Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention,
on purpose,
in the present moment,
non-judgmentally.
—Jon Kabat-Zinn
I’m working towards a podcast. It’s one of those projects that seems to have a life of its own. It’s working on me, really, rather than I’m working on it. Most of you know I’m a Reader—with a capital R. But I am finding my own limits to just how much I can read. It’s not so much the reading itself, although I am beginning to realize that long hours of computer time do take a toll on my vision…but it’s even more about sitting (and yes, I have a standing desk). As a person who reads and writes as a major part of making my living, sitting for stretches is a requirement. I know I’ve been sitting too much when I’m thrilled to stand at the kitchen sink and wash dishes, or step outside and run up and down the stairs.
This situation makes me weigh the words I choose to read more carefully…choose is the keyword here. When the inflow of content is designed to trigger The Click, choice is a counterforce made possible by paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, as I am able. In some ways, the infinite volume of clickable content is my dearest adversary, deepening my practice of mindfulness.
Podcasts inhabit a different realm of the senses than the writing and reading. As I attempt to bring one forward, I’m listening…
I sit when I write this blog. I converse with myself to discover what it is I have to say, often when I’m walking with my dog, and sometimes at my favorite cafe, with pen and a small notebook to capture hovering thoughts. I appreciate and even enjoy the process (and the struggle) enough to have written these Mindful Digital Life posts weekly for almost 3 years. But I also deeply appreciate conversations with other people exploring well-being and connection in our very techno-immersive lives. I’ve been inspired by a long string of mentors who thought and think a lot about conversation…so I will be experimenting over the months ahead with how to bring this forward in a way that satisfies my curiosity and perhaps, catalyzes yours.
I hope my explorations in conversation, both the written ones like this post, and the audio ones to come, will help you to grow your own skillfulness with talking through our digital lives, building our reflective abilities, growing our sense of place and relatedness, and in general, becoming better role models for the children, young people, and other adults in our lives.
What I’m reading
Document Your Place on the Planet—a student multimedia project. The project “challenges students to take one photograph that captures their relationship and place on Earth.” It asks the question, “How does the Earthrise photograph challenge us to consider our relationship to the Earth and provide a context for what it means to be a global ciitizen?”
What I’m watching
Love at first sight—a diatomist’s tale “The first time I saw a diatom I was 16. It was love at first sight. I just could not get over how nature could produce something that beautiful. Most of the world never sees that beauty.”—Klaus Kemp (4 min video…take the time to watch it!)
Jason Ward goes birding in Central Park—Aspiring birders, be sure to watch the short video, How to Use Binoculars. I’m still working on binoculars.
