Noise
& Distraction
“Distractions
and illusions are powerful things. But they are clutter, talking mind
clutter.”
Caroline
Myss (Caroline's Blog: A Sweet Reprieve from Madness-Part 1)
The Buddha called the
world of form an illusion. A modern interpretation of his meaning
would be “a distraction.” We modern human beings are so
distracted by the world of form that we fail to make time for our
inner life—the world of thought, of quiet contemplation, of
silence. Most of us, myself included, are rarely in silence. We have
a television going, or in my case, a radio, for background noise. We
have our phones always at the ready, our ipods, laptops and notebooks
at hand so as to never miss a call or a tweet or a text. Our poor
minds are so distracted that we cannot even stay engaged in
conversation with the people around us without the interference of
our cell phones. Think how scrambled our brains must be.
When we add the stress of
living in a world at war with itself, rife with storms, fires,
floods, and crazy, gun-slinging maniacs, and layer that over with
entertainment that dramatizes and idolizes murder, mayhem, obscene
and salacious behavior—well, what do we expect? It's as though we
are addicted to sensory stimulation and, as with every addiction,
need ever more to of it to keep going.
What we truly need is a
“reprieve from the madness,” as Caroline Myss suggests. Too many
of us are finding that reprieve in drugs and alcohol. We are using
chemicals as a means of tuning out, of taking a break in the form of
numbness from the constant stimulation that our body-mind is not
equipped to handle. It's imperative that we stop and think before we
continue down this path. The more reliant we are on technology,
substances and hyper-stimulation, the less connected we will be with
our spirit and our soul.
Yesterday, I heard that
Congress has appointed a committee to address all the possibilities
for using artificial intelligence. All the industries to be built,
all the money to be made, all the exciting break-through medical
treatments, and so forth and so on. “This is our future!” this Senator said
with unguarded enthusiasm.
While we are marching
into this bold new future, let us reconsider what makes us human.
That would be our ability to connect within; to hold our world to a
moral standard by listening to the guidance of our souls. We need
silence to do that. We need a period of time each day that is
protected from noise and distraction. We need to tune in to the quiet
inner world and reconnect with the natural outer world that is our
home. We need human companionship and deep conversation. We will not
find that in our technology. Reach out today—not for your phone—but
for your friend, and for your higher Self.
In the Spirit,
Jane
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