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The Power of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a Virtual World
Current price:
$16.95
Publication Date: November 1st, 2016
Publisher:
Sounds True
ISBN:
9781622037957
Pages:
256
Description
Effective mindfulness practices for transforming your relationship with technology and reconnecting with your real life
Our reliance on technology is rapidly changing how each of us experiences life. We’re facing new issues and difficulties, we’re encountering new emotional triggers, and we’re relating to each other in new ways. As Dr. Nancy Colier writes, "How we spend our time, what motivates us, and what we want are all are on a radical course of transformation." The promise of technology is that it will make our lives easier; yet to realize that promise, we cannot be passive users—we must bring awareness and mindfulness to our relationships with our devices.
"The compulsion to constantly check our devices plays on primal instincts," teaches Colier. "Even people with strong spiritual practices or those who have never had other addiction issues now find themselves caught in the subtle trap of these miraculous tools we’ve created." Through The Power of Off, she offers us a path for making use of the virtual world while still feeling good, having healthy relationships, and staying connected with what is genuinely meaningful in life. You’ll explore: How and why today’s devices push our buttons so effectively, and what you can do to take back control of your life
• Tips for navigating the increasingly complex ways in which technology is affecting our relationships—with ourselves, others, and our devices themselves
• Self-evaluation tools for bringing greater awareness to your use of technology
• Mindfulness practices for helping you interact with your devices in more conscious ways
• A 30-day digital detox program to kick-start a new healthier relationship with technology
With The Power of Off, Colier sounds the call for wakefulness, reminding us that we can use technology in a way that promotes, rather than detracts from, our well-being. This book provides an essential resource for anyone wanting to create a more empowered relationship with technology in the digital age.
Praise for The Power of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a Virtual World
“Psychotherapist and interfaith minister Colier points out that leaving ourselves endlessly available to our electronic devices paradoxically shuts us off from other people and real life. While the author doesn’t disparage technology, she does emphasize that it tends to provide a means of escape and immediate gratification instead of participation in the present, which results in healthier emotional interactions with others. Using mindfulness practices and directed questions, plus a 30-day tech detox with useful ideas for paying attention to one’s current situation, Colier demonstrates how to achieve an appropriate relationship with technology. VERDICT Excellent proactive suggestions for plugging into reality and relegating technology to a healthier role in everyday life.” —Library Journal, starred review
“Modern technology has left most of us with a sense of too much and, simultaneously, not enough. Enslaved to our increasingly demanding technological devices, we are being reprogrammed to feel anxious when we’re not being over stimulated. The more time we spend in a virtual world, the less emotional connection we feel to ourselves and others. It’s both subtle and pervasive. Technology has become the master and technological anesthesia sets in as we spend more and more time being reactive instead of proactive. Nancy Colier makes the case that mindfulness practice is key to breaking free from electronic programming and reclaiming our power to live full and happy lives. She reminds readers that these miraculous tools are still only tools. A seasoned therapeutic professional, she provides self-evaluation resources as well as a 30-day digital detox program. Let customers know that they can stay connected electronically without abdicating their individual will. This book spells out how in detail.” —Retailing Insight, Anna Jedrziewski
“Psychotherapist Colier (Inviting a Monkey to Tea) paints a vivid picture of how addicted we have become to our electronic devices, checking emails and sending text messages to the point of neglecting what is truly important....Readers fascinated by how digital technology has changed the world, particularly everyday human interaction, will appreciate the author’s thought-provoking viewpoint.” —Publishers Weekly
“A critical and compelling discussion of how living in the digital age affects our minds, bodies, and relationships—and, most importantly, how through the simple practice of mindfulness, we can navigate these times with clarity and wisdom.” —Tara Brach, PhD, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
“A reliable GPS for finding our way out of the digital labyrinth into a clear-eyed, heartfelt connection with the present moment, where life in all its richness and beauty is actually taking place.” —Stephan Bodian, author of Wake Up Now and Beyond Mindfulness
“Timely, topical, and thoughtful. Colier offers unique insight as we wrestle with what it means to be human and connected in the digital age.” —Christopher Willard, PsyD, author of Growing Up Mindful
“A wise and loving remedy, a lucid invitation to mindful living, a re-inhabiting the heart of life itself. Colier showed me the off button, and I am grateful.” —Mirabai Starr, author of God of Love and Caravan of No Despair
“A gentle yet powerful set of meditations on self, screen, and soul.” —Douglas Rushkoff, author of Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus
