“….and unless we touch others, we’re out of touch with life.”
– Oliver Wendall Holmes, American physician & poet. 19th Century
Most of us remember the James Cameron directed 2009 epic Avatar as a technically brilliant Sci Fi extravaganza. But what fascinated me about the story was the vast neural connectivity between every living organism on that beautiful world of Pandora. A network which allowed the humanoid species called Na’vi to not only connect to every other flora and fauna on the planet but to an evolved and higher planetary consciousness called Eywa. Eywa apparently is all about deep connection , bonding and balance, termed in Na’vi language as tsaheylu, and this alone becomes responsible for the defeat of the otherwise technologically superior and better armed human army.
Sometime back I had mused on the influence of internet and social media connectivity and the shift it is bringing to our society in ‘A World of Tweeple’. A shift that is moving large swathes of humanity from traditional groupings of ethnicity, community and religion to individual ‘Me- Self’ connectivities that satisfy emotional and social needs. My crystal ball gazing showed up two paths. One leading to a frightening Matrix like future where wired to central intelligences, we access information at will in return for our innermost thoughts and beliefs on display for others to examine. The other path holding the promise of our individualism being empowered by the power of networks to achieve a utopian future.
What is it about these visions of connectivity that fascinate so? Does such connectedness somehow, somewhere, signify an aspect of yearning, an area where we see a lack? I dwell upon this. I see myself connected to every life form through that double helix structure called DNA. I see my connections in the symbiotic relationship of the air, food and water that I take in. And I also see my connections in my social needs to bond and belong.
So what exactly is lacking?
I decide to do a reality check. What is it that makes us prefer Facebook friends to real ones? Could this be because deep down we remain diffident and uncertain about our ability to ‘connect with our hearts’, so essential to blossom a real friendship? Could this be because Facebook and such social media technologies allow us to calibrate and control how much, when and where we choose to share? Something which real friendships and connections could never tolerate. Could this be the reason that as technology gives us the means ‘to connect’ more and more, we see increasing evidence of disempowering disconnect all around? As we try and escape by shifting our connectivity to gadgets and technologies than to each other……….
I once again come round to the thinking that we have indeed become obsessed with a “Me- Self” mindset. And have chosen to forget all that had our forefathers had learnt to reach this stage of societal development. Aspect of being there for each other. Aspects of trust and empathy. The need to reboot our ‘operating system’ back to “Us –Selves” from the recently acquired “Me- Self”
So I come back to the question about what could we do to steer onto the alternative path promising that utopian future?
In a recent graduation address, Nipun Mehta, the 32 year old founder of CharityFocus.org and a recipient of the Jefferson Award for Public Service, speaks of three keys that helped him to return to a place of connection.
• Key number one ‘To Give’: Contrary to what the corporate world teaches, Nipun started with the hypothesis, “Maybe Greed is good but Generosity is better”. His experience with several projects has shown that (in his own words) ‘People consistently underestimate generosity, but human beings are internally wired to give.”
• Key number two ‘To Receive’: In Nipun’s words, “With any act of unconditional service, no matter how small, our biochemistry changes, our mind quietens, and we feel a sense of gratefulness. This inner transformation fundamentally shifts the direction of our lives.” It is in giving that we receive.
• Key number three ‘To Dance’: Contrary to what most people do, Nipun says that we should never try and track what is being given or received. Instead we need to let go and tune into the rhythm. The real reward of the give and take lies not in the value of what is being exchanged but the connection which flows underneath.
To Nipun Mehta’s three keys, I wish to add a fourth one.
• Key number four ‘To be Conscious’: As conscious beings, we are uniquely endowed with awareness and imagination. Aspects which allow us to connect to the Universe. As we do this, using vehicles like Science, Art and Religion, we are able to gain the unique understanding of the “spirit” that permeates and connects all things. Much like the connectivity in Avatar, it is this spiritual consciousness that becomes our ultimate connection to everything in the universe.
So, are we ready to give, to receive, to dance and to be conscious……… and to connect as we move through our lives?
“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”
― Carl Sagan, 1990.
In Learning…………………… Shakti Ghosal
Acknowledgement: Miserable & Magical: A Graduation Speech for Paradoxical Times– by Nipun Mehta, May 27, 2013.
A New Beginning 
True I do believe the unity and spirituality is what made that movie what it was. To have heart in everything around us, so poetic and yet a challenge till this day for man
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Hi Antonio,
I suppose all challenges that get surmounted start with a dream. Avatar does throw up possibilities, in this regard, does it not.
Thank you for taking the time to comment here, I truly appreciate.
Regards
Shakti
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Beautifully put. There are those that have used the connectivity of the social platforms to forge strong links with others as in Us-Selves and have found a good vehicle with which to give/receive but it is necessary to devote time to individuals and not try to gather names as though that counts as friendship.
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Hi David,
What you say is so true. I suppose each one of us would show up in the space where our energy is. Be it in social media platforms ( such as this!) or on a park bench waiting for tete a tete with a friend.
Thank you for your comment. I appreciate.
Shakti
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This is a warm, insightful, well-written post, Shakti. Thank you for sharing your lovely thoughts.
=)
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Thank you Stacie, glad you found it insightful.
Blessings
Shakti
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Hi Shakti! 🙂
Thanks for the visit and comment!!! 🙂
What would I say I am thankful for on Monday?
That the world is a big place and all things are possible! 🙂
God Bless!
Prenin.
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That is superb Prenin! As you open yourself up to possibilities, the Universe colludes to make it happen for you!
Shakti
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I think I’m ready to just do. Ahihihi. Seriously though, that’s my answer. No matter what the outcome, or reward in both physical or personal, or however it affects others. It’s an inner satisfaction, I guess, meshing with how it links to others. Funny how individualism is so much associated with connectivity when it is its opposite.
About the FB thing, sorry to air it out, I didn’t like that you choose it. The thing with FB is that people just add whoever, friends, old classmates, co-workers and relatives. People filter the things that they share in FB. And, pretty much, you have a friends list that have dissimilar interests than yours and at each other.
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Hi Rommel,
That is a great perspective you bring in here when you say, “…individualism is so much associated with connectivity when it is its opposite.” As I think of this, I seem to see how the polarity of individualism and connectivity in fact brings in enormous synergistic energies in areas of creativity, choice and balance.
And I do see the point you are making about FB.
Thank you for taking the time to visit and browse. I truly appreciate.
Shakti
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very good writing, friendship and brotherhood
thank you very much for the knowledge
friendly greetings
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Hi There,
Thanks partner for your kind comment. I would also like to acknowledge you for reading through a few of my earlier posts as evidenced by your likes. I truly appreciate.
So what would be your takeaway from my musings?
Shakti
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Hi Shakti!
Thank you for this inspiring and thought provoking post.
Although I enjoyed the amazing techniques in the movie Avatar what I enjoyed most was exactly what you describe, here: How it depicts the connection with each other and with Eywa.
The questions you are asking in this post are on the spot and wonderfully named. It is an interesting territory to explore. Those two potentials on the direction in which the modern communication technologies may be used are something I am noticing as well and I have been pondering about it, lately. I believe it is very much a matter of choice. What kind of communication do I choose? Yet, I also seem to encounter challenges on the path.
I love the four keys to connection that you are presenting. Personally I would put “To Be Conscious” on the first place as – in my experience – it seems to support (or boost) everything else.
Sending much love your way,
Steffi
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Dear Stefi,
Thank you for your kind acknowledgement of my post. I truly appreciate.
My musings have always been about my exploration of issues and my intention of “making sense of it all”.
I too brought in that fourth key, ‘To be conscious’ as I sensed its over-arching importance in connectedness.
Blessings
Shakti
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Beautifully insightful post. As you know from my recent post, I’m a big fan of authentic “virtual” friendships, but in-person friends as well. I think the same principles apply to all connections, including what Mehta suggests and your point about consciousness. I really believe that authenticity is key, and agree with you that our culture has become overly “me” focused; there’s a sense of entitlement – especially here in the Los Angeles area… That’s one reasons posts like these are so important. Thanks for so much for sharing.
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Hi August,
My issue with “virtual” friendship is in fact the aspect of authenticity you speak of. In any authentic friendship we need to invest energy and genuineness. How do we ensure this in a virtual situation? I am not saying that it is not possible. Only that the ability to control “on-off” behaviours is much more in the virtual world and these detract from the qualities I have mentioned.
Thank you for your kind words about the post. I appreciate you.
Shakti
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I read through your post several times, Shakti, and apologies I got delayed in returning Its been one busy week for a Dreamwalker! lol…
Love your post as I connect to your thinking.. We are indeed ALL of us connected as in the film,.. The Film the Avatar shows how we can all be in balance and yet even there amid this utopia was the predictors,…
The Key is balance and understanding that we each have an affect upon another… the ‘ripple effect’ goes not only through our human kingdom but we have affected nature and our animal kingdoms also as we have unbalanced nature…
Connecting via the web has enabled I think individuals a platform to air their views Some connecting via anonymous means, to speak out their truths which is again for some easier than face to face confrontations…
I love both worlds, Speaking in public is something I have done now for over 20 years, all be it from the platform of my spiritual services, And I love to engage in thoughts that allow us to expand our minds as we open them ever wider to greater possibilities…
its not surprising that the Native American Indians said that a time would come when the Web would connect…
Quote
Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.
~ Chief Seattle, 1854 ~
I think this Web we call the Internet is allowing us to link instantly with one another making us realise that We are connected in more ways than we have previously thought… I also think that our Mass Consciousness is opening as we collectively link through our thoughts… Instantly as we are being made aware of disasters, truth, joy, our unity in our vibrations is altering that Consciousness… As our Compassion or indeed in some cases Anger spills out and reaches out to others, communities and it has been shown that petitions have changes governing minds as the Masses collectively act as One…
We Are One, that is what we have forgotten… so as I send out my ripples they affect someone somewhere … We are ALL connected by that vibration of consciousness….
See……… how once started I never stop! 😉
wishing you a wonderful weekend to come and thank you for your inspiration
Sue
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Sue,
You always bring in so much of passion and belief into any discussion that I need to acknowledge you for that.
What is it that has made us forget that ( to use your words) ‘We are one”? There seems to be an increasing and significant consciousness about this in the world. So have we not reached the critical mass level that would allow for a tipping and transformation of the global perspective about this? If we could identify what made us “forget”, we could set in motion actions and behaviours that would accelerate the process…..
So what is it that you and I can take responsibility for, Sue?
Thank you for always taking the time out to visit me in this space. I truly appreciate.
Shakti
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” So what is it that you and I can take responsibility for,?? Well I can only take responsibility for they way I think! and Act… Taking responsibility for our own Actions and not blaming others or the World..
All too often we apportion blame condemning the actions of others, but if we take a real close Look into our own ways, we see that the world is only mirroring many of our own thoughts… even though we may not be aware consciously of contributing to them..
For we often hold judgement, jealousies, mistrust, anger, and our inner insecurities in the form of Fear,.. Fear of failure, .. We become competitive,seeking approval, praise, and then the power of that feeling grows as one then perhaps takes that feeling one step further to control, become the top ‘dog’ so to speak…
I really don’t know, I’m just waffling my thoughts here Shakti,…
But instead of trusting, and finding communities pulling together for survival like maybe way back in our past history when we were hunter gatherers,
That competitiveness, that ego of being in charge, controlling, and that self preservation of Self has somehow been overwhelmed with greed.. Taking things from life to serve self.. rather than the whole, ‘The Community’ We have over time lost that knowledge that we are a collective, as our desires and emotions have swamped the need to serve others…
We have been brought up through generations of passed down thinking… thoughts such as Dog eat Dog, and Look out for number one…. along with many other thoughts such as Work hard to succeed and to have no wealth means your Poor and a failure.. To succeed you need More… and by needing more people often tread on others toes to climb the ladder to their own particular successes.
Everything in todays world is external… its about Money, and possessions.. Being Rich have become these things
People have forgotten the Basics in life of what richness is… They do not see what they Add via their thoughts and actions then creates the whole… which in turn is reflected back by how society is and its then the visual model for the next generation and so on..
When richness comes not of the external, but the ability to find within the Peace we are all striving for to find in the accumulation of THINGS we work so hard to attain, thinking the next job will bring us happiness, the next relationship will bring us happiness, and our accumulation of wealth will bring us happiness,,
And yet you and I know that finding happiness comes not from any of these things, they are just the external extensions of thoughts as we gather around us those things which we desire to satisfy us to bring about that state of being each and every one needs and is searching for.. Love. ….
That utopia of a memory of feeling we have all perhaps forgotten its amazing experience…. which comes from feeling Complete…
a feeling we all strive for as we search to join back with that One-ness….
I think our ‘Fall’ of ‘forgetting’ has taken many thousands of years as we have got further embroiled in Karmic debt and universal laws which we are all bound to…
All I can do is Try to bring awareness that Peace starts with self, and if we ever want peace within our world to live in that unity then we need to work within our own inner worlds and maybe in another thousand years we may have learnt via our experience …
~Sue 🙂
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Dear Sue,
What you say is at once inspirational and powerful.
Taking responsibility of oneself and one’s own actions is a great place to begin. It does shift us out of that ever-tempting space of Blame.But can that in itself be enough to bring about the societal shift we await? If, as you say, we have spiralled down to embrace a belief set of greed, power and competitiveness, there exists myriad icons and pressure groups in today’s world to lead us towards this and further strengthen these beliefs. Let us also not forget that societies evolve and spiral up when one set of people move up much faster and then pull the rest up by the shoe strings.Can you visualise how a protoplasm moves? The front part may move considerably ahead of the rear part, but both remain part of the same whole. I use this metaphor only to bring in the enquiry of how the human society may be made to behave in the same manner. What checks and controls could be put in place to prevent parts of society to break away completely and still remain unaffected?
Could it just be that the way we are approaching the issue as we try to “change” others may be faulty? We may be setting great examples ourselves and feel vindicated that we ‘have taken responsibility’. But could this be getting perceived as we trying to stamp our belief set on others? ” What resists, persists.”
People’s thinking and behaviour is directly correlated to how situations occur to them Such occurrence becomes hostage to their own beliefs, assumptions, socialisation etc. Each one of us sees our own reality and creates our default future. How could we support them to rewrite their future aligned to a different set of beliefs?
That Sue, would remain the challenge and work-in-process for you and me.
Blessings
Shakti
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Maybe you are quite correct my friend, as you rightly say, we each of us see and perceive differently …
Maybe our beliefs within our societies and various cultures vary, but what holds each of them together? what is it that is in each of our beliefs have, that says the same thing… that is to love,. I know I simplify it here, But Maybe we have forgotten the greatest of all of our gifts as we have forgotten to love ourselves… lost ourselves as we compete with ourselves…
For our various beliefs hold at their core that one true principle the one that for many is so hard to hold on to… Love/Happiness/ Caring? Kindness…
And then as you point out again, each feeling, emotion felt within our Material world of Matter within our duality, has an opposite.. for we can not then experience Love without Hate, we cannot experience Good without Bad, Up-Down, Left-Right, Day-Night. so all things have to have opposites…. So maybe also
ALL things are meant to be as they are meant to be…
I know I would never try to alter another’s set of beliefs, or I hope would I never try to preach and say my thoughts or right, because I know I have many thoughts which I need to improve on..
But we are being shown a world via our modern day communication devices which pours its attention upon the negative…. I suppose in my own way of thinking, I am trying to pour my own positive into the mixture, believing rightly or wrongly that it will some how reset the balance…
Which again brings us to another set of thoughts, for if there is no right or wrong, just positive and negative energy… does it need balancing or will it find its own level…. as it balances itself out… with War and Peace? Peace and War?
I only know I am more at peace when I settle my own inner turmoil of battles…. and so I hope someday the world will too find peace once it learns to tackle its own inner conflicts that we see reflected in reality….
I am no genius, Just another soul upon her own Journey of Discover in her land of Dreams! 🙂
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Hi Sue,
Our discussion goes on and on……. and I love it!
You say,” I hope someday the world will too find peace once it learns to tackle its own inner conflicts that we see reflected in reality..”
This surely is a core awareness. What could be done to motivate and accelerate such a learning? Working on oneself is a great start but what next?
in learning…..
Shakti
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The best part of my week is water aerobics ~ getting exercise, outside, with real people, in real time, who are connecting and laughing and splashing about . . . with NO CELL PHONES in sight. 😀
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As you go through your water aerobics session, you live in the moment. And that is a wonderful space to connect from.
Thank you for taking the time to comment here, I appreciate.
Shakti
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This is an interesting, insightful, and thoughtful article, Shakti. Really appreciate it.
I know I am lacking real humans in real life, and need to step up my sociability. I recognise that. I’m not into Facebook at all though. I hear Daniel & his friends & comments & even he recognises how crazy people get about ‘likes’ and so on. It’s not substance, not a bit.
Excellent thoughts Shakti.
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Dear Shakti, I will be back in the AM to bring you my comment… upon this most interesting read.. 🙂 Sue
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Hi Sue,
Thanks. Look forward!
Shakti
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Beautifully and very thoughtfully written. We are stardust. Everything is connected.
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Thank you. If, as you say, we could shift the perspective of the majority to see “everything is connected”, how would the world occur to us?
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Shakti, In order for us to experience the world as interconnected, I believe we must nurture and develop a sense of compassion for the world and all sentient beings. In order to do this, a high level of emotional intelligence and a recognition that what I feel is felt by most every other human is required.
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Great thoughts my friend and I need to acknowledge you for this.
What could we do to bring in that compulsion within us to have more dependence on our Emotional intelligence?
Shakti
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wonderful lesson Christy…I would never have thought such a nice message from the movie…lovely post to read as I did like the movie 🙂 How are you doing dear?
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Hi Kavita,
I agree. Christy has made a beautiful and thought-provoking comment.
Christy, are you listening? You may wish to also acknowledge Kavita.
Cheers
Shakti
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I agree with the words in the post that we not keep track of what is given or received. It is best to ‘go with the flow’ and spread positive attitude wherever we walk or dance. I am certain that the giving comes with receiving so much more than material items – ‘give and ye shall receive’…
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Hi Christy,
Indeed, I agree with you when you say, ” giving comes with receiving so much more than material items – ‘give and ye shall receive’…”
Great to see you back here, thank you!
Shakti
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remarkable insight, thank you. tony
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You are welcome Dear Tony. I appreciate. Shakti
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Dear Shakti,
Very well put.
My simplistic explanation is that we are too lazy to write letters or call up and speak to people.
It is so much easier and non committal to click the “Like” button.
Best Wishes,
V.Anand
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Dear Sir,
So, what is it that makes us lazy now when even a generation back, we would invest in the requisite time to walk a few miles to chat with a friend and write letters to all our contacts? Indeed it is easier to click the ‘like’ button but if our energy is not in that relationship. what is the compulsion to click? So, where does our energy lie in today’s world if not in relationships?
Sir, thank you for taking the time to visit and comment here. I truly appreciate.
Regards
Shakti Ghosal
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Wonderful musing Shaktida.Lets go back to times when we all were but a mass ..a form..perhaps energy.we were ONE. then THAT one ness disintegrated into various life forms and inanimate things. Perhaps,somewhere we feel ‘incomplete’ thus we try to fulfill the need by interactions,by caring,by sharing and when we are understood,accepted,loved,we feel a high.When not,we seek elsewhere but that craving is always there,to connect. Connection heals.I feel technology helps us all bind with each other and allows us to express ourselves.When we use FB or any other networking site,we are ‘listened to’ .we have time and chance to express ourselves which may not happen in social gatherings where ‘monologues ‘ and people suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder usually wish to steal limelight. Just my input.
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Dear Babita,
You have brought in a great perspective here. Yes, indeed, there is the possibility that somewhere deep down in our genes, there could be that memory of a “Oneness” that we all shared once.This is what Carl Sagan also says in the quote that I have appended at the end of my post. For completeness, I bring it here again.
““The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” – Carl Sagan, 1990.
All of us originated from that one single primordial mass when the Universe got created. We, like everything else in the Universe, is made of that same “star-stuff” and, to that extent, the cosmos is also within us, is it not.
You say that this is the reason why we “feel” incomplete and therefore need connections.So when we shift our energy to aspects other than relationships and connections, we are indeed going astray. Could this be one of the causes of many world’s problems that we encounter?
I truly appreciate your taking the time and commenting here Babs.
Cheers
Shakti
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Love the Avatar movie. And yes, I am ready “to give, to receive, to dance and to be conscious……… and to connect as I move through life.” We need others that we can relate too. People who share our passions. People who listen without judgement. People who supports our hopes and dreams. Inspiring post!
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Indeed you have gained the jist when you say that you are ready “to give, to receive, to dance and to be conscious……… and to connect as I move through life.”
Yes, to achieve connectedness, we do need others that we can relate to. So as you think of this, what could you do to locate and relate to folks who share your passions, who would support your hopes and dreams?
Thank you for your lovely comment, I appreciate.
Shakti
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Great post again, Shakti. I still have not seen Avatar. When it came out, I wanted to see it in a real theater (we have one that doubles as a Community Hall) and benefit from the 3D feature on a full screen. Haven’t done that! – so I appreciated the insights you provided. I am even more intrigued.
Living on an Island, when I go into the village, I have a choice. I can take my time and have a short, but meaningful visit with different people or I can simply smile with a quick hello as focus remains on my task.
I do the same on Face Book. I don’t spend much time on surface commentary – I do with family and close friends in the spirit of good fun and humour. If I really want to communicate with distant relatives & friends, I message privately or phone.
Private messaging may be skewing our impressions of social platforming.
When I began blogging, I decided either my comments held some substance or I’d simply hit “like” to show support. I learned that “light” comments were often an effort to boast the reader’s readership – for their blog. I chose not to go there. (I read far fewer blogs now and it shows on my daily readership numbers. I like having balance in my life.)
So what’s my take? As in all aspects of life, we need to manage technology.
By managing as best I can, instead of letting it “fool” me into false beliefs, I strive toward the Unity that I sincerely believe is possible. People show me everyday how we all share the desire to be wanted, needed and loved.
I like seeing and hearing others I’d never otherwise know. It shows me how I share a heart level hope we hold for our world – local and global.
It reminds me to not succumb to the Disease of Uniqueness. 😀
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Dear Amy,
As always it is such a pleasure seeing your comments in my mailbox.
If I have been able to heighten your intrigue level about Avatar, I suppose I have done a good turn to James Cameron 🙂
Yes, it is about managing how we relate to technology. Reading your comment, it is quite clear you have succeeded in doing that well.But it also seems that large swathes of humanity are unable to do that and remain confused. To illustrate, I give here a front page news item in today’s ” Times of Oman”, our local newspaper.The headline reads, ” Addiction to social media or drugs : Which is the bigger evil….”
I suppose it comes down to the “sharing” consciousness that we hold. A consciousness we achieve as we realise , as you say, that “we all share the desire to be wanted, needed and loved”.
So thank you Amy for taking the time to come into this space and comment.
Shakti
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A very well detailed write-up and deep probe into human life and togetherness. I believe that with globalization the world has become one and we have several homes.
Cheerz
Vishal
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Hi Vishal,
That is a great perspective when you say that “we have several homes”. How could we use this aspect in our quest for connectedness?
Thank you for your visit and comment.
Shakti
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This is so thought-provoking,Shakti. The paragraph about Facebook friends made me think of how, at times, my friendship with the wonderful people I’ve met from all over the world on blogs can be a bit like having an imaginary friend. We have less responsibility toward them and don’t have to endure the day-to-day realities of being together. And it’s not hard to “unfriend” people on Facebook. Thank you for this. And for comparing my poem to Wordsworth. Oh my!
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Hi Victoria,
Great to see your comment here.Well, if the post made you think about certain aspects in your own life, I suppose it has succeeded.The truth is, as we go through life, we form habits and these habits form our future. It is therefore important to periodically catch ourselves doing things which no longer serve. These are opportunities to create wondrous changes in ourselves.
Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. I appreciate you.
Shakti
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Awesome write, I feel your soul this. Beautiful, connected and peaceful.
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Thank you for your kind acknowledgement. It is humbling.
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really great key points…i think unless we change the way we are living we are heading for some very rough times…the culture we have created is rather getting out of control…
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Hi Brian,
You may be right. But I suppose there always exists a fork at every decision moment with pros and cons stacked on both sides. We need to be conscious and be the change we seek for the world.
Thanks for taking the time out to comment.
Shakti
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Love the Sagan quote 😉
I am one who values one-on-one live human interactions over online networking. I interact with other humans this way every time I leave my house – which, admittedly, is not every day. But I ride my bicycle quite a bit, which allows me to stop and chat with people I encounter. This participation in our small community here is a blessing, and I realize how fortunate I am to have the time to interact in this way, being self employed working from home.
That being said, social networking allows me to keep in touch with a considerable network of real friends, real people from my past professional and social life on the east coast of the mainland US. It allows me to reconnect with old friends I grew up with on the west coast before I moved east at eighteen. Hawaii is many miles from either, but living here where people smile all the time and practice the spirit of Aloha in everyday gestures and kindness is a boon to the soul.
I suspect social networking gives the average person an easy way to interact in snippets of time which doesn’t require much emotional investment. I do wonder where it’s all going. Yet I prefer to embrace the salient points, one of which is that we are able to reach out across the globe, as you and I do, and have meaningful dialogue and realize our common goals and aspirations; prayers and wishes for all people.
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Dear Bela,
I too love that Sagan quote.It does allow us to see ourselves in a new perspective does it not? For me this perspective brought in new possibilities about the origin of our connectedness and what it could promise to become.
Yes, technology does allow us to expand our network and ” keep in touch” as you say.But somewhere in such connectivity I sense a shallowness, an attempt to project a “me” which is not genuine. Genuine connections require investment of time and true intention. It can never be a goal, only a beautiful journey. I seem to sense that many of us are choosing the lazy way out, preferring the ‘instant’ ON-OFF social media connections to face-to-face ones. How this would pan out and serve us and the society at large over time needs to be seen.
Thank you Bela for taking the time here to comment. I appreciate you!
Shakti
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Interesting take away from Avatar. I’ve never seen Avatar, nor used Facebook, so I can’t fully grasp the neural connection you write of from the movie. My take on technology is that the online “relationships” are so prevalent because they are easy. No discussion gets too personal, but they fool people into feeling like they have real connection. Face-to-face interaction is so important because I think many of us would talk about things we would never write and post anywhere. We learn so much more about others (and ourselves) that way.
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Hi,
That is a great insight.You say that “… online “relationships” are so prevalent because they are easy. No discussion gets too personal, but they fool people into feeling like they have real connection.”So, what could be the reason for us to see discussions which become personal getting tougher for us to handle? Could this be because we have become conditioned to maintain an external facade quite different from who we really are? Ans what could be at the core of our compulsion to do this?
My understanding of this is that intrinsic need for us to have acceptance. Which we then translate to “showing up” in a manner that in our perception would find acceptance. But by doing this, are we not relinquishing control of our own selves to others?
Thank you for taking the time to comment here. I appreciate you.
Shakti
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Shakti,
Avatar touched me deeply for the exact reasons that you discuss here. A world where neural connections run throughout the planet and its inhabitants creates the power and understanding of the US-Self that you mention. The internet has certainly created the opportunity for a greater connection between people on our planet if we so choose to use it that way – consciously.
I happen to believe that those neural pathways have always been in place and that all living things here on planet earth are hard-wired (without the internet) to connect to them – but we have forgotten them. Perhaps the internet can help us to create the bridge back to our intuitive, connected consciousness if we so choose?
Cathy
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Hi Cathy,
That’s a great thought you have brought here. Yes, the internet has created great opportunities and I had in fact explored some aspects of this in an earlier post, ” A World of Tweeple” which I have referenced and hyper-linked in this current post. In that post, I had spoken of one of the alternate futures as an empowered one supported by the internet connectivity. Could I invite you to read that?
Thank you for your presence here and taking the time to comment. I appreciate you.
Shakti
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Shakti … With Facebook, I’d say there’s very little “real” conversation happening, very little connectedness. About a month ago, I cut back on my time on FB. I much prefer face-to-face conversations and contact, but I do use FB briefly to chat privately with friends and family.
It saddens me when I eat out and I see someone ignore the person right across the table from them while they text their friends or update their FB status. They are losing out on a real, meaningful opportunity to chat when they do so.
Nipun Mehta and you offer excellent suggestions on how to return to a place of connection and achieve a better world for all of us. Thank you for your presence.
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Hi Judy,
Strange is it not how technology has morphed our social behaviour patterns? Hanging out with pals nowadays means sitting together on a table, each fiddling with his smartphone, scarcely exchanging any words. And if words are being exchanged it is about how that person has whatsapped or facebooked an interesting upload to the others. While all of them are sitting on the same table! We have come to accept such social behaviour as normal.I wonder sometimes which is more weird, the behaviour or our acceptance of it?
Thank you for your kind comment and acknowledgement.I appreciate your taking the time here.Cheers
Shakti
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Greetings Shakti….
It is always a happy day when I find your words waiting in my email box. A new journey into stretching my mind. Thank you…I see all of connectedness as breaking down into one word and that being validation. So often as in most human beings, all we really long for is validation that says you matter which in itself is a form of thank you. When we don’t receive validation we feel disconnected which we put into the term ‘not cared about.’ I think when we give something we really aren’t looking so much for a thank you as much as the validation that says ‘you matter’. So if this is the case one would have to dig deeper and discover why we crave validation. Because we are not already connected! Validation is our way of connecting emotionally because we are not connected energetically. Whew….I know what I am thinking but putting it into words is tough! I think spirituality is becoming the connection we have all been craving, it is an energetic connection that just ‘ IS ‘….Whatever I am trying to say I know from what I feel we are in mid stream of this connection that will eventually bring us to the new world. Blessings and love to you my friend. Have a wonderful day…… VK
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Hi VK,
Greetings to you too my friend. It is always such a heart touching moment whenever we are connecting through our posts, is it not?
You have indeed brought here a great aspect regarding validation. Indeed, validation remains at the core of connectedness. I can visualise it as the opening up of the petals of a flower ready to receive the pollen carrying bee. Yes, we remain mentally attuned to connect to that other person who validates our presence in their lives, that we matter and bring value to them. So thank you for your great thought on validation, I truly appreciate.
Blessings
Shakti
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