DOWNLOADING BUDDHA
In just about every nook, cranny, and watering hole of life, there is someone, somewhere, looking for the quick and easy. The Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project summed up their findings on the chronically plugged in and technologically-connected state of the world with a simple warning: negative effects include a need for instant gratification and a loss of patience. We can get so much of everything easily these days that convenience is no longer considered a pleasantry of life; it’s an expectation – a necessity.
The real threat presented by technology is we have come to use it more and more as if it’s the only means and the best means of staying connected. As a tool, the greatest danger technology poses to human beings is it allows us to move farther and farther away from human-to-human contact with increased speed and ease. In this way we are degrading the gift of physicality given to us by God.
Your physical existence is a gift and considered a rather big deal by those beyond the earthly realm. There is a
process, unparalleled in the universe that unfolds when humans connect to each other face to face, eye to eye, and skin to skin. The true connection happens on the soul and cellular level. There is power in being in another’s presence. You see, the gift of physicality that comes with being human is being diminished as mobile devices and cyber apps replace simple human physical connections.
Technology is an ultra-enhancement for humanity, but not an ultimate replacement for a touch, smile, and picnic shared with a friend under an oak tree in the summer. To be human is to be granted an express pass into the world of physicality. This world is full of the sights, sounds, and senses that create a multilayered experience for your life. The ability to move through the physical world and take your spirit along for the ride is the miracle of life.
When two people hold hands on a park bench or a father rocks his child to sleep in his arms, inconspicuous healing takes place. Face-to-face human contact and touch are not only healing, but also essential for a balance of the body and
spirit. I’m not necessarily referring to sex when I say human-to-human contact, although intimacy between two consenting souls can be very healing; I’m talking about being physically present with other human beings and your environment in meaningful ways. This can be achieved in hundreds of ways:
• Locking eyes with your spouse and children for a few minutes each day
• Sitting in the grass and actually appreciating the feel of the earth underneath your feet
• Asking someone how he or she are doing and taking a real moment to listen
• Savoring the moment while eating a chocolate bar
• Noticing how slick the leather interior of your car looks and thanking God for it
• Going to visit a friend and enjoying an ice cold cola together instead of catching up over text messaging
Technology when used in tandem with thoughtful perspective and common sense is a blessing. It’s up to each of us to set limits so that we can continue to fully enjoy what it means to be human.
Sheila Robinson-Kiss, MSW, LCSW, is a psychologist and transformational escape leader.
www.standinyourpowerandownit.com
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