Saturday is Digital Sabbath for me. The idea of a digital Sabbath is something I find very attractive. Like so many people I find myself tethered to my technology and sometimes forget one of the most precious gifts is to be with who I am within the place where I am.
I first learned of “digital Sabbath” from Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and teacher. The idea of digital Sabbath is to take a day each week and let your mind be disconnected from the world on the other end of the cell phone, internet, etc. In short the idea is to be where you are with who you are.
The challenge I find with the idea of digital Sabbath is the fact I use so much technology as a substitute for sight. I write using a word processor and read books that are either recorded voice or text to speech formats. Ironically, when I meditate, I start by telling Siri to set an alarm for 30 minutes. I haven’t quite reconciled which of these technologies are simply 21st century progress and when I’m just rationalizing for my own convenience.
Despite these challenges, digital Sabbath is a great opportunity to pause, reflect, and be present. What I’m finding is the technologies that connect me most efficiently to the world outside also disconnect me from the world of my own mind and heart.
Dan Lococo 