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What does equinimity mean Online?

RichardHRichardH Veteran
edited October 2009 in Meditation
What does equinimity and non-attachment mean when we are online? I certainly know what it means when working with the illness of a loved one, or calming a frightened child. These daily realities are non-negotiable. But when when communicating online..a certain toss-away ethos can look like non-attachment, when really it is just a matter of not really having a stake in the situation. Its easy to have equinimity when Gem-lightLotus2 (hope thats not someones real handle:p) says my practice is bogus or something, but not when the person in the Zendo says it.

I know this is provocative, but I mean it in a freindly way because I'm here to connect, and this medium can very much be the message at times.

Comments

  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited October 2009
    Equanimity non-attachment, compassion are equanimity, non-attachment and compassion, wherever they are practised or manifested.
    it's up to the practitioner to cultivate them, regardless of where they are, at the time.
    Given though that certain advantages are removed, when on-line (eye-contact, body language, person-to-person connection) these omissions can make matters seem unreal and irrelevant.
    I think it is during these times that we have to be more mindful of practice, not less.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Go over to the Live Journal Buddhists community (essentially zero censorship), and pick some fights with owl_clan and wojtesticles. Tell them what a good Buddhist you are. You'll get your answer pretty quickly. :)
  • RichardHRichardH Veteran
    edited October 2009
    fivebells wrote: »
    Go over to the Live Journal Buddhists community (essentially zero censorship), and pick some fights with owl_clan and wojtesticles. Tell them what a good Buddhist you are. You'll get your answer pretty quickly. :)
    . I guess that's what you call a smackdown forum. Life offers enough smackdowns I have no choice but to endure. Why would I walk into that when I dont have to? It is only a matter of time before someone is offended. Thats ok. I dont mind being offended either. Sometimes the best practice is when someone lands one where I'm vulnerable and I feel diminished. At those moment the impulse to recover oneself is strong.
  • fivebellsfivebells Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    Sometimes the best practice is when someone lands one where I'm vulnerable and I feel diminished. At those moment the impulse to recover oneself is strong.

    That's exactly my point. The conversation I linked to was from three years ago. I don't condone my behavior there. The point is, it brought some powerful reactivity to light in a controlled environment. That kind of reactivity is a perfect place to practice. (Though it does hurt.)
  • LincLinc Site owner Detroit Moderator
    edited October 2009
    I actually find that sometimes people have more attachment to online comments than they do to real-life comments because the online ones are archived and public.

    duty_calls.png
  • KikujiroKikujiro
    edited October 2009
    Lincoln wrote: »

    duty_calls.png

    :lol: I catch myself acting like that all the time and then end up deleting my post before posting it. If it doesn't help it doesn't help.
  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Richard Herman wrote: »
    Its easy to have equinimity when Gem-lightLotus2 (hope thats not someones real handle: p) says my practice is bogus or something, but not when the person in the Zendo says it.
    Kikujiro wrote: »
    lol I catch myself acting like that all the time and then end up deleting my post before posting it.
    Then we can rule out the possibility that your practice is bogus.

    There's a Chan saying that you deal with a mistake by making an error. Equanimity is my next error.
  • BrigidBrigid Veteran
    edited October 2009
    Lincoln wrote: »
    I actually find that sometimes people have more attachment to online comments than they do to real-life comments because the online ones are archived and public.

    duty_calls.png
    I love this! I'm making it my desktop wallpaper.
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