On Saturday I was sat in the cafe at Waterstones Bookshop in Leeds, and realised what a rare thing it is nowadays to go into a bookshop and buy a real book. I had gone to Leeds to buy a jacket in a store – another rare thing as most of my clothes I now buy online. How different it feels to buy something you can pick up and touch. The world has changed so much in such a short time, and some of the simple pleasures of life have gone or at least become rarer – browsing in a bookshop, shopping, sitting in cafes passing the time of day.
In May this year I had the privilege of attending a retreat led by Jon Kabat-Zinn in New York State. 200 people from round the world gathered at the Omega Centre for a 7 day retreat. Given the pressures on me at the time, I had seriously questioned the wisdom of going, but I am glad I did. Jon could have got ten times or more people attending by offering an online retreat, but he was clear that he wanted it to be in-person. He developed a theme on the retreat about analog and digital worlds. The whole experience had quite an impact on me in many ways – perhaps topics for later blogs. It was hugely expensive when travel was added in, and it was 11 days when you add in the travel and recovery days (more if you add in the jet-lagged days). But no regrets.
We probably all understand what we mean by a digital world, and we increasingly spend our time there. Even meetings now can be facilitated digitally, and I run regular mindfulness drop-ins online. Digital technologies are making so many things more efficient, and for the most part that is to be welcomed. But there are dimensions that are missing from the digital world, and just as the digital world has potential for great good, it also has potential for great harm. The march of the digital world seems relentless, and the analogue world gets less and less attention – who knows where technoglogies like AI might lead.
The analogue world is a wonderfully messy and beautiful place. It is made up of people, animals, plants, the wind and the rain, sunshine and snow. It has evolved over billions of years. Most of the things we do in the digital world we can do in the analogue world, but they are often slower or less convenient. The things we enjoy most, though, are often slow and more difficult to obtain – a good meal with friends, a walk in the park, a holiday. The analogue world can be even scarier than the digital world, but it can be more rewarding.
Whatever your faith, Christmas brings an opportunity to slow down and enjoy family, friends, and maybe a few luxuries. Of course there can be the craziness of lots to do to get ready, but hopefully we get some time to pause, to reflect on the year gone by, and to enjoy the analogue world a little.
Mindfulness is very much about re-connecting with the analogue, learning to be in this physical world, learning to observe and connect with the present moment, and to connect with others as humans. It is a difficult balance today, keeping ourselves grounded when our phones, tablets and computers demand our attention, and keep us engaged on things we did not even think of twenty years ago.
So, may you have a very analogue Christmas. Whether it is a quiet one at home, or a busy one with family and friends, may you find connection and joy.
May the new year be filled mindfully with the present, and may that present be fulfilling. And if you do resolutions, maybe you might like to make your new year a little more analogue.
