How is the Internet and our digital age affecting the human mind?

This question was addressed at the recent gathering at the Wisdom 2.0 conference in San Francisco by exploring how individuals are connecting in ways that do not support a deep sense of being seen or felt by others.

As a result of the digital age, we are "alone together", and ironically people feel more isolated than ever.

IPNB (Interpersonal Neurobiology, a term coined by Dan Siegel) views the mind as both an embodied and relational process, and so in many ways these constrained communications are not just shaping the mind, but they are creating a more externally focused way of living that can create more stress, less meaning, and more loneliness in our world.

At this conference, participants were seeking creative ways to alter this trend and help the mind and our relationships become more integrated.

The following citation from Carl Jung shows us the way:

When we look outside we dream;

When we look inside we awake.

 

In my opinion, the best way way is to balance outer networking with inner networking, through meditation.

There are three main types of meditation: Mindfulness, LovingKindness and Awareness.

 “The practice of lovingkindness meditation brings to life our innate capacity for connecting to ourselves and others,” states Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, USA.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama has stated, “My true religion is kindness.” Although kindness can be mistakenly seen as simplistic and weak, it has an inherent power to transform our worldview from one of fear and isolation to one rooted in clarity, courage, and compassion.

One of my individual practices is Tog Chod (the Wisdom Sword) - in its first level of practice we develop a state of Mindfulness.