Hey y’all! I stopped by to discuss what had me in awe last night. I found myself perusing the internet streets, seeking a couple of replacement wall clocks for the cave. Then boom, I came across something online that genuinely made me stop and say, “Well now…” and “I know you f&cking lying…” The clocks looked the same as before, but what was the difference? There were more non-ticking options than ticking. Mind blown. Flabbergasted. Confuckledly confused! I scrolled, and scrolled, and scrolled in search of 1) a clock that highlights my décor and 2) a clock that ticks (which became the priority after finding that more people are choosing non-ticking clocks for their homes and personal spaces) Baby, that would never work over here. I’m trying to figure it out. Digital clocks have been a thing since circa 1883. So, I don’t want to hear that I need to catch up with the times. Hear me out… As a spiritual person, I need the acoustic sound of a ticking clock. I need running water as a moon child living in this earth plane wilderness. I need bells, chimes, rhythmic movement, and sound around me because those things serve as grounding forces on my life path. They help settle the mind, anchor the spirit, and bring me back into the present moment when things go other ways and whatnot. To me, a ticking clock is more than background noise. It carries rhythm and the essence of the present moment. It marks movement and travel. It reminds me that time is passing, yes, but also that I am here to meet it consciously. There is also something about the rhythm in itself. The ticking of a clock reminds me of the steady pulse of a drum during ceremony or ritual. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. A consistent rhythm gives the mind something to follow and the body something to settle into. Drumming has long been used in spiritual traditions to mark movement, call attention, create rhythm, and help shift people into a more focused state of awareness. Many use the drums for trance work or communicating with spirits. A tickety-ticking clock can create a much quieter version of that same experience in the home. It becomes a steady pulse in the background, and I rarely hear it consistently. Almost like the room has a heartbeat of its own, dah’ling. And when you add running water, bells, or chimes, now you have rhythm, movement, and sound all working together. One anchors. One flows. One interrupts stagnation. Baby, some of us need a little noise in the temple. Have you ever prayed and noticed your analog clock skipped a few hours forward? Or did you ever find that wearing a ticking watch benefited you when astral traveling? Here is an article about discussing the psychology of it all. Let’s move forward… Then there is water, aqua, acqua, eau, mvura! Flowing water clears, soothes, and moves energy, friend. Bells and chimes break stagnation and signal transition amongst other things. These sounds have always carried spiritual meaning across traditions, and I do not take that lightly. Flowing water can also become a sensory cue for the body and mind to soften and move. We are, after all, made largely of water, and there is something about hearing a steady stream that reminds the nervous system not to grip so tightly. You may have heard me say, clear your water, baby. This is what I mean. Mentally, that continuous flowing water sound can make it easier to release scattered thoughts and settle into a more fluid rhythm of attention. Spiritually, I see it as a reminder to keep the inner waters moving too. Emotions, ideas, intuition, and energy are meant to circulate, not stagnate. That is why running water can make a flow-like state easier to enter and maintain in this thy world. The environment is already modeling movement for you. Moving forward… Let’s hop back into the clock topic, which is what brought us here today. I understand (per the reviews for said clocks that do not tick) that people don’t want to hear the sound of the clock because it is a distraction. They consider it noise pollution. Here’s an article I found about it. Now then… And while we are talking about clocks, children still need to know how to read one. I don’t think teaching a child to read a wall clock is just about knowing the time, dah’ling. You’re teaching number relationships, fractions, spatial awareness, cycles, patience, and how time passes. A digital clock gives you a number, and an analog clock gives you a relationship to time. For those of us who understand life through cycles, that matters. The heavens move in cycles, seasons move in cycles, and our bodies move in cycles. Even the zodiac is a celestial clock, divided into twelve signs that mark movement, timing, seasons, and shifts in energy throughout the year. Look at an analog clock face and then look at the zodiac wheel. You will find both teach us to understand position within a cycle. There is a beginning, progression, culmination, and return. The hands keep moving, just as the planets do, Deborah McNew. So when a child learns to read a clock, they are learning more than numbers and minutes, Harold Tibet. They are beginning to understand rhythm, sequence, timing, and their relationship to cycles. It is very important. A digital clock tells you the time and keeps you in line. Cool, it has its place in the human race. A clock face shows you where you are in the cycle. Like cursive and other foundational teachings that seem to be fading out, these skills connect younger generations to history, pattern, rhythm, memory, and how people before us understood the world. Some things are memory, instruction, and not up for debate. Some things are considered medicine or therapy. And some things, friend, might be helping keep you grounded without you even realizing it. Just saying. In this mini-episode, I explore ticking clocks becoming obsolete, spiritual grounding, generational knowledge, and the quiet relationship between sound and time for spiritual people. Do you prefer a ticking clock or complete silence in your space? Do you use running water, bells, chimes, or other sounds to help keep you grounded? And do you think children should still be taught how to read an analog clock? Leave your thoughts, experiences, or suggestions in the comments. I’m curious to see how many of us still keep these old rhythms alive. #qtna This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlcu.substack.com/subscribe
