Digital detox for deepening practice? Social media addiction, Digital Dharma, and reducing input.
The_Dharma_Farmer
Explorer
Hi guys, me again with my random thoughts and reflections. Recently decided to leave Facebook/twitter/instagram alone for a few weeks to try and see the effect reducing the amount of stimulus has on my practice, both formal meditation and on my general sense of wellbeing. I know that the web can bring both joy and misery to our lives, can be used both skilfully and unskilfully, but I'm curious as to whether anyone else has found themselves addicted to digital Dharma from time to time?
I thought I'd expand on my thoughts a little bit in writing, and below is the link to a short article/blog I've posted on reducing input and practice etc. I hope that curiosity gets the better of you and that you enjoy the read ;-) I'd really appreciate your thoughts.
thedharma-farmer.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/the-sabbatical-social-media-and.html
Wonder if anybody else here is really mindful about what they allow through the gates of the senses, or whether others prefer to work with the unrestricted maelstrom of life at full volume? I can see benefits of both, at different times, to suit different needs.
Much love and Metta, Namo Buddhay! :-)
D.F xx
Comments
I will take a look at your blog post. We previously had a discussion about this topic in this thread. Here was my response to the person trying to minimize his use of social media:
Here is a Buddhist-based approach, utilizing the characteristics of anatta (not-self), anicca (impermanence), and dukkha (unsatisfactoriness):
1.) Notice when your addiction to the internet is fueled by a desire to construct or support a particular self-concept. A lot of the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit is fueled in part by people's innate insecurities, which can easily be manipulated with just the right widgets, buttons, and quantification systems into a sort of obsessive compulsive narcissism. This includes exquisitely engineered tools to keep you attached to sites: people get addicted to racking up Facebook "Friends" or "Likes", Reddit "karma" points (aptly named), or the thrill of a debate in which you can prove you're smarter or better than someone else. Heck, even the little "LOL", "Insightful", and "Awesome" buttons at the bottom of New Buddhist posts can serve to fuel self-obsession.
Notice to what extent you're building up a self-concept when you engage in your social media, or when you are participating simply a means of saving face or fear of embarrassment. And then remember what the Buddha said about conceit: feeling yourself superior to others, feeling yourself inferior to others, and feeling yourself equal to others are just symptoms of being stuck in the game of "selfing." Selfing is a very unsatisfying game that is oftentimes a painful detour from being present and alive to the life around us.
2. Notice how short-lived the joy of visiting these sites is. We all have our innocuous little distractions to take the edge off of the everyday dukkha of life: we have a cup of tea or wine or some cookies at the end of the day, or watch cat videos on Youtube, or we shoot the shit with friends/family by chatting into the evening. There's nothing wrong with any of this. In fact, it's the "juice" of life. However, we cross the line into "addiction" when we fail to act in our long-term best interest, instead getting dependent on satisfying a short-term sense of pleasure as a distraction or escapism.
In the case of visiting websites, most posts, jokes, arguments, etc. get buried within a day or two -- buried in the past and cyberspace, rarely ever to be seen by anyone again. Is it worth the time, emotional investment, and energy you spent on these ephemeral trifles?
3. Notice the suffering that this behavior causes you. You wouldn't have asked for help on this forum if you didn't find what you're doing painful in some way. Perhaps you find it simply stirs up unskillful and painful mind-states, like anger, bitterness, anxiety, or distraction/confusion. Or perhaps there are parts of your life that are going neglected because you spend so much time in front of a glowing screen. Notice your dissatisfaction, and use it as fuel for dispassion.
Notice also why you are turning to the internet, especially if you do so to distract yourself from distressing emotions: insecurity? shame? anxiety or fear? depression? sadness? These are things that you will need to face and deal with in your life: ask someone for help or actually change the situation that is causing them to arise.
Wow, so delighted that someone else has been thinking these thoughts, thanks so much for your considerate and measured response. It gives me much to reflect on, as I hope my post does for you. Do you yourself find yourself ever consciously reducing your input, digital or otherwise? I wonder sometimes which came first, the desire or the construction of the self? It seems to be that 'selfing' could be seen as a verb, the process of mentally constructing a noun to chase down and appropriate the external stimulus desired. When 'I' is not desiring anything or experiencing aversion, am I constructing this facade? It seems to me that 'I' am rarely consciously feeling equanimous, but more like there is simply a gentle sense of equanimity pervading, with no fixed person at the centre... Just a thought... I hope more beings read this thread and your post :-)
In metta xx
For myself, I find that if I try to force something, it doesn't work out. The more I practice, I find that some things naturally fall away with really no difficult effort on my part. Kind of like most early childhood friendships, you just drift apart. I drift away from things. I still use the internet a lot, but a couple years ago I felt a need to push it away, and the more I tried to do that, the stronger it's appeal was. I just kept practicing and now I find that what I use the internet for has changed quite a lot. My ability to stay away from things that used to upset me (like comments on youtube) is much better. I'm not tempted to visit places that aren't conducive to my practice. I still use FB to keep in touch with family, but most of my use on it is in a discussion group my sangha has.
The same thing has happened with how I view my eating habits, the company I keep, alcohol and other things. I find letting them be, and letting them change naturally works the best for me.
I do make a point to avoid the distraction of internet and tv and even radio when I am on weekend retreats (not residential, so I come home between teaching sessions).
Anything we cling to or push away, hobbles our footsteps towards sufferings cessation.
Endless attempts at moderating/ cajoling/ reasoning with/rejecting or indulging my attachments has left me bereft of much overall success in addressing them save simply the fostering of a greater love for my practice than for my attachment.
In my mind there must be a balance.
If you were to just meditate in a cave until you died there is nothing other than self-absorption. That may be healthy, it might not.
If you do not meditate, there is the risk of self-obsession, but maybe not.
If you engage in life and take time to meditate - this sounds like a middle way to me where healthy practices meet unhealthy lifestyles.
Who knows?
My inclination is that we should be more socially interactive in a physically present way - I am enjoying that view.
Mettha
It comes down to skilfulness.
I found it very difficult to use twitterer and farceBook in any useful way. It is just bubble gum for the 'samsara addicts'.
Many things are like that: work, hobbies, hubbies and cell phuns. Tablets and meditation addictions.
and yet . . .
these very distractions may lead us to a place of non distraction . . . the breath perhaps . . .