Wholesome Wednesdays (WW): Bringing you curated positive content on Wednesdays to uplift your hump day.
Mindfulness now seems so commoditised and with its ‘application’ to many things. Social media is another area that we see more tagging with the word ‘mindfulness’. With algorithms stacked against our brains to promote endless scrolling, can we exit the joyless trap that sucks our time into a void? We offer two stories for your next social media experience.
1. Can one be mindful while social media? A zen master answers.
2. Being aware of the red dots that blinds us
Can one be mindful while social media? A zen master answers.
What’s going on here & Why we like it
Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay), is asked a question about whether it is possible to use social media mindfully. Thay turns the answer in a different direction which almost makes you think that he does not answer the question.
He points towards the advance of technology that allows for communication but not necessarily a connection. We often are quick to anger on social media and name-call others whom we don’t know. There is little room for compassion in how most of us use social media. Thay establishes that as the grounding principle before we start to engage online.
“Many electronic devices are helping us get away from ourselves and do not give us a chance to be with ourselves. There is suffering, fear, and anger within ourselves and we do not have time to handle the suffering within ourselves. We cannot communicate with ourselves.”
Wise Steps
- Try to find ways to communicate compassionately online
- Fill your feed with positive and inspiring content that provides more ground for skillful mindstates rather than other content that promotes greed, hatred, or ignorance
- How do you honestly feel about your social media usage?
Check out the video here or below!
Being aware of the red dots that blinds us
What’s going on here & why we like it
The tiny wisdom, an Instagram page with awesome wisdom comics, shares an experience of waking up to our surroundings when our phone dies.
It is a refreshing look at our world, away from a digital one. We like the fresh look of how things taste and feel more beautiful when we are in the moment.
“That day i saw the sky and the trees. And i made connections with people”
Wise Steps
- Ask: what is the last time I went without my phone, how did it feel?
- Action: Next time you are on a walk, leave your phone at home:)
Read it here
