Alistair will be giving a 90 minute talk and mini-workshop exploring the issues arising from social media and smart phone use.

Smart phones have brought the Internet into the nooks and crannies of our life. More than 60% of mobile phone users turn them on within 15 minutes of waking, many of us fall asleep with them on our pillow at night. The Internet has moved from being a super-sized encyclopaedia and shopping mall into an extension of our personality. Facebook profiles, twitter feeds and Instagram accounts all mean more and more to us and a glance around any public space will confirm how many hours we spend on these glowing little screens.

But there is a down-side to all this connectivity and on-line activity. The internet and social media are a extension of the world of ideas. The ideas may be bright and sparkling and almost infinitely exciting but they are still concepts and two and half thousand years ago, the Buddha recognised that too many concepts are not good for us. In fact they may well be the cause of all our unhappiness.

The anti-dote to what neuroscientists call an excess of ‘left-brain’ experience (concepts and abstractions and symbols) is meditation. Sinking into the pleasures of ‘right-brain’ existence – breathing, being in the present moment, connecting in real space – is the place where we can find real peace and satisfaction.

Alistair will be introducing the basic ideas of mindfulness as well exploring the effects of social media and the smart phone revolution.

The talk is free but donations to the Samye Dzong Centre are welcome!