have. When we live in the past, we tend to be victims of regret and when we live in the future, we tend to be victims of worry. Neither is very constructive. Being here now allows us to enjoy each breath, to feel the sun on our cheeks, to see the beauty in a tree.

So, what if, for one month, each time your watch beeps, you ask yourself to get present? Be here now! Over the course of a month you will be reminded roughly 480 times to "be here now." You'll be more attentive. You'll notice the dissolution of what gets in the way of you being more aware, more conscious, more tuned in.

Synchronization is the second aspect of working with a digital watch that can add a powerful component to your experience. What you can do on your own with your watch is quite amazing. But what you can do with a watch and other people ... lovers, friends, family, and coworkers ... can be VERY interesting. To capitalize on the possibilities of playing with others, synchronization becomes important. If you and your significant other have agreed that each day at work, each time you chime you will think fond thoughts of each other, it feels kind of special to know that you're doing so at exactly the same moment.