Wellbeing

Technology for the Soul

Alison Bayne takes a look at how we can use modern technology to improve and enrich our spiritual lives

Alison Bayne takes a look at how we can use modern technology to improve and enrich our spiritual lives
From social networking to online shopping, technology satisfies most of our needs at the click of a mouse, yet it also meansthat we’re accessible 24-7. It’s no wonder so many of us find it difficult to relax and switch off when we have texts, emails and instantmessages bombarding us at all hours.

In many ways technology can be damaging to our spirituality, providing distraction, temptation and easy access to the worst aspects of humanity. We’ve all heard of identity theft, online scams and astronomical mobile phone bills; perhaps we have spent too much money on auction websites or too much time social networking. Let’s face it, technological intrusion is very much a part of life for most of us in 2011.

Although there are negative aspects to our obsessions with the internet and our mobile phones, modern technology is a tool that can also be used to enhance our spiritual lives and enrich our souls. There are a number of steps we can take to ensure that technology works for us and does not destroy our peace of mind or eat away at our spiritual beliefs. This is about taking control of the technology you use and reducing its negative effects so that it complements your way of life.

Protect yourself

After the birth of my children, like many new parents, I found it more and more difficult to watch news bulletins. The tsunami of 2004, for example, hit less than a week after my daughter was born, and this was a news story I found impossible to listen to. Ultimately, I made the decision to stop watching or listening to news broadcasts. If I wanted to find out about something, I searched for it on the internet; I didn’t wait to be bombarded with distressing details and shocking footage. I realised more and more that shock value sells newspapers. For me, the world was a better and less threatening place without my daily diet of bad news.

As well as avoiding television programmes that will lower your spirits, you can help to reduce your exposure to negativity by adjusting your internet settings. A simple first step would be to select a home page which reflects your spiritual nature, rather than one which is full of scaremongering about the economy or celebrity gossip. This might be the home page of your favourite self-help author or publisher, a forum that you belong to or the website of your favourite new age store.

You may feel that scenes of violence, pornographic images, explicit language, gambling sites and so on are not in tune with your soul-work– well, you don’t have to go there. We’re not talking about morality here; you will have your own code of ethics as to what is damaging and what is life-enhancing. Some of us create another life on the internet, get tangled up with old flames, bid too high on auction sites, access disturbing details and images we would rather forget. You know yourself what behaviours are risky or negative for you. Make it easy for your soul to enjoy the internet by tightening up the parental controls on your PC so that access is reduced.

Webweaving

For those of us who have spiritual beliefs but not necessarily a place of worship or a group to meet with, networking with like-minded souls is helpful for spiritual development. Books have much to teach us but as Wiccan author Silver RavenWolf terms it, “webweaving” can be a meaningful and enjoyable way of growing spiritually in the company of others. “For any human, magickal or not”, says SilverRavenWolf, “interaction with our own kind is essential”, and technology can facilitate this.

Perhaps you are the only person in your family who holds your particular beliefs? Sometimes the members of a community on the internet, suchas Children of Artemis, or holisticlocal.co.uk, can feel like the only people who understand or will even take seriously your spiritual point of view. Forums are wonderful places to ask questions, make requests for healing, learn from others’ experiences and develop your spiritual knowledge, in your own time, and with a reasonable amount of privacy. As with all aspects of the internet, consider carefully what personal information you disclose.

Supporting one another

One of the joys of text is its immediacy and simplicity. Some of us who prefer to communicate in writing may put off an awkward phone call or even a letter, but a text can be a good way of saying “thinking of you” or breaking the ice if you’ve been out of touch for a while. Well-timed and carefully constructed texts can remind our friends they’re not alone, send good vibes for a successful day, or simply boost self-esteem. Texts are so cheap and easy, you don’t even need a specific reason to send one, but they can bring real positivity to the recipient.

A useful way to use texts to enhance your inner work is to agree an SOS system with a trusted friend. This is particularly useful if you suffer from depression or are going through any kind of emotional turmoil, or a challenge such as giving up smoking or taking up exercise. When in need of support, healing energy or prayer, send an SOS text to your friend, on the understanding that she will do what she can to help, and you will do likewise when she needs you. Insomniacs sometimes have a similar text agreement where they keep their phones on silentthrough the night but text fellow non-sleepers if they are having a bad night. This means you don’t have to go through a ‘long, dark, night of the soul’ alone.

Sending greetings

E-cards are another simple but effective way to pass on messages of support, blessings or prayer requests. Like texts, they can be sent and delivered any time of the day or night, which gives them an advantage over snail mail. To spread and strengthen your awakening spirituality, it’s great to involve friends on the journey. The websites bkpublications.com and gratefulness.org have a wide selection of free ecards, so you can send greetings about your spiritual path, friendship, the light of meditation and self-discovery, rather than the usual kittens and puppies or singing and dancing flowers.

Making discoveries

If you are looking to develop your spiritual nature, or branch into a new belief system, but are not sure where to start, spiritualityandpractice.com features a self-test section, enabling you to find spiritual practices that would suit you best.

The internet gives us access to online courses, and vast amounts of information related to spiritual matters. Books that you would not normally find in your local high street or the public library are easily purchased online or can be swapped at websites like BookMooch or ReadItSwapIt. If you don’t have the money or time to attend college courses, or perhaps cannot physically get to a class you’re interested in, the internet is agood starting point. The website innerspace.org.uk, for example, offers a free, web-based 25-day challenge, covering such topics as abundance, not complaining and making mistakes. Subjects such as meditation, myths or megaliths are not usually covered on the syllabuses of adult education providers, but the internet makes these topics more accessible. Check out emailcollege.co.uk, which has a large range of eclectic e-courses.

The internet is also an excellent resource for seeking out alternative publications and radio stations that enrich your spiritual life, such as ucb.co.uk, PaganRadio.net and passionforfreshideas.com

Technology on the move

Technology enables us to enhance our inner lives while on the move or stuck in traffic, waiting for an appointment or even staying away from home.

We can now download books onto devices such as the Kindle, enabling us to take shelves’ worth of spiritual books wherever we wish. The infamous You-tube.com is an incredible source for grounding meditations, wiccan lullabies, visualisation techniques, goddess chants, relaxing music – whatever you are seeking – and it’s all free.

It is time to give yourself permission to step away from what distresses you and what distorts your view about the world.

Take a stand to make sure your self is protected, whilst remembering that technology itself is not the enemy. Used mindfully, it can be a force for good.