Pokemon Go:Good for spiritual, mental and physical maladies in Aptos, CA? Start at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church

Yes, Pokemon Go  may be good for spiritual maladies. And some  physical maladies.  And many  mental maladies. 

And you don’t have to play it the way you are told to play it.

 You can play Pokemon Go just for fun and skip all the stuff about going to ‘gyms’  or doing battle.  Just play Pokemon for fun.   Gather the funny little  critters and walk around your community.    See your community with fresh eyes.

This post focuses on playing Pokemon Go in Aptos, CA.     Places to find  — gather  —  Pokemon Balls in Aptos, CA  are  listed  farther down in this post.    To play the game you need a cell phone with a GPS on it and you have to download a free app.

So– are you someone experiencing some spiritual malaise?  Some mild depression?    Not doing the things you like to and  feel down  in ‘the dumps’?  What to do?   Remember the daily routine that  you had when you felt fine?    Write those things down  and start doing them again. Best you can.

Very important to reduce symptoms of depression:    add something new each day — something  that you have not done before.  If you are over  age 40 probably you have not played Pokemon Go.  That can be ‘something new’ that you include in your daily routine.   How about some mild anxiety symptoms?  Not sleeping as well as you typically do?  Pokemon just might help you feel mentally better.

What about some spiritual maladies?  Are you spiritually wondering what’s going on in your  life, or the life of your church? 

Here in Aptos, CA there is a plethora of Christian churches.  Near the entrance to Seacliff  Beach there is  Coastlands   Foursquare church, an Episcopal church and a Catholic church.  

Let’s compare how two of them — the Catholic one and the Episcopal one  — currently handle transition  in leadership of their  church.

The Catholic church in Aptos, CA  got one month  transition time between the leaving of Fr. Ron  and the coming of Fa. Romeo.   People in the congregation were  told way ahead of  time what was coming down the pike.  The bishop called the plays.  The priest of 14 years must retire.  A new priest who was selected by the bishop will start on a particular date.   The new priest at the catholic church  is called a Parish  Administrator.  Later on, if the bishop chooses he will become  the Pastor.  Do people in the catholic congregation miss who used to be there? Of course.

 In contrast, the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA  said ‘good-by’  to their Rector,  Fa. Steve,  last summer.    That church has had an interim priest/ rector for more than a year.  No concrete  information  has come down the pike.  The Episcopal  bishop has not weighed in on  local decisions.   And the Board of Directors    holds closed,  i.e. secret meetings. Nobody in the pews  knows anything as to who might become the next priest/ rector.

 Recently, allegations of spiritual abuse have surfaced   at the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA concerning the interim priest/ rector.    So yes, more than likely quite a few attendees at that church  currently  feel some spiritual malaise.  Probably some are ‘down in the dumps’.

“We just  need a new CEO for this church and get things re-started”  one parishioner from the Episcopal church said  that  he told Bishop Mary when he met with her recently.

There are applicants for the job as Rector for the Episcopal church in Aptos, CA.   However, no information has been provided back to the  congregation as to who they are.  Recently there have been allegations of spiritual abuse circulating via email and Facebook.  The Board of Directors  does not  follow their by-laws which  require  that 10 days ahead of time that they publicly post concerning Date, Time and Location for meetings.

 Big issues causing spiritual malaise: Will this church face the allegations of spiritual abuse — or will they push it all under the rug and keep muddling on?  Who are the applicants for  the job?  What is the contract that the interim priest signed?

Here we have two very different churches handling transition is quite different ways.  And probably some people in both churches currently feel ‘down in the dumps’ about the changes that are happening around them.

So — how can Pokemon Go help people in general to simply feel better? Whether  you go to a church or you don’t attend a church?

 Well, daily exercise is not just good for the body  — it’s  also good for the soul and spirit.  We know that kids laugh and run around and play all sorts of games and learn from playing games.  So can adults.  It’s good for adults at times  to laugh and be playful and learn from playing new games.  Especially a game that gets you moving around.

Think of Pokemon Go as something that gets you walking around your community and ‘seeing’ things differently.  Take walking.  How many times have you told yourself   — or your doctor told you — that you  should walk more?  You don’t have to buy an expensive $100 thing for your wrist to measure how far you walk.  Just download the Pokemon Go app for free and you will know how much you walk.

Good news where to get Pokemon Balls in Aptos, CA.  There are lots of  what are called PokeStops where you can get more Pokemon Balls which you need to play the game.

 Here’s how to find Pokemon Balls in Aptos,  CA.

Start by going to St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church located near the entrance to Seacliff Beach in Aptos, CA.

 Come any time.  Just so you know,  church services are at 8 and 10 am every Sunday at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Aptos, CA

Tonight, Tuesday Sept.  27, 2016 there is a Vestry meeting in the Cafe. Probably at 7 pm.

1)  Drive or walk to   St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church  and go stand in front of the large bell.   Look at your cell phone with the Pokemon app open .  You will see   a blue circular thing  appear on your cell phone. Swipe it  — it will rotate. As it rotates around you will receive typically a couple Pokemon Balls.  Swipe them and they are now yours to continue playing the game.   That’s  how you get free Pokemon Balls.

Want more Pokemon balls close by in Aptos, CA?

2)  Now walk  or drive across the street  from the Episcopal church  to  Coastlands Four Square church islocated.   Walk or drive up  to where you see the large Cross.  

 You have to be right in front of the large Cross.   Again, you can  gather  couple Pokemon balls there, typically.  

3)  Now walk or drive down the street  just past the Stop sign.  You willsee a  large  Seacliff   sign  entrance to Seacliff Beach.   Open the Pokemon app and point  your phone  at the sign.   You can gather a couple more Pokemon  Balls.

 4)  Another spot near by to  gather apps:    At the mural on the wall around the corner from Manual’s Restaurant and across the street from The Word Shop for gently used books.  Ah, you can gather more Pokemon Balls.

So what’s good for spiritual malaise?  Pokemon Go can’t cure spiritual  malaise. It can get you moving around more and looking at your community from a different perspective.  So — go  have fun!   Catch those critters.

written by Aptos Psychologist,  Cameron Jackson    DrCameronJackson@gmail.com