January Focus: Electricity

The idea of electricity is so abstract for many of us that it is hard to look at it the way we might look at food or water. It is kind of like money. If you have enough of it, why is it a big deal to use it? What could possibly be spiritual about our use or our conservation of electricity?

I think the first part is understanding where our electricity comes from. For us in the Tennessee River Valley, we get a lot of it from hydroelectric power. We also get it from burning coal too, though. Then there is a minimal amount from wind and solar. When you start to think about what happens outside of your house when you flip on that light switch, you are a little more connected to those things that make this possible. Secondly, just finding alternatives to electricity can take you out of your daily routine enough that it can be a spiritual experience.