A week without a computer: Vacation? Exile? (Or both.)
Welcome back to 'This Dream is a Poem,' your cozy home for dreams and writing. Read on for your invite to a FREE workshop for all subscribers, a deck of cards to inspire dreams and writing, and more.
Last week, when I logged into my writing group, I began by explaining to the other members why I was in one of those narrow rectangular Zoom windows. “My computer is in the shop,” I said, “so I have to facilitate today’s meeting by phone.”
Instantly the chat box blew up with comments, and people unmuted to express how envious they were of my predicament.
I was expecting murmurs of consolation, not confetti-strewn emojis.
“Would they take my laptop away from me for a week?" one writer asked. “I’d pay by the hour just to be rid of it.”
Honestly, as frustrated as I was at the idea of handing over my laptop for several days, part of me thought that a little break from my computer would be a bit of a respite too. I would pare back to basics and use my phone to do only the necessary online tasks.
With all the time I’d free up by not posting on Facebook and Instagram, I imagined I’d return to an early 1990’s edenic experience of a simpler life.
I set up my phone its stand, and fired up a portable bluetooth keyboard I use when I travel, and … it worked!
At first life without my laptop was the charming tech equivalent of camping out. It was fun to see all I could accomplish with simpler tools.
But then … reality set in.
My fingers were constantly bumping up against one another on the portable keyboard, slowing me down and causing me to make even more typos than usual.
The few tasks that remained on my list took longer than usual, and were more frustrating. So my imagined hours of leisure evaporated before my eyes, which were strained from peering into that palm-sized phone screen.
As the days without my computer turned into a week (!) I had plenty of time to contemplate the bargain we have made with the technology in our lives. I asked myself:
If this past week were a dream, what would it be calling on me to see about my life now, and what actions can I take in response?
I asked myself:
How can I achieve balance between the gifts phones and keyboards offer—and the gifts of time and sky, birdsong and sweet boredom, that we seem to have traded away?
Here’s what I’ve got:
To set up for more sanity in this wired world, I (we) can:
Set intentions before sitting down at the computer; not just goals, but intentions for how I want to feel while I work or scroll and how I can align my time online with my values.
Set a timer to limit my time in the chair. When I hear the alert, I can step away and stretch, look out the window, and check in with the intentions I set.
Set up times to go to the library, park, or a café with a book or my journal—nothing with batteries, plugs, or screens allowed.
Since we are, it seems, tethered to technology for the long run, the best we can do, is use it with as much intention as we can muster—and with plenty of compassion for ourselves when we fall prey to the seductive siren call to mindless scrolling and liking.
Then, we can pause, look up at the sky, or out at a tree, take a breath, listen for a moment, and return to what we were doing—mindfully.
Meanwhile, after some delays and setbacks, I’m grateful that my laptop is back on my desk, and my fingertips are back on the keys—dancing.
The best dreams in life are FREE for all subscribers to this newsletter!
The next DOTP Mini is Tues. April 9!
Let’s make (more) magic in under and hour!
DOTP Mini Writing Workshops take place the 2nd Tuesday of most months from 11 a.m.-11:45 a.m. US ET.
Gather for time to connect with your creativity and one another, a writing prompt, and sharing.
Free for all subscribers.The next minis take place:
April 9
May 14
No minis in June and July during my summer break. Stay tuned for more dates.
Both FREE and PAID subscribers receive:
A 45-minute interactive online Writing Circle in real-time.
Prompts, inspiration, and time to write.
An opportunity to share with other members of the community.
Free for all subscribers in April and May.
To attend, simply RSVP to save your spot now, or check your inbox on Tuesday, April 9, for the link to join.
PAID Subscribers receive all that ☝🏼 PLUS:
Access to session replays that you can watch anytime.
Downloadable PDF Handouts.
Always free of charge.
When you become an annual subscriber, you also get a signed copy of the Dreaming on the Page book! (Mailed to US postal addresses only.)
Dreaming on the Page is a finalist for two awards
My book Dreaming on the Page: Tap into Your Midnight Mind to Supercharge Your Writing is a Foreword Indies Finalist (in Self-Help books) and a finalist in the Independent Book Publishers Benjamin Franklin Awards (in the Body Mind and Spirit category)
More publishing news!
The Little Deck of Dreams is now available for pre-order!
The Little Deck of Dreams is beautifully illustrated deck of 50 cards. It provides insight into the symbolism and meaning behind common dream themes and types, including recurring dreams, nightmares, and lucid dreams.
Pre-order The Little Deck of Dreams: Amazon.com Barnes&Noble.com IndieBound
Dream on the beach in the Bahamas
April 15 — 18, 2024
In Person at Sivananda Yoga Ashram Retreat, Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas
Enhance your yogic lifestyle by developing a deeper relationship with your dreams. Learn how to listen to your dreams for wise guidance, self-knowledge, and powerful healing. You will learn techniques to improve dream recall and how to interpret the meaning and messages of your dreams as a path for daily self-reflection, self-observation, and self-study.
I can only say Amen, Amen!