Shoppers battle for electronic goods during a 'Black Friday' The spirituality publisher Columba Press is teaming up with musicians, poets and mindfulness practitioners to hold a day of calm and reflection in opposition to the increasing dominance of so-called ‘Black Friday’, the annual shopping frenzy which sees customers queuing and shoving to get bargain deals.
‘Bright Friday’ which is on November 24th this year will be held in University Church St Stephen’s Green in the heart of Dublin city on a day which retailers hope will kick-off the busy Christmas spending spree. It will have periods of reflective music, mindfulness, meditations and poetry readings. Mindfulness practitioners such as Sr Stan Kennedy, Daniel O’Leary as well as monks from Glenstal Abbey and a growing number of musicians and poets have already signed up to attend the free event.
People wanting an antidote to the consumerism of the day are being encouraged to drop by.
Happiness
According to one of Columba Press’s authors Martina Lehane Sheehan, author of Surprised by Fire, modern research in psychology shows that “our externals can only contribute to our happiness by 10% (what we buy, what we own etc). Yet we chase it – especially on Black Friday!”
She says that approximately 50% of our happiness levels are determined by genetic inheritance and 40% is in our own control when it comes to things like attitudes beliefs, etc.” She describes this as the 40 % solution.
In the United States, ‘Black Friday’ is traditionally the day after the Thanksgiving holiday when many retailers offer incentives to shoppers. Despite the fact that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Ireland, ‘Black Friday’ is now a ubiquitous day on the Irish shopping calendar.
Columba Press is asking for more musicians and mindfulness teachers to join the event or if unable to do so, to consider having a ‘Bright Friday’ in your own local community.
For more details contact garry@columba.ie.