Asceticism has always been a key component of Catholic spirituality. Following the example of its founder, Jesus Christ, Catholicism has always inspired holy men and women to lay aside the pleasures of this world to the benefit of their immortal souls. This can involve fasting, giving away wealth and possessions or stepping away from the chaos of ordinary life to go on a silent retreat. Our modern, screen-dominated world offers us another form of asceticism: a digital retreat.
A digital retreat is an opportunity to step away from your electronic life for a predetermined length of time. This can be a few days, a few weeks or longer. A good starting point is a 30-day retreat. This is enough time to become detached from the constant buzz of social media notifications and the never-ending scroll of Facebook and Twitter. It gives our brains a chance to reset and frees up our time for spiritual practices.
