If ever we were lured to forget the world"s discomfort, these days it"s undeniable. From Africa’s Ebola outbreak to deep unrest and bloodshed in the Middle East, to ongoing racial tension in the US following the fatalities of black Americans by whites, the world is crying. Yet rather than tears, an outpouring of viewpoints and colliding perspectives propagate mainstream media and permeate our social media personality.
Though many people harbor a love-hate relationship with social media, the medium is ethically neutral. The material of our newsfeeds and our relationship thereto reflects our relationship to life at large. How can we engage with our social media in a manner that purposely aligns us with our values? Put another means, how can we turn our engagement with social media into a lab for practicing yoga "off of the mat?"
When you visit and scroll past bigoted, racist, sexist, violent or otherwise offensive material, how do you respond? Do you engage with the poster, speaking your truth but risking the connection? Do you neglect the post or sanitize and clean your feed, hiding or unfriending the offender? Next time an activating post appears for you, take a moment to see what occurs for you mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Can you honor, regard and hold your very own experience in kindness-- in addition to the truth of the person who has published?
Sometimes, concealing provocative content posted by repeat transgressors is needed. Yet discovering to be exposed to conflicting views, while extending empathy to the person revealing them with the understanding that some views are borne of ignorance and conditioning (while not elevating yourself above them), can be an effective practice. Can you enjoy the individual, while maintaining equanimity? Can you grow compassion regardless of your very own anger, anxiety or outrage, understanding that their expression of prejudice, racism or injustice reflects alienation from their own hearts?
Although it may feel most comfy to us, when we regularly block or conceal pointers of discomfort or oppression on our feeds, we turn our hearts and eyes far from the world"s suffering. In so doing, we end up being more comfortable in our insular existence, yet we likewise maintain the internal and external status quo. We perpetuate the issue, even as our hearts long to be part of the solution. In the minute, turning "off" or overlooking a particular story could make us feel much better. Yet whenever another uncomfortable story appears we could also be reminded of our hesitation to speak our truth in the face of oppression, reminding us of the inconsistency between our gut values and the face we present to the world.
Are you willing to sacrifice your individual comfort and likeability for collective wellness? In yoga"s seminal text, the Bhagavad Gita, the warrior Arjuna was asked into battle by Krishna versus his household and beloved peers, in the pursuit of reality and self-realization. Each people on the course of yoga is called to the very same. When we read short articles we do not concur with, or hear convictions that conflict with our heart, do we keep scrolling, silently recoiling within as we silence ourselves? Do we pull away from the battleground to preserve the peace, to keep resembling, to avoid making waves? Or, like Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, do we compromise our individual convenience-- in the service of reality, justice and the inner and external liberation of all beings?
There are no best or wrong answers right here. One person"s truth is not the same as another"s. Yet attuning to the wisdom of the heart-mind (bodhicitta) assists in a conscience and fact that transcends the petty defenses, preferences and viewpoints of the conditioned, egoic mind.
Notice how you show up on social media. Do you post material that feels safe and comfy for your good friend group, and choose buddies that do the exact same? Or do you publish provocative material? If a post does not get any likes, do you erase it, or feel safe enough to leave it undamaged, understanding that it was reflective of something requiring revealed, even if those around you didn"t always confirm it? How does this mirror your habits in life, when exposed to views or actions you do not concur with?
The path of Arjuna is not an easy one. It requires using up the sword and taking part in battle with those you love most to honor the wisdom of your very own heart and humanity"s cumulative liberation. It needs compromising the parts of you that feed on social desirability and likeability, although the fruits of this sacrifice help with freedom.
"Blessed are warriors who are given
the chance of a fight like this,
which calls them to do what is right
and opens evictions of heaven ...
… But if you refuse the call
to a righteous war, and shrink from
what duty and honor dictate,
you will certainly reduce ruin on your head
... If you are eliminated, you gain heaven,
triumph, and you obtain the earth.
therefore stand up, Arjuna;
steady your mind to fight.”
Bhagavad Gita, 2.32, 2.33, 2.37, Stephen Mitchell translation
How do you engage with social networks? What have you discovered to be the very best method to handling difficult content others post?
Yoga of Social Media: Navigating with Integrity
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